OncoSignal
Live from Open Targets Platform, fetched 2026-11-11 15:25 UTC. Every row links to its source record.

STK11 serine/threonine kinase 11

ENSG00000118046 · protein coding · Open Targets profile

Tumor suppressor serine/threonine-protein kinase that controls the activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) family members, thereby playing a role in various processes such as cell metabolism, cell polarity, apoptosis and DNA damage response (PubMed:12805220, PubMed:14517248, PubMed:14976552, PubMed:15016379, PubMed:15733851). Acts by phosphorylating the T-loop of AMPK family proteins, thus promoting their activity: phosphorylates PRKAA1, PRKAA2, BRSK1, BRSK2, MARK1, MARK2, MARK3, MARK4, NUAK1, NUAK2, SIK1, SIK2, SIK3 and SNRK but not MELK (PubMed:12805220, PubMed:14517248, PubMed:14976552, PubMed:15016379, PubMed:15733851). Also phosphorylates non-AMPK family proteins such as STRADA, PTEN and possibly p53/TP53 (PubMed:11430832, PubMed:15987703). Acts as a key upstream regulator of AMPK by mediating phosphorylation and activation of AMPK catalytic subunits PRKAA1 and PRKAA2 and thereby regulates processes including: inhibition of signaling pathways that promote cell growth and proliferation when energy levels are low, glucose homeostasis in liver, activation of autophagy when cells undergo nutrient deprivation, and B- cell differentiation in the germinal center in response to DNA damage (PubMed:14976552). Also acts as a regulator of cellular polarity by remodeling the actin cytoskeleton (PubMed:15016379). Required for cortical neuron polarization by mediating phosphorylation and activation of BRSK1 and BRSK2, leading to axon initiation and specification (PubMed:14976552). Involved in DNA damage response: interacts with p53/TP53 and recruited to the CDKN1A/WAF1 promoter to participate in transcription activation (PubMed:11430832, PubMed:17108107, PubMed:21317932). Able to phosphorylate p53/TP53; the relevance of such result in vivo is however unclear and phosphorylation may be indirect and mediated by downstream STK11/LKB1 kinase NUAK1 (PubMed:11430832, PubMed:17108107, PubMed:21317932). Also acts as a mediator of p53/TP53-dependent apoptosis via interaction with p53/TP53: translocates to the mitochondrion during apoptosis and regulates p53/TP53-dependent apoptosis pathways (PubMed:11430832, PubMed:17108107, PubMed:21317932). Regulates UV radiation-induced DNA damage response mediated by CDKN1A (PubMed:25329316). In association with NUAK1, phosphorylates CDKN1A in response to UV radiation and contributes to its degradation which is necessary for optimal DNA repair (PubMed:25329316). {ECO:0000269|PubMed:11430832, ECO:0000269|PubMed:12805220, ECO:0000269|PubMed:14517248, ECO:0000269|PubMed:14976552, ECO:0000269|PubMed:15016379, ECO:0000269|PubMed:15733851, ECO:0000269|PubMed:15987703, ECO:0000269|PubMed:17108107, ECO:0000269|PubMed:21317932, ECO:0000269|PubMed:25329316}.

In 9 of 15 cancers, the evidence for STK11 comes mainly from inherited variants

Each row is a cancer, strongest overall evidence first. The two dots show how strong the inherited (germline) and tumour-mutation (somatic) evidence is; the line between them is the gap.

Inherited (germline) variantsMutations in tumours (somatic)
00.250.50.751Peutz-Jeghers syndromePeutz-Jeghers syndromePeutz-Jeghers syndrome: germline 0.93familial pancreatic carcinomafamilial pancreatic carcinomafamilial pancreatic carcinoma: somatic 0.74familial pancreatic carcinoma: germline 0.87lung adenocarcinomalung adenocarcinomalung adenocarcinoma: somatic 0.78melanoma, cutaneous malignant, suscepti…melanoma, cutaneous malignant, susceptibility to, 1melanoma, cutaneous malignant, susceptibility to, 1: somatic 0.78melanoma, cutaneous malignant, susceptibility to, 1: germline 0.88testicular germ cell tumortesticular germ cell tumortesticular germ cell tumor: somatic 0.55testicular germ cell tumor: germline 0.75hereditary neoplastic syndromehereditary neoplastic syndromehereditary neoplastic syndrome: germline 0.95non-small cell lung carcinomanon-small cell lung carcinomanon-small cell lung carcinoma: somatic 0.73familial ovarian cancerfamilial ovarian cancerfamilial ovarian cancer: germline 0.80cervical squamous cell carcinomacervical squamous cell carcinomacervical squamous cell carcinoma: somatic 0.60melanomamelanomamelanoma: somatic 0.58pancreatic neoplasmpancreatic neoplasmpancreatic neoplasm: somatic 0.46gastric cancergastric cancergastric cancer: germline 0.68generalized juvenile polyposis/juvenile…generalized juvenile polyposis/juvenile polyposis coligeneralized juvenile polyposis/juvenile polyposis coli: germline 0.69hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndro…hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndromehereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome: germline 0.31colorectal cancercolorectal cancer

Scores run from 0 (no evidence) to 1 (strongest). A missing dot at 0 means Open Targets holds no evidence of that kind. Source: Open Targets Platform, fetched live.

Tractability

Small molecule
Structure with Ligand, High-Quality Ligand, Med-Quality Pocket, Druggable Family
PROTAC
Half-life Data, Small Molecule Binder

gnomAD loss of function constraint: o/e 0.1691100001335144 (upper bound 0.3051300048828125). Low values mean loss of function is poorly tolerated, a safety flag for inhibition.

Who runs trials of these drugs

No named investigators on registry trials of STK11's approved or late-stage drugs in the last three years.

No terminated, withdrawn or suspended trials of STK11's drugs are registered

All 0 drugs and clinical candidates as a table

Each drug, stage and indication links to its Open Targets record, where the trials and approvals behind it are listed. Salt forms (for example a mesylate) are listed as Open Targets records them, as separate entries.

DrugTypeHighest stageIndicationsSource records
No drugs or clinical candidates recorded.