HomeAboutRankingsData Sources
© 2026 GeneE
🧬
GeneE
10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
ⓘGeneE is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
PKN3
protein kinase N3
Chromosome 9 · 9q34.11
NCBI Gene: 29941Ensembl: ENSG00000160447.8HGNC: HGNC:17999UniProt: Q6P5Z2
52PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Kinase
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
epithelial cell migrationprotein bindingprotein serine/threonine kinase activityintracellular signal transductionhypothyroidismHypercholesterolemiamyxedemaresponse to statin
✦AI Summary

PKN3 is a serine-threonine kinase of the AGC family that serves as a critical regulator of cellular signaling and cytoskeletal dynamics 1. It integrates signals from multiple pathways including PI3K/PTEN and Wnt5a/Ror2, modulating cell migration, angiogenesis, and gene expression through interactions with Rho GTPases 1. In normal endothelial cells, PKN3 maintains cell morphology, junction integrity, and actin organization; knockdown impairs adherens junction dynamics and attenuates pro-inflammatory activation 2. PKN3 interacts directly with p130Cas adaptor protein via its polyproline sequence, promoting cancer cell growth and invasiveness independent of Src transformation 3. Pathologically, PKN3 is notably overexpressed in prostate and breast cancers, where loss-of-function studies demonstrate its essential role in driving tumor growth and metastasis 1. In trophoblasts, ANP enhances PKN3 expression through autophagy inhibition, promoting cell invasion via NFYA-mediated transcriptional regulation 4. Clinically, PKN3 represents a promising therapeutic target; RNAi-based approaches using PKN3 shRNA delivered via lipid nanoparticles achieved 60-65% tumor suppression in breast and prostate cancer models 56. Small-molecule kinase inhibitors targeting PKN3 have been identified and validated through phosphoproteomics 7.

Sources cited
1
PKN3 is an AGC-family serine-threonine kinase that regulates cytoskeletal dynamics and gene expression through Rho GTPase interactions; integrates PI3K/PTEN and Wnt5a/Ror2 signaling; overexpressed in prostate and breast cancers with essential role in tumor growth and metastasis
PMID: 40633483
2
PKN3 knockdown impairs adherens junction integrity, actin organization, and attenuates endothelial cell pro-inflammatory activation; involves ICAM-1 signaling and Pyk2 phosphorylation
PMID: 22609186
3
PKN3 directly interacts with p130Cas adaptor protein via SH3-polyproline binding; this complex promotes cancer cell growth and invasiveness in prostate and breast cancer
PMID: 30422386
4
ANP upregulates PKN3 expression through NFYA-mediated transcription and autophagy inhibition via AMPK/mTORC1 pathway, enhancing trophoblast invasion
PMID: 36723798
5
PKN3 shRNA delivered via redox-responsive lipid nanoparticles achieved 60.8% PKN3 inhibition and 62.3% tumor inhibition in breast cancer models
PMID: 35752145
6
Bioreducible lipid nanoparticles delivering PKN3 shRNA achieved 65.8% tumor suppression in prostate cancer xenografts with good safety profile
PMID: 35731922
7
Chemical proteomics identified kinase inhibitor compounds targeting PKN3; phosphoproteomics validated target engagement in cells
PMID: 37904048
Disease Associationsⓘ20
hypothyroidismOpen Targets
0.50Moderate
HypercholesterolemiaOpen Targets
0.36Weak
myxedemaOpen Targets
0.35Weak
response to statinOpen Targets
0.35Weak
alcohol drinkingOpen Targets
0.35Weak
Alzheimer diseaseOpen Targets
0.27Weak
lysosomal storage diseaseOpen Targets
0.27Weak
multiple sclerosisOpen Targets
0.27Weak
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.27Weak
Parkinson diseaseOpen Targets
0.27Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.10Weak
asthmaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
exercise-induced hyperinsulinismOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase deficiencyOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
allergic rhinitisOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
respiratory system diseaseOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
atopic asthmaOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
allergic diseaseOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
Eczematoid dermatitisOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
ARHGAP26Protein interaction94%PDPK1Protein interaction92%RHOCProtein interaction91%RHOAProtein interaction82%ARHGAP10Protein interaction82%RHOBProtein interaction75%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Lung
100%
Heart
54%
Bone Marrow
37%
Brain
34%
Ovary
24%
Liver
23%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
PKN3ARHGAP26PDPK1RHOCRHOAARHGAP10RHOB
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q6P5Z2
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.99LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.83 [0.69–0.99]
RankingsWhere PKN3 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #8,600of 20,598
    Most Researched52
  • #9,459of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.99
Genes detectedPKN3
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
PKN3 as a key regulator in cancer - From signaling pathways to targeted therapies.
PMID: 40633483
Bioorg Chem · 2025
1.00
2
Efficient delivery of PKN3 shRNA for the treatment of breast cancer via lipid nanoparticles.
PMID: 35752145
Bioorg Med Chem · 2022
0.90
3
Oral biosciences: The annual review 2019.
PMID: 32109566
J Oral Biosci · 2020
0.80
4
ANP promotes HTR-8/SVneo cell invasion by upregulating protein kinase N 3 via autophagy inhibition.
PMID: 36723798
FASEB J · 2023
0.70
5
Chemical proteomics reveals the target landscape of 1,000 kinase inhibitors.
PMID: 37904048
Nat Chem Biol · 2024
0.60