Displacing Ras

The Ras protein plays a pivotal role in the growth pathway in numerous cell types and overactivation of Ras is implicated in numerous cancers. Thus inhibition of Ras has attracted significant interest for its therapeutic potential. with most attention centered on inhibition of farnesylation, which is required for Ras activation. Now, the identification of a membrane anchoring protein for H-Ras - one isoform of Ras - has provided researchers with a new therapeutic target.

Researchers at Thyreos Corp. have identified the membrane bound protein, galectin-1, which binds to H-Ras and anchors it to the cell membrane. They also have shown that recruitment of Ras to the cell membrane is critical to activation. ...