Midkine: A Cancer Biomarker Candidate and Innovative Therapeutic Approaches

Abstract

Midkine (MDK) is a protein that contributes to both physiological and pathological processes. Several studies provide insight into the different roles of MDK in development, tissue repair, neural plasticity, and health and disease processes. This research further examined how MDK contributed to conditions, including neurological diseases, inflammation, and ischaemia. Furthermore, MDK overexpression has been reported in many kinds of cancer and MDK is recognized as a malignancy marker. MDK stimulates pro-tumor activity by regulating a number of signaling pathways, which increase cancer cell proliferation, survival, metastasis, and treatment resistance. However, studies have shown that MDK also functions as a molecule that regulates drug resistance. Several cancer therapy techniques have been suggested to modify MDK function, including antibody-based therapies, oligonucleotides, oncolytic viruses, and small compounds. Further research and experimentation will be required to establish the therapeutic relevance and efficacy of these treatments. This review focuses on the role of MDK in cancer biology, as well as its multiple different roles in health and disease processes.