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Advances in Targeting IKK and IKK-Related Kinases for Cancer Therapy

Authors' Affiliations: ¹ Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and ² The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, Houston, Texas

Requests for reprints: Mien-Chie Hung, Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Unit 108, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030. Phone: 713-792-3668; Fax: 713-794-3270; E-mail: mhung{at}mdanderson.org.

Abstract

IB kinases (IKK) and IKK-related kinases play critical roles in regulating the immune response through nuclear factor-B and IFN regulatory factor–dependent signaling transduction cascades. Recently, these kinases have been implicated in the pathogenesis of many human diseases, including cancer. In fact, dysregulation of IKK activities promotes tumor survival, proliferation, migration, metastasis, and angiogenesis—common characteristics of many types of human cancers. Because of their oncogenic effects in human cancer development, targeting IKK and IKK-related kinases is becoming an increasingly popular avenue for the development of novel therapeutic interventions for cancer. This review will briefly cover the recent discovery of the downstream substrates of IKK and IKK-related kinases, and outline the strategies used for targeting IKK as a therapeutic intervention for cancer.