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Updated: Jun 8, 2026

RhoC GTPase Activation Assay
Published on: August 22, 2010
An essential role for Ran GTPase in epithelial ovarian cancer cell survival
Véronique Barrès1, Véronique Ouellet, Julie Lafontaine
1Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal/Institut du cancer de Montréal,1560 Sherbrooke Est, Montreal H2L 4M1, Canada.
Background:
We previously identified that Ran protein, a member of the Ras GTPase family, is highly expressed in high grade and high stage serous epithelial ovarian cancers, and that its overexpression is associated with a poor prognosis. Ran is known to contribute to both nucleocytoplasmic transport and cell cycle progression, but its role in ovarian cancer is not well defined.
Results:
Using a lentivirus-based tetracycline-inducible shRNA approach, we show that downregulation of Ran expression in aggressive ovarian cancer cell lines affects cellular proliferation by inducing a caspase-3 associated apoptosis. Using a xenograft tumor assay, we demonstrate that depletion of Ran results in decreased tumorigenesis, and eventual tumor formation is associated with tumor cells that express Ran protein.
Conclusion:
Our results suggest a role for Ran in ovarian cancer cell survival and tumorigenicity and suggest that this critical GTPase may be suitable as a therapeutic target.
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