• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.48-58
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• 2023

Interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) integrates both immunological and non-immunological inputs to control cell survival and death. Small GTPases are versatile functional switches that lie on the very upstream in signal transduction pathways, of which duration of activation is very transient. The large number of homologous proteins and the requirement for site-directed mutagenesis have hindered attempts to investigate the link between small GTPases and IRF3. Here, we constructed a constitutively active mutant expression library for small GTPase expression using Gibson assembly cloning. Small-scale screening identified multiple GTPases capable of promoting IRF3 phosphorylation. Intriguingly, 27 of 152 GTPases, including ARF1, RHEB, RHEBL1, and RAN, were found to increase IRF3 phosphorylation. Unbiased screening enabled us to investigate the sequence-activity relationship between the GTPases and IRF3. We found that the regulation of IRF3 by small GTPases was dependent on TBK1. Our work reveals the significant contribution of GTPases in IRF3 signaling and the potential role of IRF3 in GTPase function, providing a novel therapeutic approach against diseases with GTPase overexpression or active mutations, such as cancer.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 2005년도 춘계학술발표회
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• pp.963-963
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• 2005

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.1-5
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• 2011

The maturation process of mammalian oocytes accompanies an extensive rearrangement of the cytoskeleton and associated proteins. As this process requires a delicate interplay between the cytoskeleton and its regulators, it is often targeted by various external and internal adversaries that affect the congression and/or segregation of chromosomes. Asymmetric cell division in oocytes also requires specific regulators of the cytoskeleton, including formin-2 and small GTPases. Recent literature providing clues regarding how actin filaments and microtubules interact during spindle migration in mouse oocytes are highlighted in this review.

• 대한물리의학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.63-70
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• 2019

PURPOSE: While electrical stimulation (ES) is known to be a safe and flexible tool in rehabilitation therapy, it has had limited adoption in muscle regeneration. This study was performed to investigate whether ES can induce myogenic differentiation and to clarify the mechanism underlying the effects of ES on myogenic differentiation. METHODS: This study used rat L6 cell lines as myoblasts for myogenic differentiation. Electric stimulation was applied to the cells using a C-Pace EP culture pacer (IonOptix, Westwood, Ma, USA). The gene expressions of myogenic markers were examined using qPCR and immunochemistry. RESULTS: Our study showed that ES increased the thickness and length of myotubes during myogenic differentiation. It was found that ES increased the expression of myogenic markers, such as MyoD and Myogenin, and also activated the fusion of the myoblast cells. In addition, ES suppressed the expression of small GTPases, which can explain why ES promotes myogenic differentiation. CONCLUSION: We found that ES induced myogenic differentiation by suppressing small GTPases, inhibiting cell division. We suggest that ES-based therapies can contribute to the development of safe and efficient muscle regeneration.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제28권9호
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• pp.1100-1117
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• 2018

Ras superfamily에 속하는 monomeric small GTPase는 현재까지 170여 종이 알려져 있으며 이들은 세포 신호전달에 있어서 분자 스위치(molecular switch)로 작용하고 있다. Ras GTPase는 guanosine diphosphate (GDP)와 결합하여 불활성화 되거나 혹은 guanosine triphosphate (GTP)와 결합하여 활성화되는 guanosine nucleotide 결합단백질로서 세포내의 수많은 생리작용을 조절하고 있다. 즉, 쉬고 있던 불활성화 상태의 Ras-GDP는 외부 신호에 반응하여 활성화 된 guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF)에 의하여 활성형인 Ras-GTP상태로 전환되어 그 하류로 신호를 전달하는 효과기로 작용하게 된다. 신호전달을 마친 Ras-GTP는 다시 불활성형인 Ras-GDP로 전환되어야 하는데 Ras 자체의 GTPase 활성이 미약하여 RasGTPase activating protein (RasGAP)의 도움을 받아야만 한다. 이와 같이 Ras GTPase는 GEF와 GAP의 활성으로 세포 안의 스위치를 켜고 끄게 된다. 현재까지 알려진 인간 암(cancer)의 30% 이상이 돌연변이를 포함하는 Ras switch의 비정상적인 작동에 기인한다는 점이 밝혀져 있으므로 Ras GTPase의 구조와 생리적 기능에 대한 최근의 연구결과들을 요약하였다. 나아가 GTPase activating protein으로서의 기능을 상실한 RasGAP분자의 돌연변이는 세포 안의 Ras 스위치를 계속 켜 두는 상태인 Ras-GTP 상태를 유발함으로서 종국에는 암의 발생을 촉발하게 된다. 이에, 본고에서는 최근에 와서 tumor suppressor로서 알려지면서 암의 치료 표적단백질로 떠오르게 된 RasGAP의 인체생리학적 기능을 고찰하였다. 인간 게놈 안에는 RASA1, NF1, GAP1 family 및 SynGAP family 등에 속하는 14종의 RasGAP 분자들이 존재하는데 이들 GAP분자들의 이상과 인간 질병의 연관성에 대한 최근의 연구결과들에 대해 고찰하였다.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.327-333
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• 2009

Heterotrimeric GTP binding proteins, G-proteins, mediate signal transduction generated by neurotransmitters and hormones. Among G-proteins, Go proteins are the most abundant in brain and classified as a member of Gi family. Ras-like protein in all tissues (Rit), one of the small GTPases, is a member of a Ras superfamily and identified as an important regulator of neuronal differentiation and cell transformation. Recently, we have reported that Rit functioned as a candidate downstream effector for alpha subunit of Go proteins ($Go{\alpha}$) and regulated neurite outgrowth triggered by $Go{\alpha}$ activation. In this study, we showed that the GTPase domain of $Go{\alpha}$ contributed to the direct interaction with Rit. We also demonstrated that $Go{\alpha}$ could lead to an increase of Rit activity suggesting that Rit play a role as a downstream effector of $Go{\alpha}$.

• BMB Reports
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• 제49권7호
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• pp.370-375
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• 2016

Ras oncoproteins are small molecular weight GTPases known for their involvement in oncogenesis, which operate in a complex signaling network with multiple effectors. Approximately 25% of human tumors possess mutations in a member of this family. The Raf1/MEK/Erk1/2 pathway is one of the most intensively studied signaling mechanisms. Different levels of regulation account for the inactivation of MAP kinases by MAPK phosphatases in a cell type- and stimuli-dependent manner. In the present study, using three inducible Ras-expressing NIH/3T3 cell lines, we demonstrated that MKP3 upregulation requires the activation of the Erk1/2 pathway, which correlates with the shutdown of this pathway. We also demonstrated, by applying pharmacological inhibitors and effector mutants of Ras, that induction of MKP3 at the protein level is positively regulated by the oncogenic Ras/Raf/MEK/Erk1/2 signaling pathway.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권11호
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• pp.805-813
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• 2017

The role of phospholipase D (PLD) in cancer development and management has been a major area of interest for researchers. The purpose of this mini-review is to explore PLD and its distinct role during chemotherapy including anti-apoptotic function. PLD is an enzyme that belongs to the phospholipase super family and is found in a broad range of organisms such as viruses, yeast, bacteria, animals, and plants. The function and activity of PLD are widely dependent on and regulated by neurotransmitters, hormones, small monomeric GTPases, and lipids. A growing body of research has shown that PLD activity is significantly increased in cancer tissues and cells, indicating that it plays a critical role in signal transduction, cell proliferation, and anti-apoptotic processes. In addition, recent studies show that PLD is a downstream transcriptional target of proteins that contribute to inflammation and carcinogenesis such as Sp1, $NF{\kappa}B$, TCF4, ATF-2, NFATc2, and EWS-Fli. Thus, compounds that inhibit expression or activity of PLD in cells can be potentially useful in reducing inflammation and sensitizing resistant cancers during chemotherapy.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제20권6호
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• pp.10.1-10.7
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• 2017

Small GTPases are well known as one of the signal transduction factors of immune systems. The ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) can be classified into three groups based on the peptide sequence, protein molecular weight, gene structure, and phylogenetic analysis. ARF1 recruits coat proteins to the Golgi membranes when it is bound to GTP. The class I duplicated ARF gene was cloned and characterized from the olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) for this study. PoARF1b contains the GTP-binding motif and the switch 1 and 2 regions. PoARF1b and PoARF1b mutants were transfected into a Hirame natural embryo cell to determine the distribution of its GDP/GTP-bound state; consequently, it was confirmed that PoARF1b associates with the Golgi body when it is in a GTP-binding form. The results of the qPCR-described PoARF1b were expressed for all of the P. olivaceus tissues. The authors plan to study the gene expression patterns of PoARF1b in terms of immunity challenges.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권8호
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• pp.589-596
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• 2019

${\beta}Pix$ is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the Rho family small GTPases, Rac1 and Cdc42. It is known to regulate focal adhesion dynamics and cell migration. However, the in vivo role of ${\beta}Pix$ is currently not well understood. Here, we report the production and characterization of ${\beta}Pix$-KO mice. Loss of ${\beta}Pix$ results in embryonic lethality accompanied by abnormal developmental features, such as incomplete neural tube closure, impaired axial rotation, and failure of allantois-chorion fusion. We also generated ${\beta}Pix$-KO mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) to examine ${\beta}Pix$ function in mouse fibroblasts. ${\beta}Pix$-KO MEFs exhibit decreased Rac1 activity, and defects in cell spreading and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced ruffle formation and chemotaxis. The average size of focal adhesions is increased in ${\beta}Pix$-KO MEFs. Interestingly, ${\beta}Pix$-KO MEFs showed increased motility in random migration and rapid wound healing with elevated levels of MLC2 phosphorylation. Taken together, our data demonstrate that ${\beta}Pix$ plays essential roles in early embryonic development, cell spreading, and cell migration in fibroblasts.