Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 6, 2025

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants
07:38

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants

Published on: June 6, 2025

496

The regulatory function of mixed lineage kinase 3 in tumor and host immunity

Sandeep Kumar1, Sunil Kumar Singh1, Basabi Rana2

  • 1Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612, USA.

Pharmacology & Therapeutics
|October 12, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Mixed Lineage Kinase 3 (MLK3) is emerging as a key regulator in cancer, influencing cell survival, migration, and immunity. Investigating MLK3 inhibitors alongside immunotherapy may offer new treatment strategies for malignancies.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Protein kinases are crucial drug targets, with many inhibitors approved for malignancies.
  • Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways are implicated in various cancers, but monotherapies lack sustainable efficacy.
  • Mixed Lineage Kinase 3 (MLK3), a MAPK member, is increasingly recognized for its roles beyond inflammation and neurodegeneration, particularly in cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the regulatory roles of MLK3 in cancer cell biology, including survival, migration, drug resistance, apoptosis, and tumor immunity.
  • To explore the potential of MLK3 inhibitors as a therapeutic strategy, especially in combination with immunotherapy for various cancers.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on recent advances in MLK3 research.
  • Analysis of MLK3's involvement in MAPK signaling pathways.
  • Discussion of MLK3's impact on cancer cell phenotypes and host immunity.

Main Results:

  • MLK3 regulates critical cancer-related processes such as cell survival, migration, and apoptosis.
  • MLK3 influences tumor immunity, presenting a potential target for immunotherapeutic strategies.
  • Emerging evidence highlights MLK3's multifaceted role in cancer development and progression.

Conclusions:

  • MLK3 is a significant emerging target in oncology.
  • Targeting MLK3, potentially in combination with immunotherapy, shows promise for treating diverse malignancies.
  • Further investigation into MLK3's role in cancer is warranted to develop novel therapeutic interventions.
Keywords:
Adaptive immunityCancerImmunotherapyInnate immunityMitogen-activated protein kinaseMixed lineage kinase 3T cell

More Related Videos

Analysis of Human T Cell Activity in an Allogeneic Co-Culture Setting of Pre-Treated Tumor Cells09:04

Analysis of Human T Cell Activity in an Allogeneic Co-Culture Setting of Pre-Treated Tumor Cells

Published on: March 7, 2025

1.1K
Proliferation and Differentiation of Murine Myeloid Precursor 32D/G-CSF-R Cells10:21

Proliferation and Differentiation of Murine Myeloid Precursor 32D/G-CSF-R Cells

Published on: February 21, 2018

10.3K

Related Concept Videos

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
4.4K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
5.0K
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a...
4.9K
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
7.0K
MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
7.5K
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway01:20

The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway

Several cytokine receptors have tightly bound Janus kinase or JAK proteins attached at their cytosolic tail. Small signaling molecules such as cytokines, growth hormones, or prolactins bind to the cytokine receptors and initiate their dimerization. The dimerization brings the cytosolic JAKs together that trans-phosphorylate and activates each other. The activated JAKs now phosphorylate cytosolic tails of the cytokine receptors, which serve as binding sites for adaptor proteins such as  SH2...
10.9K