Aurora kinase A in urological cancers

Abstract

Aurora kinases are a family of serine/threonine kinases of whom function to preserve the integrity and fidelity of chromosomal segregation. In mammals, aurora kinase A (AurkA) is vital to the mitotic phase of the cell cycle as a consequence of its spatial and timely interactions with various types of cell cycle substrates. Since AurkA is present in all of the mammalian somatic cell cycles, it is also detectable in many different types and stages of cancers. Specific activation sites, feedback loops, and substrate interactions have been identified and linked to the progression of urological cancers. It is inarguable that the slightest hint of disorder among AurkA can disrupt the cell cycle’s ability to regulate the growth and progression of cells in all conditions due to its direct interactions with tumor suppressing molecules. Discovering that AurkA interacts with FOXO3a, PLK1, TPX2, TPX2, SPOP, YBX1 and CXCR7 in ways that were unknown before 2019 has revealed new targeted treatment options that may surpass current methodology in efficiency and length of remission. The aim of this paper is to highlight AurkA’s oncogenic role in urological cancers, in addition to emphasizing newfound pathways and mechanisms that introduce the prostate cancer research field to more options for therapeutic approaches.