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Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) in non-melanoma skin cancers

Travis L Schmit1, Weixiong Zhong, Minakshi Nihal

  • 1Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA.

Cell Cycle (Georgetown, Tex.)
|August 5, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is overexpressed in skin cancers like melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Inhibiting Plk1 reduces cancer cell growth without harming normal cells, suggesting Plk1 as a potential therapeutic target.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Dermatology

Background:

  • Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is a key regulator of cell division and is implicated in various cancers.
  • The role of Plk1 in non-melanoma skin cancers, such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), remains largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression profile of Plk1 in BCC and SCC.
  • To evaluate the therapeutic potential of Plk1 inhibition in skin cancers.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative analysis of Plk1 expression in human skin cancer tissues (BCC, SCC) and cell lines.
  • Assessment of Plk1 inhibition effects on cell viability, proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis in melanoma and keratinocyte cell lines.
  • Analysis of downstream Plk1 targets, including Cdk1, Cyclin B1, and Cdc25C.

Main Results:

  • Plk1 is significantly overexpressed in BCC and SCC samples compared to normal skin.
  • Plk1 inhibition reduced melanoma cell viability and growth, inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest, mitotic catastrophe, and apoptosis.
  • Normal human epidermal melanocytes (NHEMs) and keratinocytes (NHEKs) showed insusceptibility to Plk1 inhibition.
  • Downstream targets of Plk1 (Cdk1, Cyclin B1, Cdc25C) showed similar overexpression patterns in cancer cells.

Conclusions:

  • Plk1 is a promising therapeutic target for various skin cancers, including melanoma, BCC, and SCC.
  • The selective toxicity of Plk1 inhibition towards cancer cells and the accessibility of skin for topical application support its chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic potential.

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