User:Lkbmoore3

Structure and Family
Ras homolog family member C (RhoC) is a molecular switch that regulates changes in the cytoskeleton. This Rho isoform specifically regulates the organization of actin. It is a Rho fmaily GTP-ase, so it cycles between GDP-bound inert forms and GTP-bound active forms to interact with downstream targets.

Function
Overexpression of RhoC is associated with cell proliferation and causing tumors to become malignant. It causes degradation and reconstruction of the Extracellular Matrix (ECM)which helps cells escape the tissue they are currently in. It enhances cell motility giving it the ability to become invasive. It has been found to have a direct relationship to advanced tumor stage and metastisis, with increases in stage being related to increases in RhoC expression. It has also been found to enhance the creation of angiogneic factors such as VEGF, which is necessary for a tumor to become malignant. In a study by Vega, RhoC was knocked out which resulted in cells spreading out wide in all directions. When RhoC was disabled, the cell's abilities to move in a specific direction and migrate was impaired. It also reduced the cell's speed of movement, because it was difficult, and sometimes impossible, to polarize the cell.

Associated Signaling Pathways
RhoC expression has been associated with several signaling pathways and effectors. Here is a list of the mos found so far:
 * IQGAP1 (IQ-domain GTP-ase Activating Protein): an effector of RhoC to enhance expression of cyclin E and cyclin D1. This resulted in cells being promoted to enter S phase more rapidly
 * ROCK-1
 * MMP9: necessary for ECM regulation
 * FMNL3: a Fromin downstream target, which is used to regulate where Rac1 is active
 * MAPK pathway: upregulating VEGF, Basic fibroblastic growth factors, and interleukins 6 and 8 expression
 * Notch1
 * PI3K/AKt pathway: Proliferation and invasiveness
 * Pyk2: metastasis

Types of Cancer RhoC has been studied in
RhoC has been found to be overexpressed in:
 * Lung Cancer
 * Gastric Cancer
 * Ovarian cancer
 * Breast Cancer
 * Hepatocellular Cancer
 * Pancreatic Cancer
 * Colorectal Cancer
 * Cancer of the Urogenital System
 * Melanoma
 * Prostate Cancer
 * Cervical Carcinoma

Potential Therapies
RhoC small interfering RNA (siRNA) have been used in studies to successfully inhibit proliferation of some invasive cancers RhoC can be used as a biomarker for judging the metastatic potential of tumors One study used "recombinant adenoviros mediated RhoC shRNA in tandem linked expression" to successfully inhibit RhoC It has been found that RhoC expression is not important for embryogenesis but it is only important for metastasis, which would make it a good target for treatments