Ras superfamily GEFs and GAPs: validated and tractable targets for cancer therapy?

D Vigil, J Cherfils, KL Rossman, CJ Der - Nature Reviews Cancer, 2010 - nature.com
D Vigil, J Cherfils, KL Rossman, CJ Der
Nature Reviews Cancer, 2010nature.com
There is now considerable and increasing evidence for a causal role for aberrant activity of
the Ras superfamily of small GTPases in human cancers. These GTPases function as GDP–
GTP-regulated binary switches that control many fundamental cellular processes. A common
mechanism of GTPase deregulation in cancer is the deregulated expression and/or activity
of their regulatory proteins, guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that promote
formation of the active GTP-bound state and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) that return …
Abstract
There is now considerable and increasing evidence for a causal role for aberrant activity of the Ras superfamily of small GTPases in human cancers. These GTPases function as GDP–GTP-regulated binary switches that control many fundamental cellular processes. A common mechanism of GTPase deregulation in cancer is the deregulated expression and/or activity of their regulatory proteins, guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that promote formation of the active GTP-bound state and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) that return the GTPase to its GDP-bound inactive state. In this Review, we assess the association of GEFs and GAPs with cancer and their druggability for cancer therapeutics.
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