CDK12: A Potent Target and Biomarker for Human Cancer Therapy

  • Cells. 2020 Jun 18;9(6):1483. doi: 10.3390/cells9061483.
Shujing Liang  1  2  3 ,  Lifang Hu  1  2  3 ,  Zixiang Wu  1  2  3 ,  Zhihao Chen  1  2  3 ,  Shuyu Liu  1  2  3 ,  Xia Xu  1  2  3 ,  Airong Qian  1  2  3
Affiliations
  • 1. Laboratory for Bone Metabolism, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Special Medicine and Health Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.
  • 2. Key Laboratory for Space Biosciences and Biotechnology, Research Center for Special Medicine and Health Systems Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.
  • 3. NPU-UAB Joint Laboratory for Bone Metabolism, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.
PMID: 32570740 DOI: 10.3390/cells9061483
Abstract

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are a group of serine/threonine protein kinases and play crucial roles in various cellular processes by regulating cell cycle and gene transcription. Cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) is an important transcription-associated CDK. It shows versatile roles in regulating gene transcription, RNA splicing, translation, DNA damage response (DDR), cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. Recently, increasing evidence demonstrates the important role of CDK12 in various human cancers, illustrating it as both a biomarker of Cancer and a potential target for Cancer therapy. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of CDK12, and review the research advances of CDK12's biological functions, especially its role in human cancers and as a potential target and biomarker for Cancer therapy.

Keywords
DNA damage response; cancer therapy; cell cycle; cell proliferation; cyclin-dependent kinase 12; gene transcription.