Functional characterisation of a novel class of in-frame insertion variants of KRAS and HRAS

Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 3;9(1):8239. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-44584-7.

Abstract

Mutations in the RAS genes are identified in a variety of clinical settings, ranging from somatic mutations in oncology to germline mutations in developmental disorders, also known as 'RASopathies', and vascular malformations/overgrowth syndromes. Generally single amino acid substitutions are identified, that result in an increase of the GTP bound fraction of the RAS proteins causing constitutive signalling. Here, a series of 7 in-frame insertions and duplications in HRAS (n = 5) and KRAS (n = 2) is presented, resulting in the insertion of 7-10 amino acids residues in the switch II region. These variants were identified in routine diagnostic screening of 299 samples for somatic mutations in vascular malformations/overgrowth syndromes (n = 6) and in germline analyses for RASopathies (n = 1). Biophysical characterization shows the inability of Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors to induce GTP loading and reduced intrinsic and GAP-stimulated GTP hydrolysis. As a consequence of these opposing effects, increased RAS signalling is detected in a cellular model system. Therefore these in-frame insertions represent a new class of weakly activating clinically relevant RAS variants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cohort Studies
  • Frameshift Mutation / genetics*
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / metabolism
  • Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / metabolism
  • Guanosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hydrolysis
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional / genetics*
  • Mutant Proteins / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / chemistry
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / genetics*

Substances

  • Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors
  • KRAS protein, human
  • Mutant Proteins
  • Guanosine Triphosphate
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases
  • HRAS protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)