Role of protein kinases and their inhibitors in radiation response of tumor cells

Phosphorylation, the addition of a phosphate group to a molecule, is an effective way of regulating the biological properties of that molecule. Protein phosphorylation is a post-translational modification of proteins and affects cellular signaling transduction. Protein kinases induce phosphorylation by catalyzing the transfer of phosphate groups to serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues on protein substrates. Consistent with their roles in cancer, protein kinases have emerged as one of the most clinically useful target molecules in pharmacological cancer therapy. Intrinsic or acquired resistance of cancers against anti-cancer therapeutics, such as ionizing radiation, is a major obstacle for the effective treatment of many cancers. In this review, we describe key aspects of various kinases acting on proteins. We also discuss the roles of protein kinases in the pathophysiology and treatment of cancer. Because protein kinases correlate with radiation resistance in various types of cancer, we focus on several kinases responsible for radiation resistance and/or sensitivity and their therapeutic implications. Finally, we suggest some ongoing radiation-sensitization strategies using genetic loss and/or kinase inhibitors that can counteract radiation resistance-related protein kinases.