Abstract

A kinase feedback loop controls RAS-driven, autophagy-dependent cancers

Jit Kong Cheong , Instructor , Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School

Activating mutations in the RAS oncogene are common in cancer but are difficult to therapeutically target. RAS activation promotes autophagy, a highly regulated catabolic process that metabolically buffers cells in response to diverse stresses. By identifying an essential autoregulatory pathway downstream of RAS, we uncover a novel vulnerability that we find can be exploited by combination drug therapy to treat this important class of cancers.