Cdc42, a member of the
Rho GTPases family, is involved in the regulation of several cellular functions including cell cycle progression, survival, transcription, actin cytoskeleton organization and membrane trafficking. Diabetes is a chronic and
metabolic disease, characterized as glycometabolism disorder induced by
insulin deficiency related to β cell dysfunction and peripheral
insulin resistance (IR). Diabetes could cause many complications including
diabetic nephropathy (DN),
diabetic retinopathy and
diabetic foot. Furthermore,
hyperglycemia can promote
tumor progression and increase the risk of malignant
cancers. In this review, we summarized the regulation of Cdc42 in insulin secretion and diabetes-associated diseases. Organized researches indicate that Cdc42 is a crucial member during the progression of diabetes, and Cdc42 not only participates in the process of
insulin synthesis but also regulates the
insulin granule mobilization and cell membrane exocytosis via activating a series of downstream factors. Besides, several studies have demonstrated Cdc42 as participating in the pathogenesis of IR and DN and even contributing to promote
cancer cell proliferation, survival, invasion, migration, and
metastasis under
hyperglycemia. Through the current review, we hope to cast light on the mechanism of Cdc42 in diabetes and associated diseases and provide new ideas for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.