KANK family proteins in cancer

• Published in: The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology Vol. 131; p. 105903
• Main Authors: Tadijan, Ana, Samaržija, Ivana, Humphries, Jonathan D., Humphries, Martin J., Ambriović-Ristov, Andreja
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2021
• Subjects: Actin Cytoskeleton - drug effects; Actin Cytoskeleton - metabolism; Actin Cytoskeleton - ultrastructure; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing - chemistry; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing - genetics; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing - metabolism; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Apoptosis - drug effects; Cancer; Carrier Proteins - chemistry; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement - drug effects; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cortical microtubule stabilisation complex; Cytoskeletal Proteins - chemistry; Cytoskeletal Proteins - genetics; Cytoskeletal Proteins - metabolism; Focal adhesion; Focal Adhesions - drug effects; Focal Adhesions - metabolism; Focal Adhesions - pathology; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; KANK; Microtubules - drug effects; Microtubules - metabolism; Microtubules - ultrastructure; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - genetics; Neoplasms - metabolism; Neoplasms - pathology; Paclitaxel - therapeutic use; Protein Domains; Signal Transduction; Treatment Outcome; Vincristine - therapeutic use; CMSC; MT; Focal adhesion; HCC; IAC; Cortical microtubule stabilisation complex; ECM; KANK; RCC; CRC; FA; OSC; Cancer
• ISSN: 1357-2725; 1878-5875
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2020.105903

The Kank (kidney or KN motif and ankyrin repeat domain-containing) family of proteins has been described as essential for crosstalk between actin and microtubules. Kank1, 2, 3 and 4 arose by gene duplication and diversification and share conserved structural domains. KANK proteins are localised mainly to the plasma membrane in focal adhesions, indirectly affecting RhoA and Rac1 thus regulating actin cytoskeleton. In addition, Kank proteins are part of the cortical microtubule stabilisation complex regulating microtubules. Most of the data have been collected for Kank1 protein whose expression promotes apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest while Kank3 was identified as hypoxia-inducible proapoptotic target of p53. A discrepancy in Kanks role in regulation of cell migration and sensitivity to antitumour drugs has been observed in different cell models. Since expression of Kank1 and 3 correlate positively with tumour progression and patient outcome, at least in some tumour types, they are candidates for tumour suppressors.