Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK)是AMPK（AMP活化蛋白激酶）蛋白家族成员之一，广泛高表达于多种癌症类型中。通过与其他蛋白质的直接和间接相互作用，它介导了各种信号转导过程的级联反应，并在调节肿瘤细胞存活、生长、侵袭和迁移等生物学功能中发挥重要作用。有趣的是，MELK还在调节肿瘤微环境中扮演着重要角色，这不仅可以预测免疫治疗的反应性，还可以影响免疫细胞的功能来调节肿瘤进展。此外，越来越多的小分子抑制剂已被开发用于MELK的靶点，对抗肿瘤产生了重要的抗肿瘤作用，并在一些临床试验中取得了优异的成果。在本文中，我们概述了MELK在肿瘤和肿瘤微环境中的结构特点、分子生物学功能、潜在的调节机制和重要作用，以及针对MELK的物质。虽然MELK在肿瘤调节过程中的许多分子机制仍不清楚，但值得肯定的是，MELK是一个潜在的肿瘤分子治疗靶点，其独特的优势和重要作用为随后的基础研究和科学转化提供了线索和信心。版权所有©2023 Elsevier B.V.发表。

Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) is a member of the AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) protein family, which is widely and highly expressed in multiple cancer types. Through direct and indirect interactions with other proteins, it mediates various cascades of signal transduction processes and plays an important role in regulating tumor cell survival, growth, invasion and migration and other biological functions. Interestingly, MELK also plays an important role in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment, which can not only predict the responsiveness of immunotherapy, but also affect the function of immune cells to regulate tumor progression. In addition, more and more small molecule inhibitors have been developed for the target of MELK, which exert important anti-tumor effects and have achieved excellent results in a number of clinical trials. In this review, we outline the structural features, molecular biological functions, potential regulatory mechanisms and important roles of MELK in tumors and tumor microenvironment, as well as substances targeting MELK. Although many molecular mechanisms of MELK in the process of tumor regulation are still unknown, it is worth affirming that MELK is a potential tumor molecular therapeutic target, and its unique superiority and important role provide clues and confidence for subsequent basic research and scientific transformation.Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.