The K-Ras 4A isoform promotes apoptosis but does not affect either lifespan or spontaneous tumor incidence in aging mice

Ras proteins function as molecular switches in signal transduction pathways, and, here, we examined the effects of the K-ras4A and 4B splice variants on cell function by comparing wild-type embryonic stem (ES) cells with K-rastmΔ4A/tmΔ4A (exon 4A knock-out) ES cells which express K-ras4B only and K-ras−/− (exons 1–3 knock-out) ES cells which express neither splice variant, and intestinal epithelium from wild-type and K-rastmΔ4A/tmΔ4A mice. RT-qPCR analysis found that K-ras4B expression was reduced in K-rastmΔ4A/tmΔ4A ES cells but unaffected in small intestine. K-Ras deficiency did not affect ES cell growth, and K-Ras4A deficiency did not affect intestinal epithelial proliferation. K-rastmΔ4A/tmΔ4A and K-ras−/− ES cells showed a reduced capacity for differentiation following LIF withdrawal, and K-ras−/− cells were least differentiated. K-Ras4A deficiency inhibited etoposide-induced apoptosis in ES cells and intestinal epithelial cells. However, K-rastmΔ4A/tmΔ4A ES cells were more resistant to etoposide-induced apoptosis than K-ras−/− cells. The results indicate that (1) K-Ras4A promotes apoptosis while K-Ras4B inhibits it, and (2) K-Ras4B, and possibly K-Ras4A, promotes differentiation. The findings raise the possibility that alteration of the K-Ras4A/4B isoform ratio modulates tumorigenesis by differentially affecting stem cell survival and/or differentiation. However, K-Ras4A deficiency did not affect life expectancy or spontaneous overall tumor incidence in aging mice.