Aurora A and B kinases--targets of novel anticancer drugs.
The Aurora Kinases are highly related serine-threonine kinases, essential for accurate and equal segregation of genomic material during mitosis. A large number of studies have linked the aberrant expression of Aurora kinases to cancer, leading to the development of specific Aurora kinases inhibitors. Several small molecules inhibit with a similar efficacy both Aurora A and Aurora B, however, in most cases the effects resemble Aurora B disruption by genetic methods, indicating that Aurora B represents an effective therapeutic target. These drugs are currently under preclinical or clinical evaluation and are reviewed in this article. The relevant patents are discussed.
Libertini
Silvana
S
Dipartiment of Biology and Cellular and Molecular Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, via s. Pansini 5, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
Abagnale
Antonella
A
Passaro
Carmela
C
Botta
Ginevra
G
Portella
Giuseppe
G
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D064107:Aurora Kinase B; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; C576921:AURKB protein, human; D064107:Aurora Kinase B; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases