Maintenance of cell junctions plays a crucial role in the regulation of cellular functions including cell proliferation, permeability, and cell death. Disruption of cell junctions is implicated in a variety of human d...Maintenance of cell junctions plays a crucial role in the regulation of cellular functions including cell proliferation, permeability, and cell death. Disruption of cell junctions is implicated in a variety of human disorders, such as inflammatory diseases and cancers. Understanding molecular regulation of cell junctions is important for development of therapeutic strategies for intervention of human diseases. Ubiquitination is an important type of post-translational modification that primarily regulates endogenous protein stability, recep- tor internalization, enzyme activity, and protein-protein interactions. Ubiquitination is tightly regulated by ubiq- uitin E3 ligases and can be reversed by deubiquitinating enzymes. Recent studies have been focusing on inves- tigating the effect of protein stability in the regulation of cell-cell junctions. Ubiquitination and degradation of cadherins, claudins, and their interacting proteins are implicated in epithelial and endothelial barrier disruption. Recent studies have revealed that ubiquitination is involved in regulation of Rho GTPases＇ biological activities. Taken together these studies, ubiquitination plays a critical role in modulating cell junctions and motility. In this review, we will discuss the effects of ubiquitination and deubiquitination on protein stability and expression of key proteins in the cell-cell junctions, including junction proteins, their interacting proteins, and small Rho GTPases. We provide an overview of protein stability in modulation of epithelial and endothelial barrier integrity and introduce potential future search directions to better understand the effects of ubiquitination on human disorders caused by dysfunction of cell junctions.展开更多
Phagocytosis and subsequent degradation of pathogens by macrophages play a pivotal role in host innate immune responses to microbial infection. Recent studies have shown that Toll-like receptors （TLRs） play an impor...Phagocytosis and subsequent degradation of pathogens by macrophages play a pivotal role in host innate immune responses to microbial infection. Recent studies have shown that Toll-like receptors （TLRs） play an important role in promoting the clearance of bacteria by up-regulating the phagocytic activity of macrophages. However, information regarding the signaling mechanism of TLR-mediated phagocytosis is still limited. Here, we provide evidence that the stimulation of TLR4 with LPS leads to activation of multiple signaling pathways including MAP kinases, phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）, and small GTPases in the murine macrophage-like cell line RAW264.7. Specific inhibition of Cdc42/Rac or p38 MAP kinase, but not PI3K, reduced TLR4-induced phagocytosis of bacteria. Moreover, we have found that either inhibition of actin polymerization by cytochalasin D or the knockdown of actin by RNAi markedly reduced the activation of Cdc42 and Rac by LPS. TLR4-induced activation of Cdc42 and Rac appears to be independent of MyD88. Taken together, our results described a novel actin-Cdc42/Rac pathway through which TLRs can specifically provoke phagocytosis.展开更多
Polar auxin transport, which is required for the formation of auxin gradients and directional auxin flows that are critical for plant pattern formation, morphogenesis, and directional growth response to vectorial cues...Polar auxin transport, which is required for the formation of auxin gradients and directional auxin flows that are critical for plant pattern formation, morphogenesis, and directional growth response to vectorial cues, is mediated by polarized sub-cellular distribution of PIN-FORMED Proteins （PINs, auxin efflux carriers）, AUX1/AUXI-like proteins （auxin influx facilitators）, and multidrug resistance P-glycoproteins （MDR/PGP）. Polar localization of these proteins is controlled by both developmental and environmental cues. Recent studies have revealed cellular （endocytosis, transcytosis, and endosomal sorting and recycling） and molecular （PINOID kinase, protein phosphatase 2A） mechanisms underlying the polar distribution of these auxin transport proteins. Both TIR1-mediated auxin signaling and TIRl-independent auxinmediated endocytosis have been shown to regulate polar PIN localization and auxin flow, implicating auxin as a selforganizing signal in directing polar transport and directional flows.展开更多
The RHO-related GTPases ROP1 and ROP6 and the ROPl-interacting protein RIC4 in Arabidopsis are involved in various processes of F-actin dynamics, cell growth, and plant/microbe interactions. The knockout ropl and ropl...The RHO-related GTPases ROP1 and ROP6 and the ROPl-interacting protein RIC4 in Arabidopsis are involved in various processes of F-actin dynamics, cell growth, and plant/microbe interactions. The knockout ropl and ropl rop6 seeds germinate earlier and are impaired in root hair development. Also root hair branching is strongly affected by manipulation of the RHO-related GTPase （ROP） levels. Furthermore, in the double knockout line ropl rop6, no actin bundle formation can be detected. We demonstrate that these proteins are required for establishing a mutualistic interaction between the root-colonizing endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica and Arabidopsis. The fungus promotes growth of wild-type plants, ropl, rop6, ropl rop6, ric4, 35S：：ROP1, and 35S：：ROP6 seedlings are impaired in the response to the fungus. Since the different root architectures have no effect on root colonization, the impaired response to P. indica should be caused by ROP-mediated events in the root cells. In wild-type roots, P. indica stimulates the formation of F-actin bundles and this does not occur in the ropl rop6 knockout line. Furthermore, the fungus stimulates the expression of the calmodulin-binding protein gene Cbp60g, and this response is severely reduced in the rop mutants. We propose that ROP1 and ROP6 are required for F-actin bundle formation in the roots, which is required for P. indica-mediated growth promotion in Arabidopsis.展开更多
BACKGROUND： Rho GTPase family members have been shown to participate in neurite growth by regulating the neuronal cytoskeleton. However, there are very few reports of developmental roles of signaling molecules relate...BACKGROUND： Rho GTPase family members have been shown to participate in neurite growth by regulating the neuronal cytoskeleton. However, there are very few reports of developmental roles of signaling molecules related to Rho GTPases. OBJECTIVE： To investigate messenger ribonucleic acid mRNA expression of signaling molecules associated with Rho GTPases, including Rho-A, Rac-1, collapsin response mediator protein 1 （CRMP-1）, and tubulin 133 （Tub/33） during rat hippocampus development. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING- A non-randomized, controlled, animal experiment, based on different developmental stages of the rat hippocampus, was performed at the Guangdong Key Laboratory of Tissue Construction and Detection, Institute of Clinical Anatomy, Southern Medical University between December 2005 and July 2007. MATERIALS： Trizol reagent was purchased from Invitrogen, USA. RNA PCR kit （AMV） Ver 3.0 and 150 bp DNA Ladder Marker were purchased from TaKaRa, Japan. Unless otherwise specified, all other reagents were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich, USA. METHODS： Twenty-five Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to five groups （n = 5） according to developmental stages： embryonic （embryonic 15 days）, neonatal （postnatal 5 days）, juvenile （postnatal 1 month）, adult （postnatal 3 months）, and senile （postnatal 18 months）. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Detection of mRNA expression of Rho-A, Rac-1, CRMP-1, and Tub β3 during various hippocampal developmental stages by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS： Hippocampal mRNA expression of Rho-A, as well as Rac-1, reached peak levels at embryonic, juvenile, and senile stages, and was relatively less during neonatal and adult stages. mRNA expression of Rac-1 was greater than Rho-A during each hippocampal developmental stage. CRMP-1 mRNA expression levels were as follows： embryonic 〉 neonatal 〉 juvenile 〉 adult 〈 senile, while Tubβ3 mRNA expression was embryonic 〉 neonatal 〉 juvenile 〉 adult = senile. CONCLUSION： Rho-A and展开更多
As a critical guanine nucleotide exchange factor(GEF) regulating neurite outgrowth, Trio coordinates multiple processes of cytoskeletal dynamics through activating Rac1, Cdc42 and RhoA small GTPases by two GEF domains...As a critical guanine nucleotide exchange factor(GEF) regulating neurite outgrowth, Trio coordinates multiple processes of cytoskeletal dynamics through activating Rac1, Cdc42 and RhoA small GTPases by two GEF domains, but the in vivo roles of these GEF domains and corresponding downstream effectors have not been determined yet. We established multiple lines of knockout mice and assessed the respective roles of Trio GEF domains and Rac1 in axon outgrowth. Knockout of total Trio in cerebellar granule neurons(CGNs) led to an impaired F-actin rearrangement of growth cone and hence a retarded neurite outgrowth. Such a retardation was reproduced by inhibition of GEF1 domain or knockdown of Cdc42 and restored apparently by introduction of active Cdc42. As Rac1 deficiency did not affect the neurite outgrowth of CGNs, we suggested that Trio GEF1-mediated Cdc42 activation was required for neurite outgrowth. We established a GEF2-knockout line with deletion of all Trio isoforms except a cerebella-specific Trio8, a short isoform of Trio without GEF2 domain, and used this line as a GEF2-deficient animal model. The GEF2-deficient CGNs had a normal neurite outgrowth but abolished Netrin-1-promoted growth, without affecting Netrin-1 induced Rac1 activation. We thus suggested that Trio GEF1-mediated Cdc42 activation rather than Rac1 activation drives the F-actin dynamics necessary for neurite outgrowth, while GEF2 functions in Netrin-1-promoted neurite elongation. Our results delineated the distinct roles of Trio GEF domains in neurite outgrowth, which is instructive to understand the pathogenesis of clinical Trio-related neurodevelopmental disorders.展开更多
Alcoholism and acquired immune deficiency syndrome are associated with severe muscle wasting.This impairment in nitrogen balance arises from increased protein degradation and a decreased rate of protein synthesis.The ...Alcoholism and acquired immune deficiency syndrome are associated with severe muscle wasting.This impairment in nitrogen balance arises from increased protein degradation and a decreased rate of protein synthesis.The regulation of protein synthesis is a complex process involving alterations in the phosphorylation state and protein-protein interaction of various components of the translation machinery and mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) complexes.This review describes mechanisms that regulate protein synthesis in cultured C2C12 myocytes following exposure to either alcohol or human immunodeficiency virus antiretroviral drugs.Particular attention is given to the upstream regulators of mTOR complexes and the downstream targets which play an important role in translation.Gaining a better understanding of these molecular mechanisms could have important implications for preventing changes in lean body mass in patients with catabolic conditions or illnesses.展开更多
Among the numerous oncogenes involved in human cancers, KRAS represents the most studied and best characterized cancerrelated genes.Several therapeutic strategies targeting oncogenic KRAS(KRASonc) signaling pathways h...Among the numerous oncogenes involved in human cancers, KRAS represents the most studied and best characterized cancerrelated genes.Several therapeutic strategies targeting oncogenic KRAS(KRASonc) signaling pathways have been suggested,including the inhibition of synthetic lethal interactions, direct inhibition of KRASonc itself, blockade of downstream KRASonc effectors, prevention of post-translational KRASonc modifications, inhibition of the induced stem cell-like program, targeting of metabolic peculiarities, stimulation of the immune system, inhibition of inflammation, blockade of upstream signaling pathways,targeted RNA replacement, and oncogene-induced senescence.Despite intensive and continuous efforts, KRASonc remains an elusive target for cancer therapy.To highlight the progress to date, this review covers a collection of studies on therapeutic strategies for KRAS published from 1995 to date.An overview of the path of progress from earlier to more recent insights highlight novel opportunities for clinical development towards KRASonc-signaling targeted therapeutics.展开更多
文摘Maintenance of cell junctions plays a crucial role in the regulation of cellular functions including cell proliferation, permeability, and cell death. Disruption of cell junctions is implicated in a variety of human disorders, such as inflammatory diseases and cancers. Understanding molecular regulation of cell junctions is important for development of therapeutic strategies for intervention of human diseases. Ubiquitination is an important type of post-translational modification that primarily regulates endogenous protein stability, recep- tor internalization, enzyme activity, and protein-protein interactions. Ubiquitination is tightly regulated by ubiq- uitin E3 ligases and can be reversed by deubiquitinating enzymes. Recent studies have been focusing on inves- tigating the effect of protein stability in the regulation of cell-cell junctions. Ubiquitination and degradation of cadherins, claudins, and their interacting proteins are implicated in epithelial and endothelial barrier disruption. Recent studies have revealed that ubiquitination is involved in regulation of Rho GTPases＇ biological activities. Taken together these studies, ubiquitination plays a critical role in modulating cell junctions and motility. In this review, we will discuss the effects of ubiquitination and deubiquitination on protein stability and expression of key proteins in the cell-cell junctions, including junction proteins, their interacting proteins, and small Rho GTPases. We provide an overview of protein stability in modulation of epithelial and endothelial barrier integrity and introduce potential future search directions to better understand the effects of ubiquitination on human disorders caused by dysfunction of cell junctions.
基金Acknowledgments This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （project 30321002 and 30471580）, Shanghai E-research Institutes, and Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality （project 04DZ14902）.
文摘Phagocytosis and subsequent degradation of pathogens by macrophages play a pivotal role in host innate immune responses to microbial infection. Recent studies have shown that Toll-like receptors （TLRs） play an important role in promoting the clearance of bacteria by up-regulating the phagocytic activity of macrophages. However, information regarding the signaling mechanism of TLR-mediated phagocytosis is still limited. Here, we provide evidence that the stimulation of TLR4 with LPS leads to activation of multiple signaling pathways including MAP kinases, phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）, and small GTPases in the murine macrophage-like cell line RAW264.7. Specific inhibition of Cdc42/Rac or p38 MAP kinase, but not PI3K, reduced TLR4-induced phagocytosis of bacteria. Moreover, we have found that either inhibition of actin polymerization by cytochalasin D or the knockdown of actin by RNAi markedly reduced the activation of Cdc42 and Rac by LPS. TLR4-induced activation of Cdc42 and Rac appears to be independent of MyD88. Taken together, our results described a novel actin-Cdc42/Rac pathway through which TLRs can specifically provoke phagocytosis.
文摘Polar auxin transport, which is required for the formation of auxin gradients and directional auxin flows that are critical for plant pattern formation, morphogenesis, and directional growth response to vectorial cues, is mediated by polarized sub-cellular distribution of PIN-FORMED Proteins （PINs, auxin efflux carriers）, AUX1/AUXI-like proteins （auxin influx facilitators）, and multidrug resistance P-glycoproteins （MDR/PGP）. Polar localization of these proteins is controlled by both developmental and environmental cues. Recent studies have revealed cellular （endocytosis, transcytosis, and endosomal sorting and recycling） and molecular （PINOID kinase, protein phosphatase 2A） mechanisms underlying the polar distribution of these auxin transport proteins. Both TIR1-mediated auxin signaling and TIRl-independent auxinmediated endocytosis have been shown to regulate polar PIN localization and auxin flow, implicating auxin as a selforganizing signal in directing polar transport and directional flows.
文摘The RHO-related GTPases ROP1 and ROP6 and the ROPl-interacting protein RIC4 in Arabidopsis are involved in various processes of F-actin dynamics, cell growth, and plant/microbe interactions. The knockout ropl and ropl rop6 seeds germinate earlier and are impaired in root hair development. Also root hair branching is strongly affected by manipulation of the RHO-related GTPase （ROP） levels. Furthermore, in the double knockout line ropl rop6, no actin bundle formation can be detected. We demonstrate that these proteins are required for establishing a mutualistic interaction between the root-colonizing endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica and Arabidopsis. The fungus promotes growth of wild-type plants, ropl, rop6, ropl rop6, ric4, 35S：：ROP1, and 35S：：ROP6 seedlings are impaired in the response to the fungus. Since the different root architectures have no effect on root colonization, the impaired response to P. indica should be caused by ROP-mediated events in the root cells. In wild-type roots, P. indica stimulates the formation of F-actin bundles and this does not occur in the ropl rop6 knockout line. Furthermore, the fungus stimulates the expression of the calmodulin-binding protein gene Cbp60g, and this response is severely reduced in the rop mutants. We propose that ROP1 and ROP6 are required for F-actin bundle formation in the roots, which is required for P. indica-mediated growth promotion in Arabidopsis.
基金Supported by:the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program),No. 2007CB512705the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province,No. 8451063201000193
文摘BACKGROUND： Rho GTPase family members have been shown to participate in neurite growth by regulating the neuronal cytoskeleton. However, there are very few reports of developmental roles of signaling molecules related to Rho GTPases. OBJECTIVE： To investigate messenger ribonucleic acid mRNA expression of signaling molecules associated with Rho GTPases, including Rho-A, Rac-1, collapsin response mediator protein 1 （CRMP-1）, and tubulin 133 （Tub/33） during rat hippocampus development. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING- A non-randomized, controlled, animal experiment, based on different developmental stages of the rat hippocampus, was performed at the Guangdong Key Laboratory of Tissue Construction and Detection, Institute of Clinical Anatomy, Southern Medical University between December 2005 and July 2007. MATERIALS： Trizol reagent was purchased from Invitrogen, USA. RNA PCR kit （AMV） Ver 3.0 and 150 bp DNA Ladder Marker were purchased from TaKaRa, Japan. Unless otherwise specified, all other reagents were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich, USA. METHODS： Twenty-five Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to five groups （n = 5） according to developmental stages： embryonic （embryonic 15 days）, neonatal （postnatal 5 days）, juvenile （postnatal 1 month）, adult （postnatal 3 months）, and senile （postnatal 18 months）. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Detection of mRNA expression of Rho-A, Rac-1, CRMP-1, and Tub β3 during various hippocampal developmental stages by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS： Hippocampal mRNA expression of Rho-A, as well as Rac-1, reached peak levels at embryonic, juvenile, and senile stages, and was relatively less during neonatal and adult stages. mRNA expression of Rac-1 was greater than Rho-A during each hippocampal developmental stage. CRMP-1 mRNA expression levels were as follows： embryonic 〉 neonatal 〉 juvenile 〉 adult 〈 senile, while Tubβ3 mRNA expression was embryonic 〉 neonatal 〉 juvenile 〉 adult = senile. CONCLUSION： Rho-A and
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31272311 and 31330034) to M.S.Z.
文摘As a critical guanine nucleotide exchange factor(GEF) regulating neurite outgrowth, Trio coordinates multiple processes of cytoskeletal dynamics through activating Rac1, Cdc42 and RhoA small GTPases by two GEF domains, but the in vivo roles of these GEF domains and corresponding downstream effectors have not been determined yet. We established multiple lines of knockout mice and assessed the respective roles of Trio GEF domains and Rac1 in axon outgrowth. Knockout of total Trio in cerebellar granule neurons(CGNs) led to an impaired F-actin rearrangement of growth cone and hence a retarded neurite outgrowth. Such a retardation was reproduced by inhibition of GEF1 domain or knockdown of Cdc42 and restored apparently by introduction of active Cdc42. As Rac1 deficiency did not affect the neurite outgrowth of CGNs, we suggested that Trio GEF1-mediated Cdc42 activation was required for neurite outgrowth. We established a GEF2-knockout line with deletion of all Trio isoforms except a cerebella-specific Trio8, a short isoform of Trio without GEF2 domain, and used this line as a GEF2-deficient animal model. The GEF2-deficient CGNs had a normal neurite outgrowth but abolished Netrin-1-promoted growth, without affecting Netrin-1 induced Rac1 activation. We thus suggested that Trio GEF1-mediated Cdc42 activation rather than Rac1 activation drives the F-actin dynamics necessary for neurite outgrowth, while GEF2 functions in Netrin-1-promoted neurite elongation. Our results delineated the distinct roles of Trio GEF domains in neurite outgrowth, which is instructive to understand the pathogenesis of clinical Trio-related neurodevelopmental disorders.
基金Supported by National Institute of Health Grants R37 AA-011290and DK-072909
文摘Alcoholism and acquired immune deficiency syndrome are associated with severe muscle wasting.This impairment in nitrogen balance arises from increased protein degradation and a decreased rate of protein synthesis.The regulation of protein synthesis is a complex process involving alterations in the phosphorylation state and protein-protein interaction of various components of the translation machinery and mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) complexes.This review describes mechanisms that regulate protein synthesis in cultured C2C12 myocytes following exposure to either alcohol or human immunodeficiency virus antiretroviral drugs.Particular attention is given to the upstream regulators of mTOR complexes and the downstream targets which play an important role in translation.Gaining a better understanding of these molecular mechanisms could have important implications for preventing changes in lean body mass in patients with catabolic conditions or illnesses.
基金supported by the European Network on Noonan Syndrome and Related Disorders (NSEuroNet, Grant No.01GM1602B)the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research(BMBF): German Network of RASopathy Research (GeNeRARe, Grant No.01GM1519D & 01GM1902C)
文摘Among the numerous oncogenes involved in human cancers, KRAS represents the most studied and best characterized cancerrelated genes.Several therapeutic strategies targeting oncogenic KRAS(KRASonc) signaling pathways have been suggested,including the inhibition of synthetic lethal interactions, direct inhibition of KRASonc itself, blockade of downstream KRASonc effectors, prevention of post-translational KRASonc modifications, inhibition of the induced stem cell-like program, targeting of metabolic peculiarities, stimulation of the immune system, inhibition of inflammation, blockade of upstream signaling pathways,targeted RNA replacement, and oncogene-induced senescence.Despite intensive and continuous efforts, KRASonc remains an elusive target for cancer therapy.To highlight the progress to date, this review covers a collection of studies on therapeutic strategies for KRAS published from 1995 to date.An overview of the path of progress from earlier to more recent insights highlight novel opportunities for clinical development towards KRASonc-signaling targeted therapeutics.
