Rho GTPases in cancer: friend or foe?

Oncogene. 2019 Dec;38(50):7447-7456. doi: 10.1038/s41388-019-0963-7. Epub 2019 Aug 19.

Abstract

The Rho GTPases RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 are important regulators of cytoskeletal dynamics. Although many in vitro and in vivo data indicate tumor-promoting effects of activated Rho GTPases, also tumor suppressive functions have been described, suggesting either highly cell-type-specific functions for Rho GTPases in cancer or insufficient cancer models. The availability of a large number of cancer genome-sequencing data by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) allows for the investigation of Rho GTPase function in human cancers in silico. This information should be used to improve our in vitro and in vivo cancer models, which are essential for a molecular understanding of Rho GTPase function in malignant tumors and for the potential development of cancer drugs targeting Rho GTPase signaling.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cytoskeleton / genetics
  • Genes, Tumor Suppressor*
  • Genome, Human / genetics
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Oncogenes / genetics*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / genetics
  • rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / genetics
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / genetics

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • RAC1 protein, human
  • RHOA protein, human
  • cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein
  • rac1 GTP-Binding Protein
  • rho GTP-Binding Proteins
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein