• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.202-207
• /
• 2010

Ras genes are responsible for up to 30% of human tumor mutations and are composed of three isoforms: H-Ras, K-Ras and N-Ras. The post-translational modification of the CAAX motif of the Ras protein is essential in Ras actions. In the present study, we studied the effects of novel farnesyl transferase inhibitors (FTIs), YH3938 and YH3945, on the actions of oncogenic mutants of H-Ras, K-Ras and N-Ras. YH3938 and YH3945 completely reverted the proliferation and morphology of oncogenic H-Ras-transformed Rat2 cells, but not of oncogenic K-Ras-transformed Rat2 cells. Oncogenic N-Ras-transformed Rat2 cells were slightly affected. Activation of SRE promoters by oncogenic H-Ras and N-Ras, but not by K-Ras, were inhibited by treatment with YH3938 and YH3945. Using bandshift analysis, YH3938 suppressed the processing of oncogenic H-Ras and N-Ras, but not that of oncogenic K-Ras protein. YH3945 only inhibited the processing of H-Ras. From these results, we conclude that YH3938 and YH3945 specifically inhibit actions of oncogenic H-Ras through inhibition of its farnesylation, that YH3938 also inhibits N-Ras activity in a dose-dependent manner, and that these drugs have no effect on oncogenic K-Ras activity.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.196-202
• /
• 1999

The existence of the Ras-independent signal transduction pathway of insulin leading to DNA synthesis was investigated in Rat-1 fibroblasts overexpressing human insulin receptor (HIRc-B) using the single-cell microinjection technique. Microinjection of a dominant-negative mutant $Ras^{N17}$ protein into quiescent HIRc-B cells inhibited the DNA synthesis stimulated by insulin. Microinjection of oncogenic H-$Ras^{V12}$ protein ($H-Ras^{V12}$) (0.1 mg/ml) induced DNA synthesis by 35%, whereas that of control-injected IgG was induced by 20%. When the marginal amount of oncogenic H-$Ras^{V12}$ protein was coinjected with a dominant-negative mutant of the H-Ras protein ($Ras^{N17}$), DNA synthesis was 35% and 74% in the absence and presence of insulin, respectively. This full recovery of DNA synthesis by insulin suggests the existence of the Ras-independent pathway. The same recovery was observed in the cells coinjected with either H-$Ras^{V12}$ plus H-$Ras^{N17}$ plus SH2 domain of the p85 subunit of PI3-kinase ($p85^{SH2-N}$) or H-$Ras^{V12}$ plus H-$Ras^{N17}$ plus interfering anti-Shc antibody. When co-injected with a dominant-negative H-$Ras^{N17}$, the DNA synthesis induced by the Ras-independent pathway was blocked. These results indicate that the Ras-independent pathway of insulin leading to DNA synthesis exists, bypassing the p85 of PI3-kinase and Shc protein, and requires Rac1 protein.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.442-447
• /
• 1996

Mutations in codon 12, 13 and 61 of one of the three ras genes, H-ras, K-ras and N-ras, convert these genes into active oncogenes. The presence of H-ras gene mutations have important prognostic implications in various cancers. In this study, the H-ras gene mutations were investigated by two-step PCRRFLP in patients with bladder and stomach cancer. For the control experiments, T24 and SK2 cell lines were used. In a total of 36 bladder cancer patient cases, five (13.9%) mutations were found by this method. Of these, point 12 mutations were two (5.6%) cases and point 61 mutations were three (8.3%) cases. On the other hand, H-ras mutation was not found in 29 cases of stomach cancer. The results of the mutated H-ras gene confirmed by direct sequencing analysis were correlated well with PCR analysis. From the sensitivity test, the H-ras mutation was found to have about 0.2% of mutated DNA mingled in normal DNA. In conclusion, the H-ras mutation has a higher clinical Significance in bladder cancer than stomach cancer. Moreover the two-step PCR-RFLP method is sensitive, rapid and relatively simple for clinical work in detecting H-ras point mutations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
• /
• 2001.10a
• /
• pp.157-157
• /
• 2001

One of the most frequent defects in human cancer is the uncontrolled activation of the ras-signaling pathways. We have previously shown that H-ras, but not N-ras, induces an invasiveness and motility in human breast epithelial cells (MCF10A), while both H-ras and N-ras induce transformed phenotype. Since migration plays a crucial role in invasive, we examined motility of MCF10A cells transformed with H-ras of N-ras.(omitted)

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.27 no.8
• /
• pp.845-849
• /
• 2004

Many studies have focused on the anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic or chemopreventive activi-ties of capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) which is a major pungent ingredient in red pepper. We have previously shown that capsaicin selectively induces apoptosis in H-ras-transformed MCF10A human breast epithelial cells but not in their normal cell counter-parts (Int. J. Cancer, 103, 475-482,2003). In this study, we investigated the possible roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Rac1 in capsaicin-induced apoptosis of H-ras MCF10A cells. Selective induction of ROS generation by capsaicin treatment was observed only in H-ras MCF10A cells. Pretreatment of H-ras MCF10A cells with an antioxidant N-acetylcysteine(NAC) significantly reversed capsaicin-induced growth inhibition, suggesting that ROS may mediate the apoptosis of H-ras-transformed cells induced by capsaicin. Rac1 was prominently activated by H-ras in MCF10A cells. Based on the studies using a wild type Rac1 and a domi-nant negative Rac1 constructs, we propose that Rac1 activity is critical for inhibitory effect of capsaicin on growth of H-ras-transformed MCF10A cells possibly through ROS generation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
• /
• 2001.05a
• /
• pp.156-156
• /
• 2001

One of the most frequent defects in human cancer is the uncontroled activation of the ras-signaling pathway. We have previously shown that H-rasm but not N-ras, induces an invasiveness. Here, we show that cell motility was greatly increased by H-ras, but not by N-ras, suggesting that H-ras-induced invasive phnotype involves enhanced cell motility.(omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
• /
• 2001.10a
• /
• pp.156-156
• /
• 2001

We have previously shown that H-ras, but N-ras, induces an invasiveness and cell motility in human breast epithelial cells (MCFl0A), while both H-ras and N-ras induce transformed phenotype. It has been recently shown that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) plays an important role on cell migration. In the present study, we wished to investigate the functional role of PI3K in H-ras-induced invasive phenotype in MCF10A cells.(omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
• /
• 2002.11b
• /
• pp.142-142
• /
• 2002

Many studies have identified the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) as a key regulator for various cellular functions including cell survival, growth and motility. We have previously shown that H-ras, but not N-ras, induces invasiveness and motility in human breast epithelial cells (MCF10A), while both H-ras and N-ras induce transformed phenotype.(omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 2001.11a
• /
• pp.107-107
• /
• 2001

During the last decade, enormous progress has been made on the biological significance of apoptosis. Since ras is among the most central molecule in signaling, we asked if ras regulates apoptotic pathway. We have previously shown that H-ras, but not N-ras, induces an invasiveness and motility in human breast epithelial cells (MCF10A), while both H-ras and N-ras induce transformed phenotype. In this study, we wished to seek a chemopreventive agent that effectively induces apoptosis in H-ras-activated cells. Here we show that capsaicin, the major pungent phytochemical in red pepper, induces caspase 3-involved apoptosis selectively in H-ras activated MCF10A cells while the parental MCF10A cells are not effected. In order to study the molecular mechanisms for the increased sensitivity of H-ras MCF10A cells to capsaicin-induced apoptosis, activation of ras downstream signaling molecules, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKinases), upon capsaicin treatment was investigated. Phosphorylated forms of JNK1 and p38 MAPKinase were prominently increased whereas activated ERK-1/2 was decreased by capsaicin in ras-activated cells. The parental cells did not respond to capsaicin, suggesting that capsaicin selectively induces apoptosis through modulating activities of ras downstream signaling molecules in H-ras-activated cells. Studies using chemical inhibitors (CPT-cAMP, SB203580 and PD98059) and dominant negative constructs of JNKl, p38 and MEK show that activation of JNK1 and p38 MAPKinase, but not ERK-1/2, is critical for ras-mediated apoptosis by capsaicin.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.825-831
• /
• 2007

Tumor cell invasion and metastasis are often associated with matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), among which MMP-2 and MMP-9 are of central importance. We previously showed that H-Ras, but not N-Ras, induced invasion of MCF10A human breast epithelial cells in which the enhanced expression of MMP-2 was involved. MMP-2 is produced as a latent pro-MMP-2 (72 kDa) to be activated resulting the 62 kDa active MMP-2. The present study investigated if H-Ras and/or N-Ras induces pro-MMP-2 activation of MCF10A cells when cultured in two-dimensional gel of type I collagen. Type I collagen induced activation of pro-MMP-2 only in H-Ras MCF10A cells but not in N-Ras MCF10A cells. Induction of active MMP-2 by type I collagen was suppressed by blocking integrin ${\alpha}2$, indicating the involvement of integrin signaling in pro-MMP-2 activation. Membrane-type (MT)1-MMP and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 were up-regulated by H-Ras but not by N-Ras in the type I collagen-coated gel, suggesting that H-Ras-specific up-regulation of MT1-MMP and TIMP-2 may lead to the activation of pro-MMP-2. Since acquisition of pro-MMP-2 activation can be associated with increased malignant progression, these results may help understanding the mechanisms for the cell surface matrix-degrading potential which will be crucial to the prognosis and therapy of breast cancer metastasis.