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Updated: Jun 12, 2025

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods
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Elucidating Ras protein as a dual therapeutic target for inflammation and cancer: a review

Parmar Keshri Nandan1, Jayanthi Sivaraman2

  • 1School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India.

Discover Oncology
|June 7, 2025
PubMed

Insights

This review highlights the Ras protein's crucial role in cancer development and inflammation. It explores Ras signaling, its impact on immunity, and emerging therapeutic strategies targeting Ras mutations in cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Cancer arises from unregulated inflammation and gene mutations, with Ras oncogenes frequently mutated.
  • Oncogenic Ras mutants promote tumorigenesis, independent of tumor suppressor loss, via inflammatory pathways.
  • Ras proteins are membrane-bound GTPases activated by extracellular signals, driving aberrant downstream signaling in cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the significance of Ras protein in cancer and inflammation.
  • To elucidate Ras protein activation pathways, its role in immunity, and downstream regulators.
  • To explore epigenetic regulation of Ras and identify Ras gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in various cancers.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of Ras protein signaling, immunity, and inflammation.
  • Database search using the Database of Cancer Mutant Protein Domains (DCMP) for Ras gene SNPs.
  • Analysis of epigenetic regulation and inhibitors targeting Ras downstream pathways.

Main Results:

  • Ras protein activation involves a signaling pathway converting it from inactive to active form.
  • Oncogenic Ras mutants are continuously active in cancer, promoting tumorigenesis.
  • Database search identified SNPs in the Ras gene across different cancer types.

Conclusions:

  • Ras protein is a key player in cancer and inflammation, making it a significant therapeutic target.
  • Understanding Ras signaling, regulation, and mutations is crucial for developing novel cancer treatments.
  • Emerging strategies focus on targeting Ras protein and its associated pathways for cancer therapy.
Keywords:
ApoptosisCytokinesGTPasesMalignanciesMutation

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