Open Access

Perspectives of small molecule inhibitors of activin receptor‑like kinase in anti‑tumor treatment and stem cell differentiation (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Xueling Cui
    • Shumi Shang
    • Xinran Lv
    • Jing Zhao
    • Yan Qi
    • Zhonghui Liu
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: April 30, 2019     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2019.10209
  • Pages: 5053-5062
  • Copyright: © Cui et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Activin receptor‑like kinases (ALKs), members of the type I activin receptor family, belong to the serine/threonine kinase receptors of the transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β) superfamily. ALKs mediate the roles of activin/TGF‑β in a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes, ranging from cell differentiation and proliferation to apoptosis. For example, the activities of ALKs are associated with an advanced tumor stage in prostate cancer and the chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. Therefore, potent and selective small molecule inhibitors of ALKs would not only aid in investigating the function of activin/TGF‑β, but also in developing treatments for these diseases via the disruption of activin/TGF‑β. In recent studies, several ALK inhibitors, including LY‑2157299, SB‑431542 and A‑83‑01, have been identified and have been confirmed to affect stem cell differentiation and tumor progression in animal models. This review discusses the therapeutic perspective of small molecule inhibitors of ALKs as drug targets in tumor and stem cells.
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June-2019
Volume 19 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
Online ISSN:1791-3004

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Spandidos Publications style
Cui X, Shang S, Lv X, Zhao J, Qi Y and Liu Z: Perspectives of small molecule inhibitors of activin receptor‑like kinase in anti‑tumor treatment and stem cell differentiation (Review). Mol Med Rep 19: 5053-5062, 2019.
APA
Cui, X., Shang, S., Lv, X., Zhao, J., Qi, Y., & Liu, Z. (2019). Perspectives of small molecule inhibitors of activin receptor‑like kinase in anti‑tumor treatment and stem cell differentiation (Review). Molecular Medicine Reports, 19, 5053-5062. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2019.10209
MLA
Cui, X., Shang, S., Lv, X., Zhao, J., Qi, Y., Liu, Z."Perspectives of small molecule inhibitors of activin receptor‑like kinase in anti‑tumor treatment and stem cell differentiation (Review)". Molecular Medicine Reports 19.6 (2019): 5053-5062.
Chicago
Cui, X., Shang, S., Lv, X., Zhao, J., Qi, Y., Liu, Z."Perspectives of small molecule inhibitors of activin receptor‑like kinase in anti‑tumor treatment and stem cell differentiation (Review)". Molecular Medicine Reports 19, no. 6 (2019): 5053-5062. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2019.10209