Kinases as targets for chemical modulators: Structural aspects and their role in spermatogenesis

Abstract

Protein phosphorylation and de-phosphorylation events are crucial in deciding the fate of cells. They regulate cellular growth, differentiation and cell death, and kinases are the key players of these events. The members of ser/thr kinases and tyrosine kinases form the majority of protein kinase family, exerting their regulatory mechanism in almost all cells. In testis, they impact signal transduction events, regulate all stages of sperm development from mitosis through fertilization. Understanding the function of these kinases at the structural level and studying their interactions with inhibitors can help in understanding the machinery of spermatogenesis. In view of this, we have reviewed some of the prominent kinases that are known to play a role in spermatogenesis. A better understanding of the impacts of kinase inhibition on spermatogenesis should aid in the interpretation of lesions and hopefully further the development of more efficient and potent drug candidates.

Keywords:

• kinase inhibitors
• PTKs
• signal transduction in spermatogenesis
• receptor-ligand interactions
• testis specific kinases

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Funding

P. P. Mathur acknowledges receipt of financial support (Grant No. BT/PR15118/BID/07/357/2011) from the Department of Biotechnology (Govt. of India). Pranitha Jenardhanan was supported through a Junior Research Fellowship in the grant. P. P. Mathur also acknowledges receipt of financial support from the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India (Grant No. BT/BI/03/015/2002) and the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Govt. of India (Grant No. DIT/R&D/BIO/15(9)/2007) and the Center of Excellence Grant to the Center for Bioinformatics.