NEK2 and cancer: Nek2 and 8 have been mostly studied and participate in the regulation of cell cycle and cell polarity.21 They can phosphorylate the centrosome complex and accelerate mitosis.22 For NEK4, there have been some reports showing that NEK4 suppression caused defects in DNA repair and sensitized cancer cells to apoptosis,23 which suggests the roles of NEK4 in tumor progression.