Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Detection of Small GTPase Prenylation and GTP Binding Using Membrane Fractionation and GTPase-linked Immunosorbent Assay
13:51

Detection of Small GTPase Prenylation and GTP Binding Using Membrane Fractionation and GTPase-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Published on: November 11, 2018

10.4K

Targeting Rac and Cdc42 GTPases in Cancer

María Del Mar Maldonado1, Suranganie Dharmawardhane2

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Cancer Research
|June 3, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Rac (Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate) and Cdc42 (cell division control protein 42) are key small GTPases in cancer. Targeting these proteins offers a promising strategy for precise cancer therapy and overcoming treatment resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • Rac and Cdc42 are small GTPases frequently dysregulated in human cancers.
  • They play critical roles in cancer progression, including epithelial to mesenchymal transition, migration, invasion, and tumor growth.
  • While not typically mutated, Rac and Cdc42 are often overexpressed or hyperactivated through oncogenic signaling pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of Rac and Cdc42 in various human cancers.
  • To summarize the regulatory mechanisms governing Rac and Cdc42 activity.
  • To discuss the anticancer potential and inhibitory efficacy of agents targeting Rac and Cdc42.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on Rac and Cdc42 in cancer.
  • Analysis of signaling pathways involving Rac and Cdc42 activation.
  • Evaluation of therapeutic strategies targeting Rac and Cdc42.

Main Results:

  • Rac and Cdc42 are implicated in multiple hallmarks of cancer.
  • Hyperactivation occurs via signaling through oncogenic cell surface receptors and guanine nucleotide exchange factors.
  • Targeting Rac and Cdc42 shows promise for precise cancer therapy and overcoming resistance to other treatments.

Conclusions:

  • Rac and Cdc42 are pivotal signaling intermediates in cancer development and progression.
  • Understanding their regulatory mechanisms is crucial for developing effective inhibitors.
  • Targeting Rac and Cdc42 represents a viable therapeutic strategy in oncology.

More Related Videos

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays10:37

Comparing the Affinity of GTPase-binding Proteins using Competition Assays

Published on: October 8, 2015

9.7K
Detection of Targetable Alterations in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer using Next-generation Sequencing05:17

Detection of Targetable Alterations in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer using Next-generation Sequencing

Published on: October 10, 2025

421

Related Concept Videos

GTPases and their Regulation02:14

GTPases and their Regulation

Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins), also known as GTPases, are a superfamily of proteins that regulate many cellular processes, such as cell signaling, vesicular transport, and the regulation of cell shape and motility. Mutation or dysfunction of these proteins can lead to disease. There are around 40,000 known G-proteins that can broadly be classified into two groups ‒  small G-proteins consisting of a single domain and large multi-domain G-proteins.
Large G-proteins,...
9.9K
GTPases and their Regulation02:14

GTPases and their Regulation

3.0K
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
9.0K
Coat Assembly and GTPases01:33

Coat Assembly and GTPases

Vesicles incorporate different coat protein subunits in different cell locations, which changes the properties of the coat, such as the shape and geometry of the transport vesicles. Thus, vesicle coat proteins also play a significant role in cargo selection.
Coat assembly depends on the local availability of phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs and GTP-binding proteins. Adaptor proteins, which link the coat proteins to the membrane, bind to these PIPs and play a crucial role in controlling...
4.5K
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
Cancer02:18

Cancer

Cancers arise due to mutations in genes involved in the regulation of cell division, which leads to unrestricted cell proliferation. Modern science and medicine have made great strides in the understanding and treatment of cancer, including eradicating cancer in some patients. However, there is still no cure for cancer. This is largely due to the fact that cancer is a large group of many diseases.
54.4K