Stk10, also known as serine-threonine kinase 10, is a member of the STE20/p21-activated kinase (PAK) family. It is predominantly expressed in immune organs and is involved in various cellular functions. Stk10 is an ERM kinase, participating in the activation of ERM proteins, and is associated with lymphocyte aggregation and adhesion. It may also regulate Plk1 function as a polo-like kinase kinase [4].

In a Stk10 knockout mouse model, the deletion of host Stk10 led to increased tumor growth in prostate cancer due to decreased activated/effector cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and increased vessel density in the tumor microenvironment, indicating its role in the host anti-tumor response [1]. In cervical cancer cells, knockout of Stk10 promoted cell adhesion, migration, and invasion [2]. In prostate cancer cells, Stk10 knockout promoted cell proliferation by inhibiting p38 MAPK activation and suppressed migration via inhibiting p38 MAPK signaling and ERM protein activation [3].

In conclusion, Stk10 plays essential roles in cell-cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and the host anti-tumor response. The Stk10 knockout mouse models have revealed its significance in cancer-related biological processes, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target in cancer treatment.

References:

1. Ma, Jin-Xia, Xu, Dan-Dan, Lu, Shun-Yuan, Wang, Zhu-Gang, Zhang, Hong-Xin. 2022. Stk10 Deficiency in Mice Promotes Tumor Growth by Dysregulating the Tumor Microenvironment. In Biology, 11, . doi:10.3390/biology11111668. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36421382/

2. Zhang, Lu, Lu, Shun-Yuan, Guo, Rui, Liu, Jie, Zhang, Hong-Xin. . Knockout of STK10 promotes the migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells. In Translational cancer research, 9, 7079-7090. doi:10.21037/tcr-20-1601. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35117313/

3. Zhang, Lu, Lu, Shun-Yuan, Guo, Rui, Wang, Zhu-Gang, Zhang, Hong-Xin. 2021. STK10 knockout inhibits cell migration and promotes cell proliferation via modulating the activity of ERM and p38 MAPK in prostate cancer cells. In Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 22, 851. doi:10.3892/etm.2021.10283. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34149897/

4. Walter, Sarah A, Cutler, Richard E, Martinez, Ricardo, Gishizky, Mikhail, Hill, Ronald J. 2003. Stk10, a new member of the polo-like kinase kinase family highly expressed in hematopoietic tissue. In The Journal of biological chemistry, 278, 18221-8. doi:. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12639966/