Aurora-A Kinase: A Potent Oncogene and Target for Cancer Therapy.

The Aurora kinasefamily is comprised of three serine/threonine kinases, Aurora-A, Aurora-B, and Aurora-C. Among these, Aurora-A and Aurora-B play central roles in mitosis, whereas Aurora-C executes unique roles in meiosis. Overexpression or gene amplification of Aurora kinaseshas been reported in a broad range of human malignancies, pointing to their role as potent oncogenes in tumorigenesis. Aurora kinasestherefore represent promising targets for anticancer therapeutics. A number of Aurora kinaseinhibitors (AKIs) have been generated; some of which are currently undergoing clinical evaluation. Recent studies have unveiled novel unexpected functions of Aurora kinasesduring cancer development and the mechanisms underlying the anticancer actions of AKIs. In this review, we discuss the most recent advances in Aurora-A kinaseresearch and targeted cancer therapy, focusing on the oncogenic roles and signaling pathways of Aurora-A kinasesin promoting tumorigenesis, the recent preclinical and clinical AKI data, and potential alternative routes for Aurora-A kinaseinhibition.