Activators and Inhibitors of Protein Kinase C (PKC): Their Applications in Clinical Trials

Overview

Journal Pharmaceutics

Publisher MDPI

Date 2021 Nov 27

PMID 34834162

Citations 32

Authors

Takahito Kawano

Junichi Inokuchi

Masatoshi Eto

Masaharu Murata

Jeong-Hun Kang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Protein kinase C (PKC), a family of phospholipid-dependent serine/threonine kinase, is classed into three subfamilies based on their structural and activation characteristics: conventional or classic PKC isozymes (cPKCs; α, βI, βII, and γ), novel or non-classic PKC isozymes (nPKCs; δ, ε, η, and θ), and atypical PKC isozymes (aPKCs; ζ, ι, and λ). PKC inhibitors and activators are used to understand PKC-mediated intracellular signaling pathways and for the diagnosis and treatment of various PKC-associated diseases, such as cancers, neurological diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and infections. Many clinical trials of PKC inhibitors in cancers showed no significant clinical benefits, meaning that there is a limitation to design a cancer therapeutic strategy targeting PKC alone. This review will focus on the activators and inhibitors of PKC and their applications in clinical trials.

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