Inactivation of the retinoblastoma protein (pRb) by phosphorylation triggers uncontrolled cell proliferation. Accordingly, activation of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)/cyclin complexes or downregulation of CDK inhibitors appears as a common event in human cancer. Here we show that Pin1 (protein interacting with NIMA (never in mitosis A)-1), a peptidylprolyl isomerase involved in the control of protein phosphorylation, is an essential mediator for inactivation of the pRb. Our results indicate that Pin1 controls cell proliferation by altering pRb phosphorylation without affecting CDK and protein phosphatase 1 and 2 activity. We demonstrated that Pin1 regulates tumor cell proliferation through direct interaction with the spacer domain of the pRb protein, and allows the interaction between CDK/cyclin complexes and pRb in mid/late G1. Phosphorylation of pRb Ser 608/612 is the crucial motif for Pin1 binding. We propose that Pin1 selectively boosts the switch from hypo-to hyper-phosphorylation of pRb in tumor cells. In addition, we demonstrate that the CDK pathway is responsible for the interaction of Pin1 and pRb. Prospectively, our findings therefore suggest that the synergism among CDK and Pin1 inhibitors holds great promise for targeted pharmacological treatment of cancer patients, with the possibility of reaching high effectiveness at tolerated doses. The retinoblastoma protein (pRb), the product of the RB1 gene (i.e., the tumor-suppressor gene involved in hereditary and sporadic retinoblastoma pathogenesis), is mainly responsible for the control of cell proliferation via two different mechanisms. The first is based on the interaction between pRb and different chromatin-modifying enzymes: pRb interacts with histone deacetylases (HDACs) 1, 2, and 3, histone methylase SUV39H1, and chromatin-remodeling enzymes Brg1 and Brm, thus repressing gene expression. 1 The second mechanism involves pRb controlling the cell cycle through interaction with the E2F family of transcription factors 2 in a phosphorylation-dependent way: in early and mid G1, the protein complex D-type cyclins/CDK4, 6 whereas in late G1, cyclins E(A)/CDK2 gradually phosphorylate pRb. Hyperphosphorylated pRb releases E2F transcription factors and allows the expression of genes that mediate entry into the S phase. 3 As pRb protein holds a central role in the cell cycle, its inactivation is necessary for enabling cancer cell proliferation. Different mechanisms of pRb inactivation have been described, although inactivation through phosphorylation is most common in human sporadic cancers. In this context, cyclin D1 overexpression induces CDK4/6 activation and thus pRb hyperphosphorylation. 4,5 In addition, the cyclindependent kinase (CDK) inhibitory partner, p16 protein (i.e.,