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da Silva AM, Yevdokimova V, Benoit YD. Sam68 is a druggable vulnerability point in cancer stem cells. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:441-456. [PMID: 37792222 PMCID: PMC11016129 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10145-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Sam68 (Src associated in mitosis of 68 kDa) is an RNA-binding and multifunctional protein extensively characterized in numerous cellular functions, such as RNA processing, cell cycle regulation, kinase- and growth factor signaling. Recent investigations highlighted Sam68 as a primary target of a class of reverse-turn peptidomimetic drugs, initially developed as inhibitors of Wnt/β-catenin mediated transcription. Further investigations on such compounds revealed their capacity to selectively eliminate cancer stem cell (CSC) activity upon engaging Sam68. This work highlighted previously unappreciated roles for Sam68 in the maintenance of neoplastic self-renewal and tumor-initiating functions. Here, we discuss the implication of Sam68 in tumorigenesis, where central findings support its contribution to chromatin regulation processes essential to CSCs. We also review advances in CSC-targeting drug discovery aiming to modulate Sam68 cellular distribution and protein-protein interactions. Ultimately, Sam68 constitutes a vulnerability point of CSCs and an attractive therapeutic target to impede neoplastic stemness in human tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Mendes da Silva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Veronika Yevdokimova
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Yannick D Benoit
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada.
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada.
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2
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Mehrabipour M, Jasemi NSK, Dvorsky R, Ahmadian MR. A Systematic Compilation of Human SH3 Domains: A Versatile Superfamily in Cellular Signaling. Cells 2023; 12:2054. [PMID: 37626864 PMCID: PMC10453029 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
SRC homology 3 (SH3) domains are fundamental modules that enable the assembly of protein complexes through physical interactions with a pool of proline-rich/noncanonical motifs from partner proteins. They are widely studied modular building blocks across all five kingdoms of life and viruses, mediating various biological processes. The SH3 domains are also implicated in the development of human diseases, such as cancer, leukemia, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, and various infections. A database search of the human proteome reveals the existence of 298 SH3 domains in 221 SH3 domain-containing proteins (SH3DCPs), ranging from 13 to 720 kilodaltons. A phylogenetic analysis of human SH3DCPs based on their multi-domain architecture seems to be the most practical way to classify them functionally, with regard to various physiological pathways. This review further summarizes the achievements made in the classification of SH3 domain functions, their binding specificity, and their significance for various diseases when exploiting SH3 protein modular interactions as drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrnaz Mehrabipour
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (M.M.); (N.S.K.J.)
| | - Neda S. Kazemein Jasemi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (M.M.); (N.S.K.J.)
| | - Radovan Dvorsky
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (M.M.); (N.S.K.J.)
- Center for Interdisciplinary Biosciences, P. J. Šafárik University, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Mohammad R. Ahmadian
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; (M.M.); (N.S.K.J.)
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Shalom B, Salaymeh Y, Risling M, Katzav S. Unraveling the Oncogenic Potential of VAV1 in Human Cancer: Lessons from Mouse Models. Cells 2023; 12:cells12091276. [PMID: 37174676 PMCID: PMC10177506 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
VAV1 is a hematopoietic signal transducer that possesses a GDP/GTP nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that is tightly regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation, along with adapter protein domains, such as SH2 and SH3. Research on VAV1 has advanced over the years since its discovery as an in vitro activated oncogene in an NIH3T3 screen for oncogenes. Although the oncogenic form of VAV1 first identified in the screen has not been detected in human clinical tumors, its wild-type and mutant forms have been implicated in mammalian malignancies of various tissue origins, as well as those of the hematopoietic system. This review article addresses the activity of human VAV1 as an overexpressed or mutated gene and also describes the differences in the distribution of VAV1 mutations in the hematopoietic system and in other tissues. The knowledge accumulated thus far from GEMMs expressing VAV1 is described, with the conclusion that GEMMs of both wild-type VAV1 and mutant VAV1 do not form tumors, yet these will be generated when additional molecular insults, such as loss of p53 or KRAS mutation, occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batel Shalom
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Yaser Salaymeh
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Matan Risling
- Department of Military Medicine and "Tzameret", Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Tel-Hashomer 02149, Israel
| | - Shulamit Katzav
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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Vav1 accelerates Ras-driven lung cancer and modulates its tumor microenvironment. Cell Signal 2022; 97:110395. [PMID: 35752351 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2022.110395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The potential impact of Vav1 on human cancer was only recently acknowledged, as it is detected as a mutant or an overexpressed gene in various cancers, including lung cancer. Vav1, which is normally and exclusively expressed in the hematopoietic system functions as a specific GDP/GTP nucleotide exchange factor (GEF), strictly regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation. To investigate whether Vav1 plays a causative or facilitating role in-vivo in lung cancer development and to examine whether it co-operates with other oncogenes, such as mutant K-Ras, we generated novel mouse strains that express: Vav1 or K-RasG12D in type II pneumocytes, as well as a transgenic mouse line that expresses both Vav1 and K-RasG12D in these cells. Coexpression of Vav1 and K-RasG12D in the lungs dramatically increased malignant lung cancer lesions, and did so significantly faster than K-RasG12D alone, strongly suggesting that these two oncogenes synergize to enhance lung tumor development. Vav1 expression alone had no apparent effects on lung tumorigenesis. The increase in lung cancer in K-RasG12D/Vav1 mice was accompanied by an increase in B-cell, T-cells, and monocyte infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. Concomitantly, ERK phosphorylation was highly elevated in the lungs of K-RasG12 D/Vav1 mice. Also, several cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-13 which play a significant role in the immune system, were elevated in lungs of Vav1 and K-RasG12 D/Vav1 mice. Our findings emphasize the contribution of Vav1 to lung tumor development through its signaling properties.
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Vav1 Promotes B-Cell Lymphoma Development. Cells 2022; 11:cells11060949. [PMID: 35326399 PMCID: PMC8946024 DOI: 10.3390/cells11060949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Vav1 is normally and exclusively expressed in the hematopoietic system where it functions as a specific GDP/GTP nucleotide exchange factor (GEF), firmly regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation. Mutations and overexpression of Vav1 in hematopoietic malignancies, and in human cancers of various histologic origins, are well documented. To reveal whether overexpression of Vav1 in different tissues suffices for promoting the development of malignant lesions, we expressed Vav1 in transgenic mice by using the ubiquitous ROSA26 promoter (Rosa Vav1). We detected Vav1 expression in epithelial tissues of various organs including pancreas, liver, and lung. While carcinomas did not develop in these organs, surprisingly, we noticed the development of B-cell lymphomas. Rac1-GTP levels did not change in tissues from Rosa Vav1 mice expressing the transgenic Vav1, while ERK phosphorylation increased in the lymphomas, suggesting that signaling pathways are evoked. One of the growth factors analyzed by us as a suspect candidate to mediate paracrine stimulation in the lymphocytes was CSF-1, which was highly expressed in the epithelial compartment of Rosa Vav1 mice. The expression of its specific receptor, CSF-1R, was found to be highly expressed in the B-cell lymphomas. Taken together, our results suggest a potential cross-talk between epithelial cells expressing Vav1, that secrete CSF-1, and the lymphocytes that express CSF-1R, thus leading to the generation of B-cell lymphomas. Our findings provide a novel mechanism by which Vav1 contributes to tumor propagation.
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Krasnov GS, Ghukasyan LG, Abramov IS, Nasedkina TV. Determination of the Subclonal Tumor Structure in Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Acral Melanoma by Next-Generation Sequencing. Mol Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893321040051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Boudria R, Laurienté V, Oudar A, Harouna-Rachidi S, Dondi E, Le Roy C, Gardano L, Varin-Blank N, Guittat L. Regulatory interplay between Vav1, Syk and β-catenin occurs in lung cancer cells. Cell Signal 2021; 86:110079. [PMID: 34252536 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2021.110079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Vav1 exhibits two signal transducing properties as an adaptor protein and a regulator of cytoskeleton organization through its Guanine nucleotide Exchange Factor module. Although the expression of Vav1 is restricted to the hematopoietic lineage, its ectopic expression has been unraveled in a number of solid tumors. In this study, we show that in lung cancer cells, as such in hematopoietic cells, Vav1 interacts with the Spleen Tyrosine Kinase, Syk. Likewise, Syk interacts with β-catenin and, together with Vav1, regulates the phosphorylation status of β-catenin. Depletion of Vav1, Syk or β-catenin inhibits Rac1 activity and decreases cell migration suggesting the interplay of the three effectors to a common signaling pathway. This model is further supported by the finding that in turn, β-catenin regulates the transcription of Syk gene expression. This study highlights the elaborated connection between Vav1, Syk and β-catenin and the contribution of the trio to cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rofia Boudria
- INSERM, UMR 978, Bobigny, France; Labex Inflamex, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UFR SMBH, Bobigny, France
| | - Vanessa Laurienté
- INSERM, UMR 978, Bobigny, France; Labex Inflamex, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UFR SMBH, Bobigny, France
| | - Antonin Oudar
- INSERM, UMR 978, Bobigny, France; Labex Inflamex, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UFR SMBH, Bobigny, France
| | - Souleymane Harouna-Rachidi
- INSERM, UMR 978, Bobigny, France; Labex Inflamex, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UFR SMBH, Bobigny, France
| | - Elisabetta Dondi
- INSERM, UMR 978, Bobigny, France; Labex Inflamex, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UFR SMBH, Bobigny, France
| | - Christine Le Roy
- INSERM, UMR 978, Bobigny, France; Labex Inflamex, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UFR SMBH, Bobigny, France
| | - Laura Gardano
- INSERM, UMR 978, Bobigny, France; Labex Inflamex, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UFR SMBH, Bobigny, France
| | - Nadine Varin-Blank
- INSERM, UMR 978, Bobigny, France; Labex Inflamex, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UFR SMBH, Bobigny, France.
| | - Lionel Guittat
- INSERM, UMR 978, Bobigny, France; Labex Inflamex, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, UFR SMBH, Bobigny, France.
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Kent A, Longino NV, Christians A, Davila E. Naturally Occurring Genetic Alterations in Proximal TCR Signaling and Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:658611. [PMID: 34012443 PMCID: PMC8126620 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.658611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell-based immunotherapies including genetically engineered T cells, adoptive transfer of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and immune checkpoint blockade highlight the impressive anti-tumor effects of T cells. These successes have provided new hope to many cancer patients with otherwise poor prognoses. However, only a fraction of patients demonstrates durable responses to these forms of therapies and many develop significant immune-mediated toxicity. These heterogeneous clinical responses suggest that underlying nuances in T cell genetics, phenotypes, and activation states likely modulate the therapeutic impact of these approaches. To better characterize known genetic variations that may impact T cell function, we 1) review the function of early T cell receptor-specific signaling mediators, 2) offer a synopsis of known mutations and genetic alterations within the associated molecules, 3) discuss the link between these mutations and human disease and 4) review therapeutic strategies under development or in clinical testing that target each of these molecules for enhancing anti-tumor T cell activity. Finally, we discuss novel engineering approaches that could be designed based on our understanding of the function of these molecules in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Kent
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Initiative, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Natalie V. Longino
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Initiative, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Allison Christians
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Initiative, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Eduardo Davila
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Initiative, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
- University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
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Maldonado MDM, Medina JI, Velazquez L, Dharmawardhane S. Targeting Rac and Cdc42 GEFs in Metastatic Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:201. [PMID: 32322580 PMCID: PMC7156542 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Rho family GTPases Rho, Rac, and Cdc42 have emerged as key players in cancer metastasis, due to their essential roles in regulating cell division and actin cytoskeletal rearrangements; and thus, cell growth, migration/invasion, polarity, and adhesion. This review will focus on the close homologs Rac and Cdc42, which have been established as drivers of metastasis and therapy resistance in multiple cancer types. Rac and Cdc42 are often dysregulated in cancer due to hyperactivation by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), belonging to both the diffuse B-cell lymphoma (Dbl) and dedicator of cytokinesis (DOCK) families. Rac/Cdc42 GEFs are activated by a myriad of oncogenic cell surface receptors, such as growth factor receptors, G-protein coupled receptors, cytokine receptors, and integrins; consequently, a number of Rac/Cdc42 GEFs have been implicated in metastatic cancer. Hence, inhibiting GEF-mediated Rac/Cdc42 activation represents a promising strategy for targeted metastatic cancer therapy. Herein, we focus on the role of oncogenic Rac/Cdc42 GEFs and discuss the recent advancements in the development of Rac and Cdc42 GEF-interacting inhibitors as targeted therapy for metastatic cancer, as well as their potential for overcoming cancer therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Del Mar Maldonado
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Julia Isabel Medina
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Luis Velazquez
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Suranganie Dharmawardhane
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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Bokhari Y, Alhareeri A, Arodz T. QuaDMutNetEx: a method for detecting cancer driver genes with low mutation frequency. BMC Bioinformatics 2020; 21:122. [PMID: 32293263 PMCID: PMC7092414 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-020-3449-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer is caused by genetic mutations, but not all somatic mutations in human DNA drive the emergence or growth of cancers. While many frequently-mutated cancer driver genes have already been identified and are being utilized for diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic purposes, identifying driver genes that harbor mutations occurring with low frequency in human cancers is an ongoing endeavor. Typically, mutations that do not confer growth advantage to tumors - passenger mutations - dominate the mutation landscape of tumor cell genome, making identification of low-frequency driver mutations a challenge. The leading approach for discovering new putative driver genes involves analyzing patterns of mutations in large cohorts of patients and using statistical methods to discriminate driver from passenger mutations. RESULTS We propose a novel cancer driver gene detection method, QuaDMutNetEx. QuaDMutNetEx discovers cancer drivers with low mutation frequency by giving preference to genes encoding proteins that are connected in human protein-protein interaction networks, and that at the same time show low deviation from the mutual exclusivity pattern that characterizes driver mutations occurring in the same pathway or functional gene group across a cohort of cancer samples. CONCLUSIONS Evaluation of QuaDMutNetEx on four different tumor sample datasets show that the proposed method finds biologically-connected sets of low-frequency driver genes, including many genes that are not found if the network connectivity information is not considered. Improved quality and interpretability of the discovered putative driver gene sets compared to existing methods shows that QuaDMutNetEx is a valuable new tool for detecting driver genes. QuaDMutNetEx is available for download from https://github.com/bokhariy/QuaDMutNetExunder the GNU GPLv3 license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahya Bokhari
- Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 W. Main St., Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Areej Alhareeri
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tomasz Arodz
- Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 W. Main St., Richmond, VA 23284, USA.
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Cooke M, Baker MJ, Kazanietz MG. Rac-GEF/Rac Signaling and Metastatic Dissemination in Lung Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:118. [PMID: 32158759 PMCID: PMC7051914 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) representing ∼85% of new diagnoses. The disease is often detected in an advanced metastatic stage, with poor prognosis and clinical outcome. In order to escape from the primary tumor, cancer cells acquire highly motile and invasive phenotypes that involve the dynamic reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. These processes are tightly regulated by Rac1, a small G-protein that participates in the formation of actin-rich membrane protrusions required for cancer cell motility and for the secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM)-degrading proteases. In this perspective article we focus on the mechanisms leading to aberrant Rac1 signaling in NSCLC progression and metastasis, highlighting the role of Rac Guanine nucleotide Exchange Factors (GEFs). A plausible scenario is that specific Rac-GEFs activate discrete intracellular pools of Rac1, leading to unique functional responses in the context of specific oncogenic drivers, such as mutant EGFR or mutant KRAS. The identification of dysregulated Rac signaling regulators may serve to predict critical biomarkers for metastatic disease in lung cancer patients, ultimately aiding in refining patient prognosis and decision-making in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Cooke
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Marcelo G. Kazanietz
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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12
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Vav1 mutations: What makes them oncogenic? Cell Signal 2020; 65:109438. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2019.109438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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RAC1 Takes the Lead in Solid Tumors. Cells 2019; 8:cells8050382. [PMID: 31027363 PMCID: PMC6562738 DOI: 10.3390/cells8050382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Three GTPases, RAC, RHO, and Cdc42, play essential roles in coordinating many cellular functions during embryonic development, both in healthy cells and in disease conditions like cancers. We have presented patterns of distribution of the frequency of RAC1-alteration(s) in cancers as obtained from cBioPortal. With this background data, we have interrogated the various functions of RAC1 in tumors, including proliferation, metastasis-associated phenotypes, and drug-resistance with a special emphasis on solid tumors in adults. We have reviewed the activation and regulation of RAC1 functions on the basis of its sub-cellular localization in tumor cells. Our review focuses on the role of RAC1 in cancers and summarizes the regulatory mechanisms, inhibitory efficacy, and the anticancer potential of RAC1-PAK targeting agents.
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14
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Sato M. Specific copy number changes as potential predictive markers for adjuvant chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2019; 7:S346-S348. [PMID: 30705851 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr.2018.11.04] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuo Sato
- Department of Pathophysiological Laboratory Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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