Epigenetic regulation of Rap1GAP

The expression of both Rap proteins (members of the Ras superfamily) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) 1 and 2 increases in human thyroid cancer cells. Rap1GAP inhibits Rap1, acting as a tumour suppressor, and is downregulated with tumour progression. Dong and colleagues sought to discover whether the expression of Rap1GAP could be restored in thyroid tumor cells by inhibiting HDACs. Their findings confirmed this; treatment with HDAC inhibitors resulted in significant decreases in Rap2 activity in a number of thyroid carcinoma cell lines, highlighting HDAC inhibitors as a tractable approach for the treatment of human tumour cells. Dong et al. (2011) Endocrine-Related Cancer 18 301–310.

Read the full article at DOI:10.1530/ERC-10-0320.