Polo-like kinase and its inhibitors: Ready for the match to start?

Am J Hematol. 2015 Nov;90(11):1071-6. doi: 10.1002/ajh.24177. Epub 2015 Oct 8.

Abstract

Polo-like kinases (Plks) plays a central role in the normal cell cycle and their upregulation has been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple human cancers. Preclinical work demonstrates that targeting Plk has a significant impact on the treatment of both solid and hematologic malignancies in vitro and in vivo. We review here the basic science and clinical work to date with the Plks as well as future directions with this novel class of mitotic inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Gene Expression
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Humans
  • Isoenzymes / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Isoenzymes / genetics
  • Mice
  • Polo-Like Kinase 1
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Survival Analysis
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Isoenzymes
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases