title: The isomerase PIN1 controls numerous cancer-driving pathways and is a unique drug target.
abstract: Targeted drugs have changed cancer treatment but are often ineffective in the long term against solid tumours, largely because of the activation of heterogeneous oncogenic pathways. A central common signalling mechanism in many of these pathways is proline-directed phosphorylation, which is regulated by many kinases and phosphatases. The structure and function of these phosphorylated proteins are further controlled by a single proline isomerase: PIN1. PIN1 is overactivated in cancers and it promotes cancer and cancer stem cells by disrupting the balance of oncogenes and tumour suppressors. This Review discusses the roles of PIN1 in cancer and the potential of PIN1 inhibitors to restore this balance.
authors.affiliation: Division of Translational Therapeutics, Department of Medicine and Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Xiao Zhen
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Division of Translational Therapeutics, Department of Medicine and Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Kun Ping
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007536:Isomerism; D051379:Mice; D000072340:NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D000072340:NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase