Integrin-linked kinases (ILKs) couple integrins and growth factors to downstream pathways involved in cell survival, cell cycle control, cell-cell adhesion and cell motility (1). ILK functions as a scaffold bridging the extracellular matrix (ECM) and growth factor receptors to the actin cytoskeleton through interactions with integrin, PINCH (which links ILK to the RTKs via Nck2), CH-ILKBP and affixin (1). ILK phosphorylates Akt at Ser473, GSK-3 on Ser9, myosin light chain 2 (MLC2) on Ser18/Thr19, as well as affixin (2-5). These phosphorylation events are key regulatory steps in modulating the activities of the targets. ILK activity is stimulated by PI3 kinase and negatively regulated by the tumor suppressor PTEN and a PP2C protein phosphatase, ILKAP (1,3,6). It has been suggested that the conserved Ser343 residue in the activation loop plays a key role in the activation of ILK1 (2).
