Sun Di, Xu Duo, Zhang Baolin
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
Drug Resist Updat. 2006 Dec;9(6):274-87. doi: 10.1016/j.drup.2006.12.001. Epub 2007 Jan 17.
Rac GTPases are crucial signaling regulators in eukaryotic cells, acting downstream of many cell surface receptors. They play essential roles in diverse cellular functions including cytoskeleton dynamics, cell motility, cell survival and apoptosis. Their activities are controlled by a tightly regulated GDP/GTP cycle coupled with an alternation between cytoplasm and membrane compartments. Aberrant Rac signaling is found in some human cancers as a result of changes in the GTPase itself or in its regulation loops. This review highlights recent findings regarding the molecular and functional aspects of Rac that mediate tumorigenic transformation and metastasis. It also describes the cellular mechanisms that potentially explain the complex role of Rac in tumorigenesis. Finally, it discusses approaches for modulating Rac function as a potential anticancer strategy.
Rac小GTP酶是真核细胞中至关重要的信号调节因子，作用于许多细胞表面受体的下游。它们在多种细胞功能中发挥着重要作用，包括细胞骨架动力学、细胞运动、细胞存活和凋亡。它们的活性由严格调控的GDP/GTP循环以及细胞质和膜区室之间的交替所控制。由于GTP酶本身或其调节环的变化，在一些人类癌症中发现了异常的Rac信号。本综述重点介绍了关于Rac介导肿瘤发生转化和转移的分子和功能方面的最新发现。它还描述了可能解释Rac在肿瘤发生中复杂作用的细胞机制。最后，它讨论了调节Rac功能作为一种潜在抗癌策略的方法。
