Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 26, 2026

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods
07:49

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods

Published on: July 17, 2019

The role of Raf kinases in malignant transformation

Walter Kolch1, Ashwin Kotwaliwale, Keith Vass

  • 1Institute for Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK. wkolch@beatson.gla.ac.uk

Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine
|February 28, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Raf kinases are key regulators of the MAPK/ERK pathway, which drives cancer development. This review covers their role in tumorogenesis and potential therapeutic strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • Raf kinases initiate the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway.
  • This pathway is crucial for cell growth, survival, and is implicated in cancer progression.
  • Hyperactivation of the MAPK/ERK pathway is observed in 30% of human tumors, including common cancers like colon and lung.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the molecular mechanisms of Raf kinase in tumorogenesis.
  • To explore therapeutic intervention opportunities targeting the Raf-MAPK/ERK pathway.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of scientific articles on Raf kinases and the MAPK/ERK pathway.
  • Analysis of the role of Raf kinase in cancer hallmarks.
  • Examination of current and potential therapeutic strategies.

Main Results:

  • The MAPK/ERK pathway controls key cancer hallmarks: immortalization, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and apoptosis evasion.
  • Raf kinases are central to this pathway's oncogenic function.
  • The pathway's dysregulation presents significant therapeutic targets.

Conclusions:

  • Raf kinases play a critical role in cancer development by regulating the MAPK/ERK pathway.
  • Understanding these mechanisms offers promising avenues for targeted cancer therapies.
  • Targeting Raf kinases or downstream effectors holds potential for treating various human cancers.

More Related Videos

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants07:38

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants

Published on: June 6, 2025

Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET)-Based Assay for Measuring Interactions of CRAF with 14-3-3 Proteins in Live Cells06:44

Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET)-Based Assay for Measuring Interactions of CRAF with 14-3-3 Proteins in Live Cells

Published on: March 1, 2024

Related Concept Videos

MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a superfamily...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...
Small GTPases - Ras and Rho01:24

Small GTPases - Ras and Rho

Ras and Rho are small monomeric GTPases that act downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and regulate various cellular processes. These GTPases switch between active and inactive states by binding to guanine nucleotides.
Three regulatory proteins control their activity: