title: Inhibition of RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway promotes the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ras homologue A (RhoA) plays a crucial role in the proliferation, apoptosis,adhesion and migration of gastric cancer cells. Rho associated kinase (ROCK) is an effector protein of RhoA.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, RhoA activity was inhibited by siRNA targeting RhoA andY-27632, an inhibitor of ROCK, and the role of RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway in the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RNAi of RhoA inhibited the survival and promoted the apoptotic of AGS cells. RhoA RNAi caused an obvious decrease of ROCK1 expression but an increase of caspase-3/cleaved-caspase-8. Inhibition of ROCK by Y-27632 inhibited the activity of RhoA and promoted the apoptosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We speculate that RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway plays an important role in the regulation of apoptosis of gastric cancer, and to inhibit this pathway may promote the apoptosis of cancer cells. Thus, inhibition of RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway may become a novel target in the treatment of gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Tao
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Qi-Bin
authors.initials: QB
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Ze-Zhang
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Tao
mesh_terms: D000577:Amides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D034622:RNA Interference; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011725:Pyridines; C066737:RHOA protein, human; C108830:Y 27632; C515851:ROCK1 protein, human; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505530:CASP8 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein