CDK5: Insights into its roles in diseases

Mol Biol Rep. 2025 Jan 21;52(1):145. doi: 10.1007/s11033-025-10253-4.

Abstract

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), a unique member of the CDK family, is a proline-directed serine/threonine protein kinase with critical roles in various physiological and pathological processes. Widely expressed in the central nervous system, CDK5 is strongly implicated in neurological diseases. Beyond its neurological roles, CDK5 is involved in metabolic disorders, psychiatric conditions, and tumor progression, contributing to processes such as proliferation, migration, immune evasion, genomic stability, and angiogenesis. This review explores the structure and biological functions of CDK5, highlighting its regulatory roles in disease development through the phosphorylation of diverse substrate proteins. Additionally, we examine the therapeutic potential of CDK5 inhibition, offering novel perspectives for disease diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords: Cyclin-dependent kinase 5(CDK5); Neurodegenerative diseases; Phosphorylation; Protein kinase; Tumor.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5* / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5* / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Metabolic Diseases / genetics
  • Metabolic Diseases / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Nervous System Diseases / enzymology
  • Nervous System Diseases / genetics
  • Nervous System Diseases / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation

Substances

  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5
  • CDK5 protein, human