title: Rho GTPases: Regulation and roles in cancer cell biology.
abstract: Rho GTPases are well known for their roles in regulating cell migration, and also contribute to a variety of other cellular responses. They are subdivided into 2 groups: typical and atypical. The typical Rho family members, including RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42, cycle between an active GTP-bound and inactive GDP-bound conformation, and are regulated by GEFs, GAPs and GDIs, whereas atypical Rho family members have amino acid substitutions that alter their ability to interact with GTP/GDP and hence are regulated by different mechanisms. Both typical and atypical Rho GTPases contribute to cancer progression. In a few cancers, RhoA or Rac1 are mutated, but in most cancers expression levels and/or activity of Rho GTPases is altered. Rho GTPase signaling could therefore be therapeutically targeted in cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: a Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Raquel B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Haga
authors.affiliation: a Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Anne J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ridley
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins
keywords: Rho GTPases; cancer progression; cell migration; signal transduction