Why is PAK4 overexpressed in cancer?

Tânia D F Costa; Staffan Strömblad

doi:10.1016/j.biocel.2021.106041

Why is PAK4 overexpressed in cancer?

Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2021 Sep:138:106041. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2021.106041. Epub 2021 Jul 15.

Authors

Tânia D F Costa¹, Staffan Strömblad²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. Electronic address: tania.costa@ki.se.
² Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. Electronic address: staffan.stromblad@ki.se.

PMID: 34274498
DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2021.106041

Abstract

Understanding why proteins are overexpressed in cancer is of great interest, as it holds the potential for improved cancer diagnosis and treatment. A noteworthy candidate, p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4), is frequently overexpressed in cancer and a key player in multiple hallmarks of cancer. Here we review findings backing PAK4 overexpression in cancer and motivate PAK4 as a suitable target for the development of cancer therapy.

Keywords: Cancer; Cellular senescence; Protein overexpression; p21-activated kinase.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Cell Proliferation*
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
Humans
Neoplasms / metabolism
Neoplasms / pathology*
p21-Activated Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

PAK4 protein, human
p21-Activated Kinases