ObjectiveTo understand relationship between LIM kinase (LIMK) and colorectal cancer in order to provide research basis for metastasis, invasion, and targeted therapy of colorectal cancer.MethodThe relevant literatures about the research progress on the structural function of LIMK and its correlation with colorectal cancer in recent years were reviewed.ResultsThe LIMK and its factors in the ROCK/LIMK/cofilin and PAK/LIMK/cofilin pathways were involved in various cell biological behaviors such as the tumor cell cycle progression, tumor cell invasion, migration, and proliferation. For example, the p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) participated in the cytoskeletal dynamics to regulate cancer cell migration and invasion through the PAK4/LIMK1/cofilin signaling pathway. The cofilin affected the tumor cell movement and morphology through the Rho/ROCK/LIMK1/cofilin signaling pathway, thus then participated in the tumor cell invasion and migration. In addition, the studies had reported that two tumor metastasis-associated proteins, MYH9 and ACTN4, were the direct targets of LIMK1, and the three interactions could promote the colon cancer progression. Another member of the LIMK family: LIMK2, which inhibited the cell metastasis by limiting the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, and the nuclear chain of β-catenin activated the Wnt signaling pathway, leading to the colon cancer progression and metastasis. Diallyl disulfide down-regulated the expression of LIMK1 in the colon cancer cells SW480, inhibited the LIMK1/cofilin signaling pathway, blocked angiogenesis and EMT, and inhibited the colon cancer migration and invasion, while others LIMK inhibitors had not been validated in the colorectal cancer.ConclusionsMolecular mechanism of colorectal cancer and its metastasis has not been fully elucidated. Through in-depth study of relationships between colorectal cancer and its metastasis mechanism and LIMK, it could provide a molecular targeted therapeutic breakthrough for colorectal cancer and its metastasis and more help for exploring of diagnosis, recurrence, prognosis and metastasis of colorectal cancer.