KIF26B Expression Linked to Paclitaxel Resistance and Prognosis in Ovarian Cancer

By: Lisa Astor
Posted: Friday, March 20, 2026

Elevated expression of kinesin family member 26B (KIF26B) was associated with chemotherapy resistance and adverse clinical outcomes in ovarian cancer, according to findings published in Current Issues in Molecular Biology.

In the study, Yuting Su, PhD, and colleagues from the Guangxi Medical University in Nanning, China, evaluated the role of KIF26B in tumor progression and paclitaxel resistance through integrated bioinformatics analyses and in vitro functional experiments.

Analysis of transcriptomic datasets demonstrated that KIF26B expression was significantly higher in ovarian cancer tissues compared with normal controls and increased with advancing disease stage. High KIF26B expression was also associated with worse overall survival, progression-free survival, and post-progression survival.

Importantly, KIF26B levels were elevated in chemotherapy-resistant tumors across multiple treatment subgroups, including platinum- and taxane-based regimens. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses supported its potential utility as a predictive biomarker for chemoresistance, particularly in advanced serous ovarian cancer.

Functional assays in ovarian cancer cell lines showed that KIF26B expression was higher in paclitaxel-resistant cells compared with parental cells. Knockdown of KIF26B reduced cell proliferation and clonogenic capacity while increasing sensitivity to paclitaxel. Mechanistically, KIF26B inhibition enhanced microtubule polymerization, promoted cell cycle arrest, and increased apoptosis following paclitaxel exposure.

Further analyses identified a negative correlation between KIF26B and SLC7A11 expression, particularly in chemoresistant tumors. Combined expression of these markers demonstrated stronger prognostic value than either alone, with high KIF26B and low SLC7A11 expression associated with the poorest outcomes. Functional experiments suggested that SLC7A11 contributes to KIF26B-mediated regulation of paclitaxel response.

The authors concluded that KIF26B plays a central role in ovarian cancer progression and chemotherapy resistance and may represent a potential therapeutic target to overcome paclitaxel resistance.

Disclosures: The research was supported by the Guangxi Natural Science Foundation, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Advanced Innovation Teams and Xinghu Scholars Program of Guangxi Medical University, and Guangxi Science and Technology Program. The study authors reported no conflict of interest.

Current Issues in Molecular Biology

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