CK2 in Cancer: Cellular and Biochemical Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutic Target
by
Melissa M.J. Chua †
, Charina E. Ortega †, Ayesha Sheikh, Migi Lee, Hussein Abdul-Rassoul, Kevan L. Hartshorn and Isabel Dominguez *
Melissa M.J. Chua †, Charina E. Ortega †, Ayesha Sheikh, Migi Lee, Hussein Abdul-Rassoul, Kevan L. Hartshorn and Isabel Dominguez *
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Academic Editor: Marc Le Borgne
Pharmaceuticals 2017, 10(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph10010018
Received: 2 December 2016 / Revised: 23 January 2017 / Accepted: 23 January 2017 / Published: 28 January 2017
(This article belongs to the Special Issue An Updated View on an Emerging Target: Selected Papers from the 8th International Conference on Protein Kinase CK2)
CK2 genes are overexpressed in many human cancers, and most often overexpression is associated with worse prognosis. Site-specific expression in mice leads to cancer development (e.g., breast, lymphoma) indicating the oncogenic nature of CK2. CK2 is involved in many key aspects of cancer including inhibition of apoptosis, modulation of signaling pathways, DNA damage response, and cell cycle regulation. A number of CK2 inhibitors are now available and have been shown to have activity against various cancers in vitro and in pre-clinical models. Some of these inhibitors are now undergoing exploration in clinical trials as well. In this review, we will examine some of the major cancers in which CK2 inhibition has promise based on in vitro and pre-clinical studies, the proposed cellular and signaling mechanisms of anti-cancer activity by CK2 inhibitors, and the current or recent clinical trials using CK2 inhibitors.
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Keywords:
CK2; cancer; proliferation; apoptosis; migration; invasion; signaling pathways; signaling cascades; preclinical models; clinical trials; therapy
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MDPI and ACS Style
Chua, M.M.; Ortega, C.E.; Sheikh, A.; Lee, M.; Abdul-Rassoul, H.; Hartshorn, K.L.; Dominguez, I. CK2 in Cancer: Cellular and Biochemical Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutic Target. Pharmaceuticals 2017, 10, 18.
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