What is the role of cdk8?5 answersCDK8, a transcription-regulating kinase, plays diverse roles in different contexts. In colon cancer, CDK8 inhibition suppresses hepatic metastasis by downregulating TIMP3 and inducing MMPs via TGFβ/SMAD and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. In MYC-driven medulloblastoma, CDK8 is essential for sustaining MYC expression and ribosome biogenesis, with CDK8 inhibitors showing promise in reducing tumor growth. In Arabidopsis, CDK8 regulates lipid synthesis by modulating WRI1 expression through KIN10-mediated degradation. Moreover, in NK cells, CDK8 deletion enhances cytotoxicity and improves tumor surveillance, suggesting a suppressive effect of CDK8 on NK-cell activity. Additionally, a novel CDK8 inhibitor shows potent anti-AML activity by targeting CDK8 and phosphorylating STAT-1 and STAT-5, inhibiting AML cell proliferation.
What is meant by CDK?4 answersCDK stands for cyclin-dependent kinase. It is a protein family that plays a crucial role in regulating the progression of the cell cycle and is involved in various cellular processes. Cyclin-CDK complexes control the transitions between different phases of the cell cycle by executing signaling, transcriptional, and enzymatic events. These complexes are regulated through complex formation, phosphorylation, stability, subcellular localization, and association with CDK inhibitors. CDKs are important in the pathogenesis of cancer and developmental disorders due to their connection to cellular proliferation. Additionally, CDKs signal via hundreds of differentially encoded targets at precise times to provide a temporally ordered phosphorylation pattern required for cell division.
What is the relationship between CENPT and CDK1?5 answersCENPT interacts with CENP-E and this interaction is enhanced in mitotic lysates. CENP-E is a kinetochore protein involved in chromosome congression during mitosis. The phosphorylation of TRAMM, a protein that interacts with CENP-E, is regulated by CDK1. CDK1 is a master kinase for mitotic progression and is responsible for phosphorylating CENP-C, another essential kinetochore component. The phosphorylation of CENP-C by CDK1 promotes proper kinetochore assembly during mitosis. Therefore, the relationship between CENPT and CDK1 is that CDK1 phosphorylates TRAMM, which interacts with CENP-E, and also phosphorylates CENP-C, both of which are involved in kinetochore assembly during mitosis.
What is the role of CDK in pancreatic cancer?5 answersCDK5 plays a significant role in pancreatic cancer by promoting invasion, migration, and anchorage-independent growth in vitro, as well as orthotopic tumor formation and systemic metastases in vivo. CDK hyperactivation is linked to the dependency on mutant KRas in pancreatic cancer cells, and inhibiting CDK1, CDK2, CDK7, and CDK9 has similar effects as knocking out KRas. AT7519, a CDK1, 2, 7, and 9 inhibitor, has been identified as a potent inducer of apoptosis in mutant KRas-dependent pancreatic cancer cells and has shown efficacy in suppressing tumor growth in relevant models. These findings suggest that CDKs, particularly CDK5, are potential therapeutic targets for degrading Ras signaling and treating pancreatic cancer.
What make DENV-2 is more virulent?5 answersDENV-2 is more virulent due to its ability to evade the immune system and cause more severe disease. In a study conducted in Brazil, it was found that DENV-2 strains isolated during a severe epidemic in 2008 were genetically distinct from previous strains and correlated with increased disease severity. Another study in Central India revealed that DENV-2 had a higher potential for immune evasion and prolonged viremia compared to other serotypes, which may contribute to its increased virulence. Additionally, research on the interplay between the mosquito vector and DENV-2 showed that the virus collected in mosquito saliva induced more severe hemorrhage in mice and had altered growth characteristics compared to culture-derived DENV-2, suggesting that the mosquito vector may contribute to the increased virulence of DENV-2. Overall, these findings highlight various factors that contribute to the increased virulence of DENV-2.
What does the CDK4 protein do during infection?5 answersCDK4 is a protein involved in the cell cycle progression. During infection, CDK4 plays a role in the regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase activity. It assembles with D-type cyclins to form active protein kinases, which are important for cell cycle progression. In the context of H1N1 infection, quercetin, a natural compound, has been shown to inhibit the overexpression of CDK4 mRNA and protein caused by H1N1 infection. However, the specific role of CDK4 during infection is not explicitly mentioned in the abstracts provided.