極光激酶家族 （Aurora Kinase family） 為serine/threonine蛋白激酶，在哺乳類動物中有Aurora-A、-B及-C三個成員。根據過去文獻報導其主要參與在調控有絲分裂及減數分裂的過程，因此當功能異常或表現量不正常時，會導致細胞染色體異常，進而造成腫瘤的生成。Aurora-C是該家族成員中研究最少的，最早被發現僅侷限在睪丸組織中表現。近幾年來，許多研究指出，在癌組織及癌細胞當中都可發現Aurora-C有過量表現的情形，但目前對於其在腫瘤形成過程，所扮演的角色及分子調控機制仍是未知。當過量表現Aurora-C時，會干擾染色體移動複合體 (chromosomal passenger complex) 在著絲粒上的座落位置及其蛋白質穩定度，進而導致紡綞體組裝檢查點 (spindle assembly checkpoint) 的活化受到影響。由以上的結果顯示， Aurora-C可能不具有調控紡綞體組裝檢查點的功能。另外，利用偵測細胞增殖速率及移動能力的方法，發現當細胞表現Aurora-C野生態及激酶活化態的情況下，會增加細胞增殖速率及移行能力，但在表現激酶不活化態的情況下，則無此現象。利用xenograft model也觀察到當細胞過量表現野生態及激酶活化態的Aurora-C會促進腫瘤的形成，但同樣的情況卻不會在表現激酶不活化態的組別中觀察到。因此，推論當過量表現Aurora-C時，藉由干擾CPC的座落位置及其蛋白穩定度，進而導致紡綞體組裝檢查點的啟動受到影響，可能為其促進腫瘤形成的原因。

The mammalian Aurora kinases, which includes Aurora-A, -B and -C, are a conserved family of serine/threonine kinase. Auroras regulate numerous mitotic and meiotic events. The dysfunction or overexpression of Auroras can result in aneuploidy, a contributing factor for tumorigenesis. Aurora-C, the least known of Aurora kinases, was original identified as a testis-restricted expression kinase. Recently, a growing body of evidence indicated that Aurora-C is overexpressed in many human primary cancers and cancer cell lines. But the molecular mechanism and physiological roles for Aurora-C in tumorigenesis remain unclear. Overexpression of Aurora-C impairs the centromeric localization and protein stability of chromosomal passenger complex (CPC), therefore interfering the activity of spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC). Taken together, our findings suggest that Aurora-C may not involve in SAC activation. In addition, by cell proliferation assay and migration assay, cells with Wild type (WT) or Kinase hyperactive (KA) expression can increase the cellular proliferation and migration ability, but not the Kinase dead (KD), Aurora-C expression. Animal xenograft analysis showed that overexpressed Aurora-C/WT or KA can enhance the tumor formation. Surprisingly, the Aurora-C/KD-expressed cells do not form tumor. Base on these results, Overexpressed Aurora-C contributes to tumor formation may through impair the SAC by interfering the localization and promoting the degradation of CPC.

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