Work

Modulating PAK1: Accessory Proteins as Promising Therapeutic Targets

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The p21-activated kinase (PAK1), a serine/threonine protein kinase, is critical in regulating various cellular processes, including muscle contraction, neutrophil chemotaxis, neuronal polarization, and endothelial barrier function. Aberrant PAK1 activity has been implicated in the progression of several human diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders. Increased PAK1 expression is often associated with poor clinical prognosis, invasive tumor characteristics, and therapeutic resistance. Despite its importance, the cellular mechanisms that modulate PAK1 function remain poorly understood. Accessory proteins, essential for the precise assembly and temporal regulation of signaling pathways, offer unique advantages as therapeutic targets. Unlike core signaling components, these modulators can attenuate aberrant signaling without completely abolishing it, potentially restoring signaling to physiological levels. This review highlights PAK1 accessory proteins as promising and novel therapeutic targets, opening new horizons for disease treatment.

Source: Biomolecules

DOI: 10.3390/biom15020242

Authors: Amin Mirzaiebadizi, Rana Shafabakhsh, Mohammad Reza Ahmadian

Institutions: Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsklinikum Aachen, RWTH Aachen University

Language: English

Topic: Protein Kinase Regulation and GTPase Signaling

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,258