Salt-inducible kinases (SIKs) in cancer: mechanisms of action and therapeutic prospects.

Salt-inducible kinases (SIKs), a group of serine/threonine kinases in the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) family, exist in three isoforms: SIK1, SIK2 and SIK3. These kinases are crucial in various physiological processes. Emerging evidence indicates that dysregulation of SIK expression and activation significantly contributes to carcinogenesis by promoting cellular proliferation, metabolic dysregulation, metastasis and chemoresistance through the modulation of crucial signaling pathways. The role of SIKs in cancer progression and metastasis involves complex mechanisms that vary among cancer types. Additionally, research on SIK inhibitors suggests that targeting these kinases might offer promising avenues for improving cancer treatment outcomes.