Recent progress of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors as potential anticancer agents

Deregulation of the cell cycle is a common feature in human cancer. The inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), which play a crucial role in control of the cell cycle, has always been one of the most promising areas in cancer chemotherapy. This review first summarizes the biology of CDKs and then focuses on the recent advances in both broad-range and selective CDK inhibitors during the last 5 years. The design rationale, structural optimization and structure-activity relationships analysis of these small molecules have been discussed in detail and the key interactions with the amino-acid residues of the most important compounds are highlighted. Future perspectives for CDKs inhibitors will be defined in the development of highly selective CDK inhibitors, an accurate knowledge of gene control mechanism and further predictive biomarker research.