Cyclin-dependent kinase 18 (CDK18)

Cyclin-dependent kinase 18 (CDK18) is a member of the cyclin-dependent kinase family, classified as a serine/threonine-protein kinase of the TAIRE subfamily[1][6]. CDK18 is widely expressed in human tissues, particularly in terminally differentiated cells, and is implicated in several key cellular processes, including the regulation of myelination, signal transduction pathways, cell cycle, trafficking of proteins such as Aquaporin-2, and maintenance of genome stability[2][4][5][6]. It is encoded by the CDK18 gene located on chromosome 1q32.1. Disease associations include neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, and carpal tunnel syndrome; emerging evidence also links it to cancer, especially through its roles in genome stability and replication stress response[2][5]. Selective inhibitors of CDK18 have been described in preclinical studies[1], but there are no approved drugs directly targeting this kinase as of now.

Other names

Cell division protein kinase 18PCTAIRE3PCTK3PCTAIRE protein kinase 3PCTAIRE-motif protein kinase 3Serine/threonine-protein kinase PCTAIRE-3

Inhibition of kinase activity (e.g., by small molecule inhibitors)