有丝分裂 A (NIMA) 相关激酶 2 (NEK2) 是一种丝氨酸/苏氨酸激酶，存在于整个细胞周期的细胞核和细胞质中。 NEK2 在许多癌症中过度表达，是预后不良的生物标志物。导致癌细胞中 NEK2 升高的因素包括致癌转录因子、泛素化减少、DNA 甲基化和环状 RNA (circRNA)/长非编码 RNA (lncRNA)-miRNA 轴。 NEK2过度表达会产生染色体不稳定和非整倍性，从而增强癌症进展并抑制抗肿瘤免疫，这凸显了NEK2在肿瘤发生和肿瘤进展中的重要性。针对 NEK2 的小分子抑制剂已在体外和体内证明了对各种癌症类型的良好治疗潜力。本综述概述了 NEK2 表达的调节机制，强调了其在癌症发生和进展中的功能作用，并强调了 NEK2 抑制剂的抗癌特性。版权所有 © 2024 作者。由爱思唯尔有限公司出版。保留所有权利。

Never in mitosis A (NIMA)-related kinase 2 (NEK2) is a serine/threonine kinase found in the nucleus and cytoplasm throughout the cell cycle. NEK2 is overexpressed in many cancers and is a biomarker of poor prognosis. Factors contributing to NEK2 elevation in cancer cells include oncogenic transcription factors, decreased ubiquitination, DNA methylation, and the circular RNA (circRNA)/long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-miRNA axis. NEK2 overexpression produces chromosomal instability and aneuploidy, thereby enhancing cancer progression and suppressing antitumor immunity, which highlights the prominence of NEK2 in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Small-molecule inhibitors targeting NEK2 have demonstrated promising therapeutic potential in vitro and in vivo across various cancer types. This review outlines the regulatory mechanisms of NEK2 expression, emphasizes its functional roles in cancer initiation and progression, and highlights the anticancer properties of NEK2 inhibitors.Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.