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Actin' up: RhoB in cancer and apoptosis

Nature Reviews Cancer volume 1, pages 162–168 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

RhoB is a small GTPase that regulates actin organization and vesicle transport. It is required for signalling apoptosis in transformed cells that are exposed to farnesyltransferase inhibitors, DNA-damaging agents or taxol. Genetic analysis in mice indicates that RhoB is dispensable for normal cell physiology, but that it has a suppressor or negative modifier function in stress-associated processes, including cancer.

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Figure 1: How FTIs affect RhoB versus Ras proteins.
Figure 2: RhoB is needed for apoptosis of transformed cells after DNA damage.
Figure 3: Potential RhoB death effector pathways.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The DuPont Pharmaceuticals Company, Glenolden Laboratory, Glenolden, 19004, Pennsylvania, USA

    George C. Prendergast

  2. The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, 19104, Pennsylvania, USA

    George C. Prendergast

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  1. George C. Prendergast
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DATABASES

CancerNet:

breast carcinoma

melanoma

ovarian carcinoma

pancreatic carcinoma

prostate cancer

 Genbank:

adenovirus E1A

 LocusLink:

actin

Akt

ATF2

Cdc42

GGT-I

IκB

integrins

mDia1

mDia2

NF-κB

p53

Pdk1

Prk1

Prk2

Ras

RhoA

RhoB

RhoB

RhoC

topoisomerase

 Medscape DrugInfo:

doxorubicin

taxol

Glossary

AKT

Also known as protein kinase B. This is a serine/threonine protein kinase activated by the phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase pathway that activates survival responses.

ANAPHASE-PROMOTING COMPLEX

(APC). This complex triggers chromosome separation at the end of metaphase in mitosis. It is inactivated by checkpoint pathways that are triggered by damage to the mitotic spindle or by kinetochore problems that cause chromosomes to be released from the spindle.

MOUSE EMBRYO FIBROBLASTS

(MEFs). These cells are widely used to characterize the gross effects of gene deletion because they can be readily cultured from mice, including knockout mice that do not survive to term.

NF-κB

A heterodimeric transcription factor that is regulated by a variety of extracellular stimuli, including many that regulate cell survival.

TAXOL

A chemotherapeutic agent that kills cancer cells in mitosis by stabilizing microtubules.

TRANSFORMATION

The processes through which normal cells acquire malignant character.

XENOGRAFT ASSAY

A tumour-formation assay in which heterologous tumour cells are grown in an immunologically compromised mouse, or other animal, often under the skin.

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Prendergast, G. Actin' up: RhoB in cancer and apoptosis. Nat Rev Cancer 1, 162–168 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35101096

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