p21-Activated kinase 5: a pleiotropic kinase

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2013 Dec 15;23(24):6636-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.10.051. Epub 2013 Oct 31.

Abstract

The PAKs (p21-activated kinases) are highly conserved serine/threonine protein kinases which comprise six mammalian PAKs. PAK5 (p21-activated kinase 5) is the least understood member of PAKs that regulate many intracellular processes when they are stimulated by activated forms of the small GTPases Cdc42 and Rac. PAK5 takes an important part in multiple signal pathways in mammalian cells and controls a variety of cellular functions including cytoskeleton organization, cell motility and apoptosis. The main goal of this review is to describe the structure, mechanisms underlying its activity regulation, its role in apoptosis and the likely directions of further research.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Cancer; Mitochondria; p21-Activated kinase 5 (PAK5).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Humans
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • bcl-Associated Death Protein / metabolism
  • cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism
  • p21-Activated Kinases / metabolism*
  • raf Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • bcl-Associated Death Protein
  • p21-Activated Kinases
  • raf Kinases
  • cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein