Seliciclib: A New Treatment for Cushing's Disease?

Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that corticotroph tumours are associated with the overexpression of cyclin E and that the inactivation of cyclin-dependent kinases, which activate cyclin E, may have antisecretory and antiproliferative effects. Seliciclib, also known as R-roscovitine, is a pituitary-targeting agent shown to inhibit the growth of corticotroph tumour cells via cyclin E and retinoblastoma protein-mediated pathways. A recent study investigated the role of seliciclib in regulating biochemical parameters in a small number of patients with Cushing's disease, providing preliminary data on its possible therapeutic effectiveness in treating this disorder.