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Review
. 2014 Jun 24:4:160.
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2014.00160. eCollection 2014.

Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK Pathway Activation in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Its Therapeutic Targeting

Thomas Knight  1 , Julie Anne Elizabeth Irving  1
Affiliations
Review

Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK Pathway Activation in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Its Therapeutic Targeting

Thomas Knight et al. Front Oncol. .

Abstract

Deregulation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway is a common event in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and is caused by point mutation, gene deletion, and chromosomal translocation of a vast array of gene types, highlighting its importance in leukemia biology. Pathway activation can be therapeutically exploited and may guide new therapies needed for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia and other high risk subgroups.

Keywords: Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway; acute lymphoblastic leukemia; targeted therapy.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Regulation of Ras activity.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mutations activating the Ras pathway in ALL and potential therapeutic targeting. Components of the pathway that are mutated in ALL are in red.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Pie chart of the frequency of Ras pathway mutations in an unselected cohort of 180 UK diagnostic ALL [data from Ref. (15, 48)].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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