maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) expression is elevated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and promotes the malignant progression of LUAD cells by regulating the PLK1-CDC25C-CDK1 signaling pathway to promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis-mediated cell scorch (16, 117). The gene discussed is MELK; the disease is lung adenocarcinoma.