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Updated: Nov 30, 2025

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

6.3K

Emerging BRAF Mutations in Cancer Progression and Their Possible Effects on Transcriptional Networks

Magdalena Śmiech1, Paweł Leszczyński1, Hidetoshi Kono2

  • 1Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Laboratory for Genome Editing and Transcriptional, Regulation, Polish Academy of Sciences, 05-552 Jastrzębiec, Poland.

Genes
|November 17, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Gene mutations in the B-raf proto-oncogene (BRAF) drive cancer by altering cell signaling. This review covers how common and new BRAF mutations, like V600E, impact cancer development and gene regulation.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Gene mutations are key drivers of cellular alteration and malignant transformation.
  • The B-raf proto-oncogene (BRAF) is frequently mutated in various cancers.
  • BRAF protein is integral to the MAPK/ERK pathway, regulating cell growth and proliferation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the influence of diverse BRAF mutations in cancer development.
  • To highlight the role of both common (Class I, e.g., V600E) and emerging (Class II, III) BRAF mutations.
  • To discuss aberrant transcriptional gene regulation associated with BRAF mutations.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on BRAF mutations and cancer.
  • Analysis of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway's role in cancer.
  • Examination of transcriptional changes induced by BRAF mutations.

Main Results:

  • The BRAF V600E mutation (Class I) leads to constitutive MAPK/ERK pathway activation, enhancing cell proliferation and invasion.
  • Class II and III BRAF mutations are increasingly recognized for their significant role in oncogenesis.
  • BRAF mutations are associated with various cancers, including melanoma and colorectal cancer.
  • Aberrant transcriptional gene regulation is a key consequence of BRAF mutations in affected tissues.

Conclusions:

  • BRAF mutations, including V600E and newer classes, are critical in cancer development.
  • Understanding these mutations is vital for targeted cancer therapies.
  • BRAF's impact extends to transcriptional regulation, offering further avenues for therapeutic intervention.
Keywords:
BRAFMAPK/ERKcancermutationsoncogenetranscription factors

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