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The Crossroads between RAS and RHO Signaling Pathways in Cellular Transformation, Motility and Contraction.

ABSTRACT: Ras and Rho proteins are GTP-regulated molecular switches that control multiple signaling pathways in eukaryotic cells. Ras was among the first identified oncogenes, and it appears mutated in many forms of human cancer. It mainly promotes proliferation and survival through the MAPK pathway and the PI3K/AKT pathways, respectively. However, the myriad proteins close to the plasma membrane that activate or inhibit Ras make it a major regulator of many apparently unrelated pathways. On the other hand, Rho is weakly oncogenic by itself, but it critically regulates microfilament dynamics; that is, actin polymerization, disassembly and contraction. Polymerization is driven mainly by the Arp2/3 complex and formins, whereas contraction depends on myosin mini-filament assembly and activity. These two pathways intersect at numerous points: from Ras-dependent triggering of Rho activators, some of which act through PI3K, to mechanical feedback driven by actomyosin action. Here, we describe the main points of connection between the Ras and Rho pathways as they coordinately drive oncogenic transformation. We emphasize the biochemical crosstalk that drives actomyosin contraction driven by Ras in a Rho-dependent manner. We also describe possible routes of mechanical feedback through which myosin II activation may control Ras/Rho activation.

SUBMITTER: Soriano O

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8229961 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:IntroductionTyrosine phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pStat3) is present in numerous cancers and is required for mediating tumorigenesis. Autocrine and paracrine interleukin (IL)-6 signaling is the principal mechanism by which Stat3 is persistently phosphorylated in epithelial tumors including breast, lung, colon and gastric cancer. The Ras oncogene mediates cellular transformation without evidence of pStat3 in cultured cells. Recently, however non-tyrosine phosphorylated Stat3 was shown to have a transcriptional activating function, a role in mitochondrial function and to mediate cell migration.. Here we examined the role of Stat3 in Ras mediated transformation.MethodsHa-rasV12 transformed mammary epithelial cells (MCF10A) cells were transduced with a Stat3shRNA, IL-6shRNA and/or treated with inhibitors of Janus kinases (JAKs) to examine the role of the IL-6 signaling pathway in Ras mediated invasion and tumorigenesis.ResultsCellular migration, invasion, anchorage independent growth and tumorigenesis were largely abrogated in the Stat3-reduced cells compared to control cells. Analysis of MCF10A-Ras tumors revealed high levels of pStat3 and interleukin-6. Tumors derived from transgenic MMTV-K-Ras mice were also found to express pStat3 and IL-6. MCF10A-Ras cells, when grown in a three-dimensional Matrigel culture system revealed the appearance of the junctional protein E-Cadherin as a consequence of reducing Stat3 levels or inhibiting Stat3 activity. Decreasing IL-6 levels in the MCF10A-Ras cells abrogated tumorigenesis and reduced cell migration. By isolating Ras-expressing primary tumors and serially passaging these cells in two-dimensional culture led to a decrease in IL-6 and pStat3 levels with the reappearance of E-Cadherin.ConclusionsThe cellular and environmental context can lead to differential IL-6/pStat3 signaling and a dependency on this cytokine and transcription factor for migration, invasion and tumorigenesis.

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The Crossroads between RAS and RHO Signaling Pathways in Cellular Transformation, Motility and Contraction.

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