Selective inhibition of proteins regulating CDK/cyclin complexes: strategy against cancer--a review.

Cancer prevention is a global priority, but history indicates that the journey towards achieving the goal is difficult. Various cyclin dependent kinase complexes (CDKs/cyclins) operate as major cell signaling components in all stages of cell cycle. CDK/cyclin protein complexes, regulating the cell cycle, are conserved during evolution. In cancer cells, cell division is uncontrolled and CDKs/cyclins become 'check-points' or targets. Keeping this in view the proteins cyclin C, cyclin D2, CDKN1C, and Growth Arrest and DNA Damage (GADD45alpha) which play a major role in regulating CDK/cyclin complexes and operate in the initial stages of cell cycle (G(0) phase-S phase), have been identified as promising targets. Targeting critical regulators of cell-cycle signaling components by applying modern computational techniques is projected to be a potential tool for future cancer research.