{"title":"Emerging roles of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 in health and diseases.","authors":"Mahder Dawit Belew, Jingrui Chen, Zhaokang Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.molmed.2024.09.004","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) regulates cell cycle and transcription, which are central for cancer progression. CDK7 inhibitors exhibit substantial anticancer activities in preclinical studies and are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. CDK7 is widely expressed in the body. However, the impact of CDK7 inhibition on normal tissues has received little attention. Here, we review the biological functions of CDK7, followed by its emerging roles in development, homeostasis and diseases. We discuss the regulatory mechanisms of CDK7 kinase activation and provide an overview of CDK7 substrates identified to date. Moreover, we highlight unanswered questions and propose key areas for future investigation. An advanced understanding of CDK7 will facilitate the pharmaceutical development of CDK7 inhibitors and help minimize undesirable adverse effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":23263,"journal":{"name":"Trends in molecular medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.8000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Trends in molecular medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2024.09.004","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) regulates cell cycle and transcription, which are central for cancer progression. CDK7 inhibitors exhibit substantial anticancer activities in preclinical studies and are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. CDK7 is widely expressed in the body. However, the impact of CDK7 inhibition on normal tissues has received little attention. Here, we review the biological functions of CDK7, followed by its emerging roles in development, homeostasis and diseases. We discuss the regulatory mechanisms of CDK7 kinase activation and provide an overview of CDK7 substrates identified to date. Moreover, we highlight unanswered questions and propose key areas for future investigation. An advanced understanding of CDK7 will facilitate the pharmaceutical development of CDK7 inhibitors and help minimize undesirable adverse effects.
期刊介绍:
Trends in Molecular Medicine (TMM) aims to offer concise and contextualized perspectives on the latest research advancing biomedical science toward better diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human diseases. It focuses on research at the intersection of basic biology and clinical research, covering new concepts in human biology and pathology with clear implications for diagnostics and therapy. TMM reviews bridge the gap between bench and bedside, discussing research from preclinical studies to patient-enrolled trials. The major themes include disease mechanisms, tools and technologies, diagnostics, and therapeutics, with a preference for articles relevant to multiple themes. TMM serves as a platform for discussion, pushing traditional boundaries and fostering collaboration between scientists and clinicians. The journal seeks to publish provocative and authoritative articles that are also accessible to a broad audience, inspiring new directions in molecular medicine to enhance human health.