Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Peer-reviewed

Progress in the Development of Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 Kinase (eEF2K) Natural Product and Synthetic Small Molecule Inhibitors for Cancer Chemotherapy

Bin Zhang, Jiamei Zou, Qiting Zhang, Ze Wang, Ning Wang, Shan He, Yufen Zhao, C. Benjamin Naman

International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2021

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Summary

Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K or Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, CAMKIII) is a new member of an atypical α-kinase family different from conventional protein kinases that is now considered as a potential target for the treatment of cancer. This protein regulates the phosphorylation of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) to restrain activity and inhibit the elongation stage of protein synthesis. Mounting evidence shows that eEF2K regulates the cell cycle, autophagy, apoptosis, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis in several types of cancers. The expression of eEF2K promotes survival of cancer cells, and the level of this protein is increased in many cancer cells to adapt them to the microenvironment conditions including hypoxia, nutrient depletion, and acidosis.

Source type
Peer-reviewed study
DOI
10.3390/ijms22052408
Catalogue ID
SNmoi53kqb-4cp7lb
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