Ret proto-oncogene (Rearranged during transfection) is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase enzyme which is employed as a signalling partner for members of the GDNF family receptors. Ligand-activated GFR appears to recruit Ret as a dimer, leading to activation of further intracellular signalling pathways. Ret appears to be involved in neural crest development, while mutations may be involved in multiple endocrine neoplasia, Hirschsprung’s disease, and medullary thyroid carcinoma.

A number of tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting RET have been described [2].

1. Clemens GR, Schroeder RE, Magness SH, Weaver EV, Lech JW, Taylor VC, Masuda ES, Baluom M, Grossbard EB. (2009) Developmental toxicity associated with receptor tyrosine kinase Ret inhibition in reproductive toxicity testing. Birth Defects Res Part A Clin Mol Teratol, 85 (2): 130-6. [PMID:19107952]

2. Fabbro D, Cowan-Jacob SW, Möbitz H, Martiny-Baron G. (2012) Targeting cancer with small-molecular-weight kinase inhibitors. Methods Mol Biol, 795: 1-34. [PMID:21960212]