Inka-box actin regulator 1 (INKA1)

Inka-box actin regulator 1 (INKA1) is a human protein that functions as an endogenous inhibitor of the serine/threonine-protein kinase PAK4, binding in a substrate-like manner to the PAK4 catalytic domain and potently inhibiting its kinase activity[1][2][5][6][7]. INKA1 is highly selective for group II PAKs, especially PAK4, and is implicated in the negative regulation of cellular processes such as cytoskeletal organization and cell motility by antagonizing PAK4-mediated signaling. The main biological role of INKA1 is believed to be the negative modulation of PAK4-driven pathways, which are associated with cell proliferation, cancer growth, immune evasion, and cytoskeletal rearrangement[2][3][8]. While INKA1 itself is not the direct target of drugs, manipulation of the PAK4-INKA1 interaction or PAK4 inhibition underlies ongoing cancer therapeutic strategies, highlighting the medical relevance of this endogenous inhibitor. Notes: - INKA1 is not a receptor, enzyme, or transporter, but an intracellular protein acting as a selective inhibitor of specific kinases, thus falling into the "other" category of molecular classification. - While INKA1 does not have approved drugs targeting it, drugs like KPT-9274 are under development to target its interacting partner, PAK4[3][4]. - No notable toxicity or biomarker utility is reported for INKA1, nor are there drugs that directly affect or are designed to bind to INKA1 itself. All disease and pharmacologic significance stems from its potent inhibition of PAK4 kinase, a key player in cancer and immune evasion.

Other names

PAK4-inhibitor INKA1C3orf54FAM212AHIncaIncaInduced in neural crest by AP2-alpha protein homologInduced in Neural Crest by AP-2alphafamily with sequence similarity 212 member Aprotein FAM212AINCA