Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Invasive Behavior of Human Breast Cancer Cells in Embryonic Zebrafish
09:22

Invasive Behavior of Human Breast Cancer Cells in Embryonic Zebrafish

Published on: April 25, 2017

17.5K

Ras-related protein Rap2c promotes the migration and invasion of human osteosarcoma cells

Jinxia Wu1, Wenqi Du2, Xiucun Wang3

  • 1Department of Physiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, P.R. China.

Oncology Letters
|March 20, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Ras-related protein (Rap)2c promotes osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion by increasing matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) activity. This study reveals Rap2c

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Ras-related proteins (Rap)2a and Rap2b are GTP-binding proteins involved in tumor progression.
  • The role of Rap2c in cancer cell functions, particularly osteosarcoma, remains largely uninvestigated.
  • Osteosarcoma's high invasiveness presents a significant challenge in cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the biological role of Rap2c in human osteosarcoma cells.
  • To elucidate the underlying mechanism of Rap2c's influence on osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion.

Main Methods:

  • Overexpression and knockdown of Rap2c in human osteosarcoma cell lines.
  • Assessment of cell migration and invasion capabilities.
  • Enzyme activity assays for matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2).
  • Western blot analysis to evaluate protein levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 and phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt).

Main Results:

  • Rap2c overexpression significantly enhanced osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion.
  • Increased Rap2c levels correlated with elevated MMP2 activity.
  • Rap2c knockdown inhibited tumor cell migration and invasion.
  • Rap2c alterations did not affect osteosarcoma cell proliferation or apoptosis rates.
  • Rap2c overexpression led to decreased tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 and increased Akt phosphorylation.

Conclusions:

  • Rap2c plays a crucial role in promoting osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion.
  • The Akt signaling pathway is implicated in Rap2c-induced MMP2 expression and subsequent tumor cell invasiveness.
Keywords:
Ras-related protein Rap2cinvasionmatrix metalloproteinase-2migrationosteosarcoma cell

More Related Videos

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays09:55

In vitro Cell Migration and Invasion Assays

Published on: June 1, 2014

141.4K
Establishment of Cancer Stem Cell Cultures from Human Conventional Osteosarcoma09:25

Establishment of Cancer Stem Cell Cultures from Human Conventional Osteosarcoma

Published on: October 14, 2016

19.7K

Related Concept Videos

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...
7.4K
Cell Migration01:19

Cell Migration

Cell migration is a process by which the cells move from one location to another, playing an essential role in embryological development, repair and regeneration, immune response, and metastasis. Cells migrate in response to chemical or mechanical signals generated by specific organs or tissues. The overall mechanism includes three steps - polarization, protrusion, and release. Polarization involves the formation of a distinct cell front and rear, which determines the direction of movement.
6.7K
Cell Migration01:09

Cell Migration

Cell migration, the process by which cells move from one location to another, is essential for the proper development and viability of organisms throughout their life. When cells are not able to migrate properly to their ordained locations, various disorders may occur. For example, disruption in cell migration causes chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
18.9K
The Eukaryotic Promoter Region02:40

The Eukaryotic Promoter Region

The eukaryotic promoter region is a segment of DNA located upstream of a gene. It contains an RNA polymerase binding site, a transcription start site, and several cis-regulatory sequences.  The proximal promoter region is located in the vicinity of the gene and has cis-regulatory sequences and the core promoter. The core promoter is the binding site for RNA polymerase and is usually located between -35 and +35 nucleotides from the transcription start site. The distal promoter regions are...
19.0K
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:
5.5K
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia01:35

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia

Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However,...
3.3K