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Updated: Oct 10, 2025

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods
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Published on: July 17, 2019

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Rho-Kinase as a Target for Cancer Therapy and Its Immunotherapeutic Potential

Seohyun Kim1,2, Seong A Kim1,2, Jihoon Han1,2

  • 1KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|December 10, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Cancer immunotherapy utilizes the immune system to combat cancer. This review explores how Rho-kinase (ROCK) pathway modulation impacts cancer progression and immune cells, highlighting its potential in novel cancer immunotherapy strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology and Immunology

Background:

  • Cancer immunotherapy is a rapidly advancing cancer treatment modality.
  • The Rho-kinase (ROCK) pathway plays a role in cellular activities relevant to cancer, including tumor progression, migration, and metastasis.
  • ROCK's influence on the tumor microenvironment and extracellular matrix remodeling is established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted roles of the ROCK pathway in cancer.
  • To elucidate the potential of targeting the ROCK pathway in cancer immunotherapy.
  • To highlight ROCK's emerging functions as a modulator of immune cells.

Main Methods:

  • This study is a review article.
  • It synthesizes existing research on the ROCK pathway in cancer and immunology.
  • Literature search and analysis were performed.

Main Results:

  • The ROCK pathway is implicated in enhancing tumor cell progression, migration, and metastasis.
  • ROCK influences extracellular matrix remodeling within the tumor microenvironment.
  • ROCK is identified as a potential modulator of immune cell function.

Conclusions:

  • The ROCK pathway presents a promising target for cancer treatment, particularly in immunotherapy.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand ROCK's role in immune cell modulation for therapeutic applications.
  • Targeting ROCK may offer novel strategies to enhance anti-cancer immune responses.
Keywords:
ROCK inhibitorsRho-kinase (ROCK)cancer immunotherapytumor microenvironment (TME)

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