Targeting polo-like kinase 1, a regulator of p53, in the treatment of adrenocortical carcinoma.

Background: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an aggressive cancer with a 5 year survival rate of 20-30 %. Various factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of ACC including dysregulation of the G2/M transition and aberrant activity of p53 and MDM2. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK-1) negatively modulates p53 functioning, promotes MDM2 activity through its phosphorylation, and is involved in the G2/M transition.