Overview:

Anaplastic large cell lymphomas are associated with chromosomal aberrations involving the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene, resulting in the expression of novel chimeric ALK proteins with transforming properties. Many chromosomal rearrangements leading to enhanced ALK activity have been described and are implicated in a number of cancer types (1). A fusion protein of kinesin family member 5B (KIF5B) exon 15 to ALK exon 20 has been reported in a primary lung adenocarcinoma (2). Overexpression of KIF5B-ALK increased cell proliferation, migration and invation via activating the STAT3 and PKB (3).

Gene Aliases:

KIF5B: KINH, UKHC, KNS
ALK: ALK (Ki-1), CD246

Genbank Number:

NM_004521
NM_004304

References:

1. Palmer R H, et al: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase: signalling in development and disease. Biochem J. 2009 May 27;420(3):345-61.

2. Takeuchi K, et al: KIF5B-ALK, a novel fusion oncokinase identified by an immunohistochemistry-based diagnostic system for ALK-positive lung cancer. 2009 May 1;15(9):3143-9.

3. Wong DW, et al: A novel KIF5B-ALK variant in nonsmall cell lung cancer. Cancer. 2011 Jun 15;117(12):2709-18.