Cited by 56Protein Kinase Regulation and GTPase SignalingProtein Tyrosine PhosphatasesCancer Genomics and Diagnostics

Ras protein abundance correlates with Ras isoform mutation patterns in cancer

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Hood, Fiona E., Sahraoui, Yasmina M., Jenkins, Rosalind E., Prior, Ian A.·2023·Oncogene

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Activating mutations of Ras genes are often observed in cancer. The protein products of the three Ras genes are almost identical. However, for reasons that remain unclear, KRAS is far more frequently mutated than the other Ras isoforms in cancer and RASopathies. We have quantified HRAS, NRAS, KRAS4A and KRAS4B protein abundance across a large panel of cell lines and healthy tissues. We observe consistent patterns of KRAS > NRAS»HRAS protein expression in cells that correlate with the rank order of Ras mutation frequencies in cancer. Our data provide support for the model of a sweet-spot of Ras dosage mediating isoform-specific contributions to cancer and development. We suggest that in most cases, being the most abundant Ras isoform correlates with occupying the sweet-spot and that HRAS and NRAS expression is usually insufficient to promote oncogenesis when mutated. However, our results challenge the notion that rare codons mechanistically underpin the predominance of KRAS mutant cancers. Finally, direct measurement of mutant versus wildtype KRAS protein abundance revealed a frequent imbalance that may suggest additional non-gene duplication mechanisms for optimizing oncogenic Ras dosage.

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Authors
Hood, F. E., Sahraoui, Y. M., Jenkins, R. E., & Prior, I. A.
Affiliations
University of Liverpool (GB)
Corresponding author
Prior, Ian A.
Venue
Oncogene
Published
2023-03-02
Volume
42
Issue
15
Pages
1224-1232
ISSN
  • 0950-9232 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5594
OpenAlex
W4322775106
Cited by
56
References
44
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 9
FWCI
4.99
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Oncogene (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • North West Cancer Research Fund (CR1166)
  • Wellcome Trust (WT203983)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Kinase Regulation and GTPase Signaling
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics
Keywords
Ras isoforms, KRAS, NRAS, HRAS, K-Ras4B, RASopathies, cancer cell lines, codon preference, carcinogenesis
MeSH terms
Humans, Mutation, Neoplasms, Signal Transduction, Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras), ras Proteins, Protein Isoforms

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