Protein kinase D signaling: multiple biological functions in health and disease

Protein kinase D (PKD) is an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase family with structural, enzymological, and regulatory properties different from the PKC family members. Signaling through PKD is induced by a remarkable number of stimuli, including G-protein-coupled receptor agonists and polypeptide growth factors. PKD1, the most studied member of the family, is increasingly implicated in the regulation of a complex array of fundamental biological processes, including signal transduction, cell proliferation and differentiation, membrane trafficking, secretion, immune regulation, cardiac hypertrophy and contraction, angiogenesis, and cancer. PKD mediates such a diverse array of normal and abnormal biological functions via dynamic changes in its spatial and temporal localization, combined with its distinct substrate specificity. Studies on PKD thus far indicate a striking diversity of both its signal generation and distribution and its potential for complex regulatory interactions with multiple downstream pathways, often regulating the subcellular localization of its targets.