Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are cell cycle regulators, and abnormal activation can accelerate tumor cell proliferation. However, The relation between CDKs dysregulation to colorectal cancer incidence and progression have not been examined in detail. Methods:Differences in CDKs expression between colorectal cancer and normal tissues, associations between expression and clinical prognosis, incidence and frequencies of CDKs gene mutations, and the influences of CDKs on tumor infiltration by immune cells were examined by analyses of Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, Kaplan-Meier plotter, cBioPortal, GeneMANIA, and TIMER databases. RESULTS: Colorectal cancer tissues showed enhanced expression levels of CDKs 1/2/4/5/6/8/12/13/19 but reduced CDK3 expression. CDK7 was highly expressed in some colorectal cancer tissues but downregulated in others. Expression levels of CDK1/3/4/7/8/10/11b/13/18/19/20 were correlated with clinical stage, and CDK 5/10/12/16 expression levels predicted prognosis and survival. Differential CDKs expression correlated with cell cycle progression, amino acid polypeptide modifications, and activation of other protein kinases. Expression levels of all CDKs except CDK16 were correlated with infiltration of CD4+T, CD8+T, B and Tregs cells. CONCLUSIONS: CDK 1 and 4 could be used as diagnostic biomarkers for CRC. CDK 5/10/12/16 can be utilized as prognostic biomarkers.