Mutations in the RAS oncogene are present in almost 25% of all cancers. Direct targeting of RAS for limiting these cancers has been challenging; therefore, elucidation of the pathways downstream of RAS has potential to provide therapeutic targets. In this episode, David Virshup and Jit Kong Cheong discuss their work, which identifies the serine/threonine kinase casein kinase 1a (CK1a) as a key negative regulator of oncogenic RAS-induced autophagy. Combined pharmacological inhibition of both CK1a and autophagy attenuated the growth of RAS-driven tumor xenografts. The results of this study support further exploration of CK1a as a therapeutic target for oncogenic RAS-driven cancers.
Activating mutations in the
Jit Kong Cheong, Fuquan Zhang, Pei Jou Chua, Boon Huat Bay, Andrew Thorburn, David M. Virshup