Rho GTPases: potential candidates for anticancer therapy.
Low molecular weight Rho GTPases are proteins that, in response to diverse stimuli, control key cellular processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, lipid metabolism, cytoarchitecture, adhesion, migration, cell polarity, and transcriptional regulation. The high incidence of overexpression of some members of the Rho family of GTPases in human tumors suggests that these proteins are important in the carcinogenic process, and therefore potential candidates for a therapeutic intervention. In recent years, the characterization of downstream effectors to Rho GTPases has increased our understanding of the general cellular effects that permit aberrant proliferation and motility of tumor cells. In addition, several transcription factors have been identified to play important roles at various levels of Rho-induced tumorigenesis. Accordingly, drugs that specifically alter Rho signaling display antineoplastic properties both at the level of tumor growth and tumor metastasis. In this review, a brief summary of the progress made in understanding the biological functions elicited by Rho GTPases that contribute to tumor biology will be made. In addition, a description of new drugs available targeted to specific elements of Rho signaling with antineoplastic or antimetastatic activity is included.
Aznar
Salvador
S
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Cancer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, CSIC, Arturo Duperier 4, Madrid 28029, Spain.
Fernández-Valerón
Pilar
P
Espina
Carolina
C
Lacal
Juan Carlos
JC
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins