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Updated: Dec 15, 2025

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods
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The effects of mutant Ras proteins on the cell signalome

Tamás Takács1, Gyöngyi Kudlik1, Anita Kurilla1

  • 1Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.

Cancer Metastasis Reviews
|July 11, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Mutant Ras proteins drive cancer progression by dysregulating key signaling pathways. This review details Ras-controlled routes, including RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and their roles in cancer stem cells.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • Genetic alterations in cancer cells are linked to signaling pathway dysregulation.
  • Ras proteins are key regulators of tumorigenesis, and mutations often intensify signaling networks, fueling cancer progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent studies on mutant Ras-regulated signaling routes and their cross-talk.
  • To highlight the importance of Ras regulation in various signaling pathways and cancer stem cells.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on Ras signaling in cancer.
  • Analysis of Ras-driven pathways, including RAF/MEK/ERK, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, RAC/PAK, RalGDS/Ral, and PKC/PLC.
  • Discussion of microRNA-regulated Ras pathways and Ras signaling in cancer stem cells.

Main Results:

  • Mutant Ras intensifies multiple signaling networks, including RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways.
  • Emerging data show Ras involvement in RAC/PAK, RalGDS/Ral, and PKC/PLC signaling.
  • Ras regulation by microRNAs and its role in cancer stem cells are crucial for cancer development.

Conclusions:

  • Ras signaling pathways are critical in cancer progression and represent potential therapeutic targets.
  • Understanding Ras cross-talk and its role in cancer stem cells is vital for developing effective cancer treatments.
Keywords:
Mutant Ras proteinPhosphorylationSignal transductionTumorigenesis

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