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Updated: Nov 9, 2025

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Over-expressed RHEB promotes the progression of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Juan Tan1, Waner Liu2, Jie Li3

  • 1Department of Pathology, the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.

Life Sciences
|April 8, 2021
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Ras homolog enriched in brain (RHEB) is overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PAAD), promoting cancer progression. Targeting RHEB may offer a new therapeutic strategy for PAAD patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Bioinformatics

Background:

  • Mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is crucial in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PAAD) progression.
  • The specific role of Ras homolog enriched in brain (RHEB), an mTORC1 activator, in PAAD remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the function of RHEB in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PAAD).
  • To investigate RHEB as a potential therapeutic target in PAAD.

Main Methods:

  • Pan-cancer analysis using public databases.
  • Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for RHEB expression validation.
  • In vitro experiments to assess RHEB's functional role.
  • Bioinformatic analysis to construct a prognostic signature.

Main Results:

  • RHEB is significantly overexpressed in PAAD, correlating with poor prognosis.
  • RHEB promotes pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.
  • RHEB is implicated in cell cycle progression and WNT signaling.
  • A RHEB-based prognostic signature predicts shorter overall survival in PAAD patients.

Conclusions:

  • RHEB is upregulated in PAAD and contributes to disease progression.
  • RHEB represents a potential therapeutic target for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Keywords:
Cell proliferationPancreatic cancerPrognostic signatureRHEBmTOR

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