Cell cycle transcripts

Cell cycle transcripts refers to the diverse set of messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules that encode the proteins essential for the orderly progression of the cell cycle, including cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and checkpoint regulators (Cooper, 2000). These transcripts are synthesized and degraded in a phase-specific manner to ensure precise control over DNA replication and cell division (Malumbres & Barbacid, 2009). In oncogenesis, the transcriptional control of these genes is frequently hijacked, leading to the overexpression of proliferative drivers or the silencing of tumor suppressors, which is a hallmark of cancer (Hanahan & Weinberg, 2011). While the term describes a collective group rather than a single druggable pocket, individual components within this signature are high-value therapeutic targets. For instance, the protein products of transcripts like CCND1 (Cyclin D1) are indirectly modulated by CDK4/6 inhibitors such as palbociclib, which arrest the cell cycle in the G1 phase (O'Leary et al., 2016). Furthermore, the expression profile of these transcripts is increasingly used as a prognostic biomarker and to guide the selection of cell cycle-targeted therapies in clinical oncology.

Other names

Cell cycle-regulated genesCell cycle mRNAMitotic transcriptsCell cycle gene expression signatureProliferation-associated transcripts

Therapeutic strategies typically involve the inhibition of protein products encoded by these transcripts, such as Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (CDKs), or the disruption of the biological processes they mediate, such as DNA synthesis or spindle formation (Malumbres & Barbacid, 2009). Experimental approaches may utilize antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) or small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to directly target and degrade specific mRNA transcripts to prevent the translation of pro-proliferative proteins (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2020).