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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2026

PAFAH1B1 governs follicular development by modulating the protein complex of CCNE1-CDK2-CDK1 to induce cell cycle arrest.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian follicle development plays a crucial role in mammalian fertility, which is primarily regulated by granulosa cell (GC) proliferation and cell cycle. Cell cycle dysregulation collectively might drive follicular atresia through GC dysfunction. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unexplored. METHODS: The scRNA-seq and integrative analysis revealed that PAFAH1B1 was involved in cell cycle. Functional assays, including overexpression/knockdown, flow cytometry, EdU, HE, and TUNEL, confirmed that PAFAH1B1 regulated cell cycle and follicular development in vitro and in vivo. CoIP showed that PAFAH1B1 bound CCNE1-CDK2-CDK1 to arrest G2/M phase. Chromatin accessibility and CRISPR/dCas9-TET1 demonstrated that DNA methylation modulated PAFAH1B1 transcription. RESULTS: A novel regulator of cell cycle, PAFAH1B1, was identified in Pig Genotype-Tissue Expression (PigGTEx). During GC proliferation, we found that PAFAH1B1 transcription was correlated with the distribution rate of G1 phase in GCs. PAFAH1B1 protein was confirmed to specifically bind to CCNE1-CDK2-CDK1 to arrest G2/M phase. Notably, PAFAH1B1 appeared to hinder the development of follicles. Furthermore, the demethylation significantly promoted the transcription activity and chromatin accessibility of CpG island (-7 bp to +170 bp) of PAFAH1B1. Taken together, PAFAH1B1 physically interacted with the CCNE1-CDK2-CDK1 complex to arrest G2/M phase and inhibit the GCs proliferation and follicular development. Additionally, demethylation of CpG island significantly promoted the transcription of PAFAH1B1. CONCLUSION: These findings not only advance understanding of cell proliferation and cycle regulation but also identify PAFAH1B1 as a candidate gene for further investigation in follicular development.

CCNE1-CDK2-CDK1 complex↗
PubMed2026

LiCl induces GSK-3β mediated autophagy, DNA damage, and cell cycle arrest in HPV driven cervical cancer cells.

High-risk HPV infections induce cervical cancer progression by disrupting cellular homeostasis and survival pathways, including autophagy. Targeting autophagy represents a promising therapeutic strategy. Lithium chloride (LiCl), extensively studied for its neuroprotective properties, can be investigated for its potential anticancer effects in HPV-driven cervical cancer cells. Treatment with 30 mM LiCl induced significant phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) at Ser9, inducing functional inhibition and downstream signal alterations. This modulation of GSK-3β activity compromised genomic integrity, validated by increased double strand DNA breaks, increased oxidative and cellular stress, and reduced antioxidant enzyme activity. Consequently, LiCl treated cells exhibited significant G2/M phase arrest, indicating disruption in cell cycle progression. Interestingly, the observed cytotoxicity occurred independently of classical apoptotic pathways, suggesting the activation of alternative cell death mechanisms. Mechanistic studies revealed a robust autophagic flux, with GSK-3β mediated autophagy, validated through siRNA mediated knockdown experiments. These findings highlight a novel cytotoxic mechanism of LiCl and propose its potential repurposing from neurobiology to targeted cancer therapeutics.

Humans↗
PubMed2025

Nrm1 is a bistable switch connecting cell cycle progression to transcriptional control.

Entry into the cell cycle requires activation of G1 cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and the G1/S transcriptional program. In fission yeast, the MBF complex is the main transcription factor driving early cell-cycle gene expression. MBF-dependent transcription is activated in metaphase and repressed at the end of S phase by a feedback loop involving the cyclin Cig2 and co-repressors Nrm1 and Yox1. While replicative stress inactivates Yox1 via phosphorylation, the mechanism that activates MBF during an unperturbed cell cycle remains unclear. Here, we identify Nrm1 as the key target of cell cycle regulation in a two-step control mechanism. First, CDK1 phosphorylates Nrm1 in metaphase, leading to its release-along with Yox1-from chromatin. Second, unphosphorylated Nrm1, generated either by dephosphorylation or de novo synthesis, is degraded during anaphase, preventing its re-association with MBF until the end of the next S phase. Together, these parallel pathways create a precisely timed window of MBF activation, ensuring proper cell cycle progression and preserving genomic stability.

Schizosaccharomyces↗
PubMed2026

FANCI promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression and cell cycle regulation and interacts with FANCD2.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an aggressive malignancy with poor clinical outcomes, and reliable molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets remain limited. Fanconi anemia group I protein (FANCI) is a core component of the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway, but its expression pattern, clinical significance, and functional role in ESCC have not been comprehensively defined. This study aimed to investigate FANCI expression and prognostic value in ESCC, assess its effects on malignant cellular phenotypes and tumor growth, and explore its potential mechanistic relationship with Fanconi anemia group D2 protein (FANCD2) and cell-cycle regulation. METHODS: Multi-cohort analyses were performed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, together with ESCC single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data. FANCI functions were assessed by bidirectional gain- and loss-of-function experiments in vitro (proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and cell-cycle assays) and by xenograft models in vivo. Mechanistic studies included protein-protein interaction (PPI) analyses, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), and immunofluorescence (IF) colocalization. RESULTS: FANCI was consistently upregulated in ESCC across bulk transcriptomic datasets and was further supported by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). FANCI discriminated ESCC from normal tissues in TCGA-ESCC and was independently validated in GSE53624 [area under the curve (AUC) =0.940 and 0.975, respectively]. FANCI was associated with poorer overall survival (OS) and shorter disease-free interval (DFI), and these findings were validated in an independent GEO cohort. Functionally, FANCI promoted ESCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while inhibiting apoptosis; FANCI knockdown suppressed tumor growth in vivo and induced G2/M cell-cycle arrest. Mechanistically, FANCI physically interacted with FANCD2, colocalized with FANCD2 in the nucleus, and was associated with altered FANCD2 protein abundance, consistent with cell-cycle and DNA repair-related programs. Single-cell analysis indicated that FANCI was enriched in epithelial cells and associated with higher activity of malignant functional programs. In TCGA-ESCC, FANCI-high tumors showed distinct mutation profiles, a trend toward increased tumor mutation burden (TMB), and altered immune-associated signatures. CONCLUSIONS: FANCI is upregulated in ESCC and is associated with diagnostic and prognostic value. It promotes malignant phenotypes and tumor growth, potentially through a FANCI-FANCD2-linked cell-cycle/DNA repair program, supporting FANCI as a candidate biomarker and therapeutic target in ESCC.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)↗
PubMed2025

Modulation of Cell Cycle Kinases by Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus.

The cell cycle is governed by kinase activity that coordinates progression through a series of regulatory checkpoints, preventing the division of damaged cells. The Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) encodes multiple genes that modulate or co-opt the activity of these kinases, shaping the cellular environment to promote viral persistence. By advancing the cell cycle, KSHV facilitates latent replication and subsequent transmission of viral genomes to daughter cells, while also contributing to the establishment of multiple cancer types. Conversely, during viral lytic replication, KSHV extends the resting phase of the cell cycle to prevent cellular DNA synthesis that would otherwise compete for essential replication precursors. This review will examine the mechanisms KSHV has evolved to control the kinase activity regulating host cell cycle progression.

Herpesvirus 8, Human↗
PubMed2026

Phosphoproteomic Profiling of Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Provides Preliminary Evidence of Phosphorylation-Regulated Rho GTPase Signaling Driving Cytoskeletal Remodeling, Angiogenesis, and Cell Cycle Progression.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. This can be attributed to the difficulty in early detection and the limited efficacy of available treatments, partly due to an incomplete understanding of the disease biology. Identification of key proteins involved in early-stage progression and understanding the underlying mechanisms can greatly contribute to the development of diagnostic and treatment strategies for NSCLC. Quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis was done on paired tumor tissues and adjacent normal lung tissues from early-stage NSCLC adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients to allow for the identification of proteins with differential phosphorylation and their associated pathways. A total of 6483 phosphoproteins were identified, with 1229 proteins having significantly higher phosphorylation and 701 proteins having significantly lower phosphorylation in the tumor tissues. All MS data were deposited in ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD071583. Function enrichment analysis showed that the differentially phosphorylated proteins and phosphosites were primarily involved in Rho GTPase signaling and cytoskeleton remodeling. Analysis of protein interaction networks suggests that the predicted kinase activity likely drives malignant transformation in NSCLC LUAD, presumably through Rho GTPase-mediated angiogenesis and cell cycle progression. More importantly, this study identified several protein phosphosites with differential phosphorylation and inferred kinase-phosphosite activities that have not previously been reported in NSCLC LUAD.

Humans↗
PubMed2021

DNA Damage Responses during the Cell Cycle: Insights from Model Organisms and Beyond.

Genome damage is a threat to all organisms. To respond to such damage, DNA damage responses (DDRs) lead to cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, and cell death. Many DDR components are highly conserved, whereas others have adapted to specific organismal needs. Immense progress in this field has been driven by model genetic organism research. This review has two main purposes. First, we provide a survey of model organism-based efforts to study DDRs. Second, we highlight how model organism study has contributed to understanding how specific DDRs are influenced by cell cycle stage. We also look forward, with a discussion of how future study can be expanded beyond typical model genetic organisms to further illuminate how the genome is protected.

Animals↗
PubMed2025

Multidimensional OMICs reveal ARID1A orchestrated control of DNA damage, splicing, and cell cycle in normal-like and malignant urothelial cells.

Epigenetic regulators, such as the SWI/SNF complex, with important roles in tissue development and homeostasis, are frequently mutated in cancer. ARID1A, a subunit of the SWI/SNF complex, is mutated in approximately 20% of all bladder tumors; however, the consequences of this remain poorly understood. Finding truncations to be the most common mutation, we generated loss- and gain-of-function models to conduct RNA-Seq, interactome analyses, Omni-ATAC-Seq, and functional studies to characterize ARID1A-affected pathways potentially suitable for the treatment of ARID1A-deficient bladder cancers. We observed decreased cell proliferation and deregulation of stress-regulated pathways, including DNA repair, in ARID1A-deficient cells. Furthermore, ARID1A was linked to alternative splicing and translational regulation on RNA and interactome levels. ARID1A deficiency drastically reduced the accessibility of chromatin, especially around introns and distal enhancers, in a functional enrichment analysis. Less accessible chromatin areas were mapped to pathways such as cell proliferation and DNA damage response. Indeed, the G2/M checkpoint appeared impaired after DNA damage in ARID1A-deficient cells. Together, our data highlight the broad impact of ARID1A loss and the possibility of targeting proliferative and DNA repair pathways for treatment.

Transcription Factors↗
PubMed2026

MacroH2A2-Enriched Domains Are Largely Stable Across the Cell Cycle but Focally Displaced at Mitotic Regulatory Elements.

The macroH2A variants mH2A1 and mH2A2 are structurally similar but not identical. Our previous study demonstrated that mH2A1 is reloaded during cell-cycle progression, but whether mH2A2 follows similar dynamics has remained unclear. Here, we used native ChIP-seq in synchronized Huh-7 cells to profile both variants at G1/S and G2/M. Although mH2A1- and mH2A2-enriched domains overlapped extensively, mH2A2 domains were largely stable across the cell cycle, in sharp contrast to the dynamic reloading of mH2A1. Only a small subset of mH2A2 domains showed phase-specific deposition or displacement. Among these, G1/S-unique mH2A2 domains were preferentially located in the active A compartment and coincided with reduced chromatin accessibility at binding sites for cell-cycle regulators. These G1/S-unique domains co-localize with genes involved in mitotic progression within the same A compartment, suggesting potential regulatory roles in both chromatin organization and transcriptional regulation. These findings refine the classical view of macroH2A variants as static repressive marks: mH2A2 is not entirely static, but its cell-cycle dynamics are far more restricted than those of its paralog mH2A1, occurring only at a small subset of genomic loci, with a regulatory logic distinct from that of mH2A1.

Histones↗
PubMed2026

A system-level metastable model of cancer evolution: integrating replication stress, cell cycle deregulation and chromosomal instability.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer cell proliferation occurs within the context of persistent genomic instability. In this review, we propose the RS-CCD-CIN axis as a systems-level framework in which replication stress (RS), cell cycle deregulation (CCD) and chromosomal instability (CIN) form an interdependent triad that shapes tumour evolution. This axis represents a constrained metastable state in which genomic instability is tolerated and buffered. The objective of this review is to synthesize the current understanding of how the RS-CCD-CIN axis contributes to tumour heterogeneity, adaptability and therapy response. DISCUSSION: Evidence indicates that RS, CCD and CIN operate as a dynamic, interconnected network rather than as independent processes. Replication stress induces DNA damage and mutagenesis, while partial checkpoint disruption permits cells with unresolved lesions to proliferate. Chromosomal instability generates both structural and numerical alterations, contributing to intratumoural heterogeneity. Together, these processes facilitate adaptation to environmental and therapeutic pressures. Extrachromosomal DNA, micronuclei formation and cytosolic DNA signalling, including the cGAS-STING pathway, connect genomic instability to adaptive responses and immune modulation. Single-cell and spatial profiling reveal temporal and spatial variability in RS, CCD and CIN states, highlighting the limitations of static biomarkers. Therapeutically, targeting individual components often yields limited durability, whereas approaches that simultaneously perturb multiple aspects of the RS-CCD-CIN axis may improve clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights the RS-CCD-CIN axis as a fragile and metastable architecture that supports cancer evolution, while also being susceptible to collapse. A deeper understanding of this interconnected framework may inform the development of therapeutic strategies and enhance the management of resistance.

Humans↗
PubMed2012

The nontoxic cell cycle modulator indirubin augments transduction of adeno-associated viral vectors and zinc-finger nuclease-mediated gene targeting.

Parameters that regulate or affect the cell cycle or the DNA repair choice between non-homologous end-joining and homology-directed repair (HDR) are excellent targets to enhance therapeutic gene targeting. Here, we have evaluated the impact of five cell-cycle modulating drugs on targeted genome engineering mediated by DNA double-strand break (DSB)-inducing nucleases, such as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs). For a side-by-side comparison, we have established four reporter cell lines by integrating a mutated EGFP gene into either three transformed human cell lines or primary umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs). After treatment with different cytostatic drugs, cells were transduced with adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors that encode a nuclease or a repair donor to rescue EGFP expression through DSB-induced HDR. We show that transient cell-cycle arrest increased AAV transduction and AAV-mediated HDR up to six-fold in human cell lines and ten-fold in UC-MSCs, respectively. Targeted gene correction was observed in up to 34% of transduced cells. Both the absolute and the relative gene-targeting frequencies were dependent on the cell type, the cytostatic drug, the vector dose, and the nuclease. Treatment of cells with the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor indirubin-3'-monoxime was especially promising as this compound combined high stimulatory effects with minimal cytotoxicity. In conclusion, indirubin-3'-monoxime significantly improved AAV transduction and the efficiency of AAV/ZFN-mediated gene targeting and may thus represent a promising compound to enhance DSB-mediated genome engineering in human stem cells, such as UC-MSCs, which hold great promise for future clinical applications.

Blotting, Western↗
PubMed2025

A hormone-dependent tRNA half promotes cell cycle progression via destabilization of p21 mRNA.

tRNA halves are among the most abundant short non-coding RNAs in the cellular transcriptome. Here we report that in androgen receptor-positive LNCaP prostate cancer cells, the hormone-dependent 5'-tRNALysCUU half promoted cell proliferation by facilitating cell cycle progression. Global mRNA profiling upon the 5'-tRNALysCUU half depletion revealed that the mRNA of p21, a negative regulator of the cell cycle, is post-transcriptionally destabilized via a 5'-tRNALysCUU half-driven mechanism. YBX1, identified as a protein interacting with 5'-tRNALysCUU half in the cytosol, was shown to stabilize p21 mRNA. Specific sequences resembling the 5'-tRNALysCUU half, located in the 3'-UTR of p21 mRNA and termed LL588, were identified as the binding site for YBX1 and are required for p21 mRNA stability. In vitro binding assays demonstrated that the 5'-tRNALysCUU half is capable of displacing YBX1 from LL588. Collectively, our findings suggest that the 5'-tRNALysCUU half directly binds to and displaces YBX1 from p21 mRNA, leading to the destabilization of p21 mRNA and the promotion of cell cycle progression in hormone-dependent cancers. Our study illuminates the role of tRNA halves in regulating mRNA stability and suggests that this may be part of broader regulatory networks affecting mRNA levels, orchestrated by various tRNA halves and their interacting proteins.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

B-MYB (MYBL2): from cell cycle regulator to an oncogenic player.

B-MYB (MYBL2) is a transcription factor of the MYB family that plays critical roles in cell cycle progression, proliferation, and survival. Through the DREAM-MMB-FOXM1 network, B-MYB coordinates the expression of genes required for mitosis and cytokinesis (G2/M genes), while genes required for DNA replication during S phase are regulated by E2F-DP complexes. Initially identified as a regulator of normal cell cycle processes, B-MYB has emerged as a key oncogenic driver across multiple cancer types. This review addresses the physiological roles of B-MYB, the mechanisms underlying its oncogenic activation, and its contributions to tumorigenesis and clinical relevance as a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target. Aberrant activation of B-MYB, driven by gene amplification, transcriptional upregulation, or post-translational modification, is reported as a recurrent feature of aggressive cancers. The consequences of B-MYB overexpression, including uncontrolled proliferation, genomic instability, apoptosis evasion, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, therapy resistance and metabolic reprogramming, further underscore B-MYB as a central oncogenic driver. Clinically, B-MYB overexpression correlates with poor prognosis, advanced disease and chemoresistance across multiple malignancies. Thus, we aim to emphasise the biological roles of B-MYB in physiological and cancer mechanisms, alongside the growing evidence establishing it as both a biomarker of disease and a potential therapeutic target. While previous reviews have addressed isolated aspects of B-MYB biology, this review provides a comprehensive and updated integration of recent mechanistic advances (A-MYB/B-MYB functional redundancy and YAP/TAZ-TEAD crosstalk) and the therapeutic potential of non-canonical DNA structures at the B-MYB promoter. We further review current trends and methodologies for targeting B-MYB and outline new perspectives for future therapeutic research.

Humans↗
PubMed2025

Temporal gating of nuclear import: How Merkel cell polyomavirus exploits the cell cycle for nuclear entry.

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is a small, DNA tumor virus that is causally linked to an aggressive form of human skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma. MCPyV is the only polyomavirus definitively shown to cause cancer in humans, yet little is known about how it establishes infection in target cells. In this study, we report an unconventional mechanism by which MCPyV enters the host cell nucleus, where viral genome replication occurs. We demonstrate that, unlike other known polyomaviruses, MCPyV does not require the nuclear pore complex during entry. Instead, it takes advantage of cell cycle-dependent nuclear envelope breakdown to deliver its genetic material into the nucleus. We further show that the VP1 major capsid protein is sufficient to facilitate this process. Overall, our findings reveal a novel mechanism of polyomavirus nuclear entry and provide insight into the diverse mechanisms that these viruses use to cause infection.

Merkel cell polyomavirus↗
PubMed2026

Pan-cancer analysis identifies KANSL2 as a cell-cycle-associated regulator of tumor progression and immunity in liver hepatocellular carcinoma.

KANSL2, a core component of the NSL histone acetyltransferase complex, has been implicated in tumorigenesis. However, its pan-cancer relevance and functional role in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) remain unclear. Multi-omics data from TCGA, GEO, and HPA were integrated to systematically evaluate KANSL2 expression, clinical significance, genomic alterations, and immune associations across cancers. Functional enrichment, immune infiltration analyses, and single-cell transcriptomics were performed. In vitro assays were conducted to validate the biological effects of KANSL2 in LIHC cells. KANSL2 is broadly upregulated across cancers and exhibits strong diagnostic performance. Elevated KANSL2 expression correlates with unfavorable prognosis, particularly in LIHC. Mechanistically, KANSL2 and its co-expressed genes are enriched in cell-cycle progression. KANSL2 expression is also closely associated with immune infiltration and immunoregulatory signaling within the tumor microenvironment, with single-cell data indicating preferential expression in proliferative T-cell subsets. Functional experiments demonstrate that KANSL2 silencing suppresses proliferation, migration, and invasion, and induces G2/M phase arrest in LIHC cells. Notably, its effects on apoptosis are limited, suggesting that KANSL2 primarily drives tumor progression through cell-cycle-dependent mechanisms. This study identifies KANSL2 as a key regulator of tumor progression and immune remodeling in LIHC. By promoting malignancy predominantly via cell-cycle control, KANSL2 represents a promising biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis, and a potential therapeutic target.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed2010

Mouse Prkar1a haploinsufficiency leads to an increase in tumors in the Trp53+/- or Rb1+/- backgrounds and chemically induced skin papillomas by dysregulation of the cell cycle and Wnt signaling.

PRKAR1A inactivation leads to dysregulated cAMP signaling and Carney complex (CNC) in humans, a syndrome associated with skin, endocrine and other tumors. The CNC phenotype is not easily explained by the ubiquitous cAMP signaling defect; furthermore, Prkar1a(+/-) mice did not develop skin and other CNC tumors. To identify whether a Prkar1a defect is truly a generic but weak tumorigenic signal that depends on tissue-specific or other factors, we investigated Prkar1a(+/-) mice when bred within the Rb1(+/-) or Trp53(+/-) backgrounds, or treated with a two-step skin carcinogenesis protocol. Prkar1a(+/-) Trp53(+/-) mice developed more sarcomas than Trp53(+/-) mice (P < 0.05) and Prkar1a(+/-) Rb1(+/-) mice grew more (and larger) pituitary and thyroid tumors than Rb1(+/-) mice. All mice with double heterozygosity had significantly reduced life-spans compared with their single-heterozygous counterparts. Prkar1a(+/-) mice also developed more papillomas than wild-type animals. A whole-genome transcriptome profiling of tumors produced by all three models identified Wnt signaling as the main pathway activated by abnormal cAMP signaling, along with cell cycle abnormalities; all changes were confirmed by qRT-PCR array and immunohistochemistry. siRNA down-regulation of Ctnnb1, E2f1 or Cdk4 inhibited proliferation of human adrenal cells bearing a PRKAR1A-inactivating mutation and Prkar1a(+/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts and arrested both cell lines at the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. In conclusion, Prkar1a haploinsufficiency is a relatively weak tumorigenic signal that can act synergistically with other tumor suppressor gene defects or chemicals to induce tumors, mostly through Wnt-signaling activation and cell cycle dysregulation, consistent with studies in human neoplasms carrying PRKAR1A defects.

Animals↗
PubMed2021

Musashi1 Contribution to Glioblastoma Development via Regulation of a Network of DNA Replication, Cell Cycle and Division Genes.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) function as master regulators of gene expression. Alterations in their levels are often observed in tumors with numerous oncogenic RBPs identified in recent years. Musashi1 (Msi1) is an RBP and stem cell gene that controls the balance between self-renewal and differentiation. High Msi1 levels have been observed in multiple tumors including glioblastoma and are often associated with poor patient outcomes and tumor growth. A comprehensive genomic analysis identified a network of cell cycle/division and DNA replication genes and established these processes as Msi1's core regulatory functions in glioblastoma. Msi1 controls this gene network via two mechanisms: direct interaction and indirect regulation mediated by the transcription factors E2F2 and E2F8. Moreover, glioblastoma lines with Msi1 knockout (KO) displayed increased sensitivity to cell cycle and DNA replication inhibitors. Our results suggest that a drug combination strategy (Msi1 + cell cycle/DNA replication inhibitors) could be a viable route to treat glioblastoma.

DNA replication↗
PubMed2025

Cyclin-dependent protein kinases and cell cycle regulation in biology and disease.

Cyclin Dependent Kinases (CDKs) are closely connected to the regulation of cell cycle progression, having been first identified as the kinases able to drive cell division. In reality, the human genome contains 20 different CDKs, which can be divided in at least three different sub-family with different functions, mechanisms of regulation, expression patterns and subcellular localization. Most of these kinases play fundamental roles the normal physiology of eucaryotic cells; therefore, their deregulation is associated with the onset and/or progression of multiple human disease including but not limited to neoplastic and neurodegenerative conditions. Here, we describe the functions of CDKs, categorized into the three main functional groups in which they are classified, highlighting the most relevant pathways that drive their expression and functions. We then discuss the potential roles and deregulation of CDKs in human pathologies, with a particular focus on cancer, the human disease in which CDKs have been most extensively studied and explored as therapeutic targets. Finally, we discuss how CDKs inhibitors have become standard therapies in selected human cancers and propose novel ways of investigation to export their targeting from cancer to other relevant chronic diseases. We hope that the effort we made in collecting all available information on both the prominent and lesser-known CDK family members will help in identify and develop novel areas of research to improve the lives of patients affected by debilitating chronic diseases.

Humans↗