scholarly journals The p21-activated kinases in neural cytoskeletal remodeling and related neurological disorders

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaifan Zhang ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
Tianda Fan ◽  
Cheng Zeng ◽  
Zhong Sheng Sun

AbstractThe serine/threonine p21-activated kinases (PAKs), as main effectors of the Rho GTPases Cdc42 and Rac, represent a group of important molecular switches linking the complex cytoskeletal networks to broad neural activity. PAKs show wide expression in the brain, but they differ in specific cell types, brain regions, and developmental stages. PAKs play an essential and differential role in controlling neural cytoskeletal remodeling and are related to the development and fate of neurons as well as the structural and functional plasticity of dendritic spines. PAK-mediated actin signaling and interacting functional networks represent a common pathway frequently affected in multiple neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Considering specific small-molecule agonists and inhibitors for PAKs have been developed in cancer treatment, comprehensive knowledge about the role of PAKs in neural cytoskeletal remodeling will promote our understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying neurological diseases, which may also represent potential therapeutic targets of these diseases.

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 66
Author(s):  
Rashmita Pradhan ◽  
Phuong A. Ngo ◽  
Luz d. C. Martínez-Sánchez ◽  
Markus F. Neurath ◽  
Rocío López-Posadas

Rho proteins operate as key regulators of the cytoskeleton, cell morphology and trafficking. Acting as molecular switches, the function of Rho GTPases is determined by guanosine triphosphate (GTP)/guanosine diphosphate (GDP) exchange and their lipidation via prenylation, allowing their binding to cellular membranes and the interaction with downstream effector proteins in close proximity to the membrane. A plethora of in vitro studies demonstrate the indispensable function of Rho proteins for cytoskeleton dynamics within different cell types. However, only in the last decades we have got access to genetically modified mouse models to decipher the intricate regulation between members of the Rho family within specific cell types in the complex in vivo situation. Translationally, alterations of the expression and/or function of Rho GTPases have been associated with several pathological conditions, such as inflammation and cancer. In the context of the GI tract, the continuous crosstalk between the host and the intestinal microbiota requires a tight regulation of the complex interaction between cellular components within the intestinal tissue. Recent studies demonstrate that Rho GTPases play important roles for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis in the gut. We will summarize the current knowledge on Rho protein function within individual cell types in the intestinal mucosa in vivo, with special focus on intestinal epithelial cells and T cells.


Author(s):  
Millissia Ben Maamar ◽  
Eric E Nilsson ◽  
Michael K Skinner

Abstract One of the most important developing cell types in any biological system is the gamete (sperm and egg). The transmission of phenotypes and optimally adapted physiology to subsequent generations is in large part controlled by gametogenesis. In contrast to genetics, the environment actively regulates epigenetics to impact the physiology and phenotype of cellular and biological systems. The integration of epigenetics and genetics is critical for all developmental biology systems at the cellular and organism level. The current review is focused on the role of epigenetics during gametogenesis for both the spermatogenesis system in the male and oogenesis system in the female. The developmental stages from the initial primordial germ cell through gametogenesis to the mature sperm and egg are presented. How environmental factors can influence the epigenetics of gametogenesis to impact the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of phenotypic and physiological change in subsequent generations is reviewed.


2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 2035-2048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bukhtiar H. Shah ◽  
Akin Yesilkaya ◽  
J. Alberto Olivares-Reyes ◽  
Hung-Dar Chen ◽  
László Hunyady ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiakang Jin ◽  
Jinti Lin ◽  
Ankai Xu ◽  
Jianan Lou ◽  
Chao Qian ◽  
...  

Tumor microenvironment (TME) formation is a major cause of immunosuppression. The TME consists of a considerable number of macrophages and stromal cells that have been identified in multiple tumor types. CCL2 is the strongest chemoattractant involved in macrophage recruitment and a powerful initiator of inflammation. Evidence indicates that CCL2 can attract other host cells in the TME and direct their differentiation in cooperation with other cytokines. Overall, CCL2 has an unfavorable effect on prognosis in tumor patients because of the accumulation of immunosuppressive cell subtypes. However, there is also evidence demonstrating that CCL2 enhances the anti-tumor capability of specific cell types such as inflammatory monocytes and neutrophils. The inflammation state of the tumor seems to have a bi-lateral role in tumor progression. Here, we review works focusing on the interactions between cancer cells and host cells, and on the biological role of CCL2 in these processes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepanjali Dwivedi ◽  
Upinder S. Bhalla

SK, HCN, and M channels are medium afterhyperpolarization (mAHP)-mediating ion channels. The three channels co-express in various brain regions, and their collective action strongly influences cellular excitability. However, significant diversity exists in the expression of channel isoforms in distinct brain regions and various subcellular compartments, which contributes to an equally diverse set of specific neuronal functions. The current review emphasizes the collective behavior of the three classes of mAHP channels and discusses how these channels function together although they play specialized roles. We discuss the biophysical properties of these channels, signaling pathways that influence the activity of the three mAHP channels, various chemical modulators that alter channel activity and their therapeutic potential in treating various neurological anomalies. Additionally, we discuss the role of mAHP channels in the pathophysiology of various neurological diseases and how their modulation can alleviate some of the symptoms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Welcker ◽  
Cornelia Stein ◽  
Natalia Martins Feitosa ◽  
Joy Armistead ◽  
Jin-Li Zhang ◽  
...  

AbstractThe extracellular matrix architecture is composed of supramolecular fibrillar networks that define tissue specific cellular microenvironments. Hemicentins (Hmcn1 and Hmcn2) are ancient and very large members (> 600 kDa) of the fibulin family, whose short members are known to guide proper morphology and functional behavior of specialized cell types predominantly in elastic tissues. However, the tissue distribution and function of Hemicentins within the cellular microenvironment of connective tissues has remained largely unknown. Performing in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence analyses, we found that mouse Hmcn1 and Hmcn2 show a complementary distribution throughout different tissues and developmental stages. In postnatal dermal–epidermal junctions (DEJ) and myotendinous junctions (MTJ), Hmcn1 is primarily produced by mesenchymal cells (fibroblasts, tenocytes), Hmcn2 by cells of epithelial origin (keratinocytes, myocytes). Hmcn1−/− mice are viable and show no overt phenotypes in tissue tensile strength and locomotion tests. However, transmission electron microscopy revealed ultrastructural basement membrane (BM) alterations at the DEJ and MTJ of Hmcn1−/− mice, pointing to a thus far unknown role of Hmcn1 for BM and connective tissue boundary integrity.


1971 ◽  
Vol 230 (12) ◽  
pp. 126-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. A. JOHN ◽  
M. S. CAMPO ◽  
A. M. MACKENZIE ◽  
R. B. KEMP

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip R. Jansen ◽  
Kyoko Watanabe ◽  
Sven Stringer ◽  
Nathan Skene ◽  
Julien Bryois ◽  
...  

AbstractInsomnia is the second-most prevalent mental disorder, with no sufficient treatment available. Despite a substantial role of genetic factors, only a handful of genes have been implicated and insight into the associated neurobiological pathways remains limited. Here, we use an unprecedented large genetic association sample (N=1,331,010) to allow detection of a substantial number of genetic variants and gain insight into biological functions, cell types and tissues involved in insomnia complaints. We identify 202 genome-wide significant loci implicating 956 genes through positional, eQTL and chromatin interaction mapping. We show involvement of the axonal part of neurons, of specific cortical and subcortical tissues, and of two specific cell-types in insomnia: striatal medium spiny neurons and hypothalamic neurons. These cell-types have been implicated previously in the regulation of reward processing, sleep and arousal in animal studies, but have never been genetically linked to insomnia in humans. We found weak genetic correlations with other sleep-related traits, but strong genetic correlations with psychiatric and metabolic traits. Mendelian randomization identified causal effects of insomnia on specific psychiatric and metabolic traits. Our findings reveal key brain areas and cells implicated in the neurobiology of insomnia and its related disorders, and provide novel targets for treatment.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Congyao Zha ◽  
Carole A Farah ◽  
Vladimir Fonov ◽  
David A. Rudko ◽  
Wayne S Sossin

AbstractPurposeThe non-classical Small Optic Lobe (SOL) family of calpains are intracellular cysteine proteases that are expressed in the nervous system and appear to play an important role in neuronal development in both Drosophila, where loss of this calpain leads to the eponymous small optic lobes, and in mouse and human, where loss of this calpain (Capn15) leads to eye anomalies. However, the brain regions where this calpain is expressed and the areas most affected by the loss of this calpain have not been carefully examined.ProceduresWe utilize an insert strain where lacZ is expressed under the control of the Capn15 promoter, together with immunocytochemistry with markers of specific cell types to address where Capn 15 is expressed in the brain. We use small animal MRI comparing WT, Capn15 knockout and Capn15 conditional knockout mice to address the brain regions that are affected when Capn 15 is not present, either in early development of the adult.ResultsCapn15 is expressed in diverse brain regions, many of them involved in plasticity such as the hippocampus, lateral amygdala and Purkinje neurons. Capn15 knockout mice have smaller brains, and present specific deficits in the thalamus and hippocampal regions. There are no deficits revealed by MRI in brain regions when Capn15 is knocked out after development.ConclusionsAreas where Capn15 is expressed in the adult are not good markers for the specific regions where the loss of Capn15 specifically affects brain development. Thus, it is likely that this calpain plays distinct roles in brain development and brain plasticity.


Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1332
Author(s):  
Walee Chamulitrat ◽  
Chutima Jansakun ◽  
Huili Li ◽  
Gerhard Liebisch

Polymorphisms of group VIA calcium-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2β or PLA2G6) are positively associated with adiposity, blood lipids, and Type-2 diabetes. The ubiquitously expressed iPLA2β catalyzes the hydrolysis of phospholipids (PLs) to generate a fatty acid and a lysoPL. We studied the role of iPLA2β on PL metabolism in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). By using global deletion iPLA2β-null mice, we investigated three NAFLD mouse models; genetic Ob/Ob and long-term high-fat-diet (HFD) feeding (representing obese NAFLD) as well as feeding with methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) diet (representing non-obese NAFLD). A decrease of hepatic PLs containing monounsaturated- and polyunsaturated fatty acids and a decrease of the ratio between PLs and cholesterol esters were observed in all three NAFLD models. iPLA2β deficiency rescued these decreases in obese, but not in non-obese, NAFLD models. iPLA2β deficiency elicited protection against fatty liver and obesity in the order of Ob/Ob › HFD » MCD. Liver inflammation was not protected in HFD NAFLD, and that liver fibrosis was even exaggerated in non-obese MCD model. Thus, the rescue of hepatic PL remodeling defect observed in iPLA2β-null mice was critical for the protection against NAFLD and obesity. However, iPLA2β deletion in specific cell types such as macrophages may render liver inflammation and fibrosis, independent of steatosis protection.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document