混合谱系激酶 3 (MLK​​3) 是 MAPK 激酶激酶 (MAP3K) 家族的一种丝氨酸/苏氨酸激酶，在包括癌症在内的各种生物过程中发挥着关键作用。激活后，MLK3 会差异性地激活下游 MAPK，例如 JNK、p38 和 ERK。此外，它还调节多种非经典信号通路，如β-catenin、AMPK、Pin1和PAK1，以调节细胞增殖、凋亡、侵袭和转移。最近的研究还发现了 MLK3 在恶性肿瘤中的其他潜在不同作用，包括代谢重编程、癌症相关炎症以及逃避癌症相关免疫监视。 MLK3 在癌症中的作用是复杂的并且是癌症特异性的，在分子水平上了解其与癌症标志特别一致的功能将对诊断和治疗 MLK3 依赖性癌症具有深远的治疗意义。这篇综述总结了有关 MLK3 对癌症特征影响的最新知识，深入了解其作为有前景的抗癌药物靶点的潜力。由 Elsevier B.V. 出版

Mixed-lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) is a serine/threonine kinase of the MAPK Kinase kinase (MAP3K) family that plays critical roles in various biological processes, including cancer. Upon activation, MLK3 differentially activates downstream MAPKs, such as JNK, p38, and ERK. In addition, it regulates various non-canonical signaling pathways, such as β-catenin, AMPK, Pin1, and PAK1, to regulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and metastasis. Recent studies have also uncovered other potentially diverse roles of MLK3 in malignancy, which include metabolic reprogramming, cancer-associated inflammation, and evasion of cancer-related immune surveillance. The role of MLK3 in cancer is complex and cancer-specific, and an understanding of its function at the molecular level aligned specifically with the cancer hallmarks will have profound therapeutic implications for diagnosing and treating MLK3-dependent cancers. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the effect of MLK3 on the hallmarks of cancer, providing insights into its potential as a promising anticancer drug target.Published by Elsevier B.V.