CDK17, a member of the understudied PCTAIRE subfamily of cyclin-dependent kinases, functions as a Ser/Thr-protein kinase involved in cell cycle regulation and protein phosphorylation 1. In normal physiology, CDK17 may play a role in terminally differentiated neurons and possesses histone H1-phosphorylating activity. CDK17 participates in phospholipid metabolism pathways, with genome-wide association studies identifying it as a locus associated with circulating phospho- and sphingolipid concentrations 2. Disease relevance: CDK17 is implicated in multiple pathological conditions. In glioma, CDK17 was identified as a hub gene among downregulated genes and serves as an independent predictor of patient outcomes 3. In liver fibrosis, CDK17 functions as a critical target of miR-199a-3p; CDK17 depletion suppresses hepatic stellate cell activation and proliferation, suggesting therapeutic potential 4. CDK17 expression is significantly elevated in Alzheimer's disease pathology, where increased phosphorylation correlates with amyloid precursor protein-dependent neurodegeneration 5. In breast cancer, CDK17 is consistently overexpressed in both early and advanced lung metastasis stages across pre- and postmenopausal patients, correlating with disease progression 6. Clinical significance: CDK17's dysregulation in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases positions it as a potential therapeutic target, though comprehensive characterization of its molecular mechanisms remains incomplete 1.