SIK1

SIK1 is a salt-inducible serine/threonine kinase in the AMPK-related kinase family that mainly regulates gene expression through CRTC and class IIa HDAC substrates[1]. Mechanistically, SIK1 phosphorylates class II HDACs in skeletal muscle and supports myocyte survival and MEF2-linked differentiation programs[2]. In circadian models, the CRTC1-SIK1 pathway limits CREB-driven clock resetting after light stimulation, defining SIK1 as a feedback regulator of entrainment[3]. In cancer models, SIK1 connects LKB1 to p53-dependent anoikis and suppresses metastasis, while reduced SIK1 supports HCC progression through WNT/β-catenin activation[4][5]. Compared with related isoforms, SIK1 and SIK3 show distinct effects in breast cancer metabolism: SIK1 promotes oxidative phosphorylation through p53, whereas SIK3 supports mTOR-mediated aerobic glycolysis and cell growth[6]. For experimental applications, SIK inhibitors such as YKL-05-099 and selective SIK1/2 inhibitors enable pathway testing in vivo, but isoform selectivity and off-target kinase activity require direct validation[7][8].- SIK1 links CRTC/CREB and HDAC/MEF2 signaling to transcriptional control.- SIK1 differs from SIK3 in breast cancer metabolic regulation.- SIK inhibitors support mechanistic studies but require isoform-selectivity controls.