KIF11, a member of the kinesin family, plays a vital role in the formation and maintenance of the mitotic spindle, thus being crucial for cell division. It is also involved in various cellular processes, such as those related to the cell cycle [3].

KIF11 depletion in photoreceptor cells causes malformations of the ciliary axoneme and membranous discs, leading to photoreceptor degeneration and drusen-like deposits in the retina. This indicates its importance in maintaining photoreceptor cilium integrity and retinal homeostasis [1]. In hepatocellular carcinoma, KIF11-dependent repression of CDKN2A by lncRNA NEAT1 is associated with reduced cellular senescence and promoted tumor progression. Knockdown of KIF11 causes senescence in cultured hepatoma cells [2]. In multiple cancers like endometrial, thyroid, NSCLC, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, adrenocortical carcinoma, childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and Wilms tumor, high KIF11 expression is linked to tumorigenesis, progression, and poor prognosis. Loss-of-function experiments, such as knockdown of KIF11, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and induce apoptosis or cell cycle arrest [4,5,6,7,8,9,10].

In conclusion, KIF11 is essential for mitosis and the cell cycle. Model-based research, especially loss-of-function experiments, has revealed its significant roles in retinal homeostasis and cancer development. These findings suggest KIF11 could be a potential therapeutic target for diseases like cancer and retinal disorders.

References:

1. Ran, Jie, Guo, Guizhi, Zhang, Sai, Zhou, Jun, Liu, Min. 2024. KIF11 UFMylation Maintains Photoreceptor Cilium Integrity and Retinal Homeostasis. In Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany), 11, e2400569. doi:10.1002/advs.202400569. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38666385/

2. Chen, Danlei, Wang, Jinghao, Li, Yang, Zhang, Pengfei, Liu, Lianxin. . LncRNA NEAT1 suppresses cellular senescence in hepatocellular carcinoma via KIF11-dependent repression of CDKN2A. In Clinical and translational medicine, 13, e1418. doi:10.1002/ctm2.1418. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37752791/

3. Gao, Wanting, Lu, Junjie, Yang, Zitao, Cao, Yufei, Xie, Lei. 2024. Mitotic Functions and Characters of KIF11 in Cancers. In Biomolecules, 14, . doi:10.3390/biom14040386. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38672404/

4. Wang, Biying, Bao, Lunmin, Li, Xiaoduo, Yuan, Rui, Jiang, Hongmei. 2025. Identification and validation of the important role of KIF11 in the development and progression of endometrial cancer. In Journal of translational medicine, 23, 48. doi:10.1186/s12967-025-06081-6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39806429/

5. Han, Yue, Chen, Jing, Wei, Dianjun, Wang, Baoxi. 2022. KIF11 Is a Promising Therapeutic Target for Thyroid Cancer Treatment. In Computational and mathematical methods in medicine, 2022, 6426800. doi:10.1155/2022/6426800. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36017147/

6. Liu, Junhui, Tian, Yubin, Yi, Lei, Lou, Ming, Yuan, Kai. 2021. High KIF11 expression is associated with poor outcome of NSCLC. In Tumori, 108, 40-46. doi:10.1177/0300891620988342. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33554761/

7. Gu, Xiang, Zhu, Qunshan, Tian, Guangyu, Chen, Xiaojun, Qin, Songbing. 2022. KIF11 manipulates SREBP2-dependent mevalonate cross talk to promote tumor progression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In Cancer medicine, 11, 3282-3295. doi:10.1002/cam4.4683. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35619540/

8. Zhou, Yan, Chen, Xiang, Li, Bingsheng, Li, Yang, Zhang, Bo. 2023. KIF11 is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for adrenocortical carcinoma. In Translational andrology and urology, 12, 594-611. doi:10.21037/tau-22-706. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37181234/

9. Zhu, Liwen, Chen, Chuqin, Kang, Meiyun, Xue, Yao, Fang, Yongjun. 2023. KIF11 serves as a cell cycle mediator in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology, 149, 15609-15622. doi:10.1007/s00432-023-05240-w. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37656243/

10. Luo, Yishu, Liu, Wei, Zhu, Yinmei, Liu, Xiaoqin, Zhao, Jun. 2021. KIF11 as a potential cancer prognostic marker promotes tumorigenesis in children with Wilms tumor. In Pediatric hematology and oncology, 39, 145-157. doi:10.1080/08880018.2021.1953655. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34378481/