RAS Dimers: The Novice Couple at the RAS-ERK Pathway Ball
Ana Herrero, Piero Crespo
Abstract
Signals conveyed through the RAS-ERK pathway constitute a pivotal regulatory element in cancer-related cellular processes. Recently, RAS dimerization has been proposed as a key step in the relay of RAS signals, critically contributing to RAF activation. RAS clustering at plasma membrane microdomains and endomembranes facilitates RAS dimerization in response to stimulation, promoting RAF dimerization and subsequent activation. Remarkably, inhibiting RAS dimerization forestalls tumorigenesis in cellular and animal models. Thus, the pharmacological disruption of RAS dimers has emerged as an additional target for cancer researchers in the quest for a means to curtail aberrant RAS activity.
Topics & Concepts
Anti-apoptotic Ras signalling cascadeMAPK/ERK pathwayCarcinogenesisCell biologySignal transductionChemistryBiologyCancer researchCancerGeneticsProtein Kinase Regulation and GTPase SignalingReceptor Mechanisms and SignalingCell Adhesion Molecules Research