Revisiting Aurora Kinase B: A promising therapeutic target for cancer therapy

Med Res Rev. 2024 Mar;44(2):686-706. doi: 10.1002/med.21994. Epub 2023 Nov 20.

Abstract

Cancer continues to be a major health concern globally, although the advent of targeted therapy has revolutionized treatment options. Aurora Kinase B is a serine-threonine kinase that has been explored as an oncology therapeutic target for more than two decades. Aurora Kinase B inhibitors show promising biological results in in-vitro and in-vivo experiments. However, there are no inhibitors approved yet for clinical use, primarily because of the side effects associated with Aurora B inhibitors. Several studies demonstrate that Aurora B inhibitors show excellent synergy with various chemotherapeutic agents, radiation therapy, and targeted therapies. This makes it an excellent choice as an adjuvant therapy to first-line therapies, which greatly improves the therapeutic window and side effect profile. Recent studies indicate the role of Aurora B in some deadly cancers with limited therapeutic options, like triple-negative breast cancer and glioblastoma. Herein, we review the latest developments in Aurora Kinase B targeted research, with emphasis on its potential as an adjuvant therapy and its role in some of the most difficult-to-treat cancers.

Keywords: Aurora B; cancer; inhibitor; kinase; synergy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Aurora Kinase A / therapeutic use
  • Aurora Kinase B / therapeutic use
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Aurora Kinase B
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Aurora Kinase A
  • Antineoplastic Agents