Ras-GEF domain-containing family member 1C (RASGEF1C)

Ras-GEF domain-containing family member 1C (RASGEF1C) is a neuron-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) enzyme localized principally to the brain and plasma membrane, with expression also elevated in numerous cancers. RASGEF1C facilitates Ras-protein signal transduction, primarily through activation of RAP2, which binds BRAF, activating the MEK/ERK signaling cascade essential for cell proliferation and survival. Dysregulation of RASGEF1C—via genetic polymorphisms, altered methylation, or overexpression—has been linked to late-onset neurocognitive disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, as well as to aggressive and poor-prognosis subtypes of many human cancers. RASGEF1C is implicated in key biological processes including DNA replication, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis, and its methylation status serves as a promising diagnostic/prognostic biomarker for papillary thyroid carcinoma and other malignancies. Despite its central role in signaling, no direct therapeutics targeting RASGEF1C are currently available, and future drug development efforts must balance efficacy with potential risks to neural and immune function.

Other names

RASGEF1CRasGEF domain family member 1CFLJ35841

Drugs that target RASGEF1C or its pathway would generally act by inhibiting guanine nucleotide exchange on Ras-related GTPases, modulating activation of the MAPK/ERK cascade (cell growth, proliferation). The methylation status of RASGEF1C acts as a biomarker rather than a direct drug target.