scholarly journals The RhoGAP SPV-1 regulates calcium signaling to control the contractility of theC. elegansspermatheca during embryo transits

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff Bouffard ◽  
Alyssa D. Cecchetelli ◽  
Coleman Clifford ◽  
Kriti Sethi ◽  
Ronen Zaidel-Bar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Calcium Signaling ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Calcium Release ◽  
Small Gtpase ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Calcium Signal ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Spatial Regulation ◽  
Calcium Indicator

AbstractContractility of the non-muscle and smooth muscle cells that comprise biological tubing is regulated by the Rho-ROCK and calcium signaling pathways. Although many molecular details about these signaling pathways are known, less is known about how they are coordinated spatiotemporally in biological tubes. The spermatheca of theC. elegansreproductive system enables study of the signaling pathways regulating actomyosin contractility in live adult animals. The RhoGAP SPV-1 was previously identified as a negative regulator of RHO-1/Rho and spermathecal contractility. Here, we uncover a role for SPV-1 as a key regulator of calcium signaling.spv-1mutants expressing the calcium indicator GCaMP in the spermatheca exhibit premature calcium release, elevated calcium levels, and disrupted spatial regulation of calcium signaling during spermathecal contraction. Although RHO-1 is required for spermathecal contractility, RHO-1 does not play a significant role in regulating calcium. In contrast, activation of CDC-42 recapitulates many aspects ofspv-1mutant calcium signaling. Depletion ofcdc-42by RNAi does not suppress the premature or elevated calcium signal seen inspv-1mutants, suggesting other targets remain to be identified. Our results suggest SPV-1 works through both the Rho-ROCK and calcium signaling pathways to coordinate cellular contractility.Highlight SummaryThroughin vivoimaging of the calcium sensor GCaMP, we show that the RhoGAP SPV-1 is a key regulator of calcium signaling in theC. elegansspermatheca. Our data suggests SPV-1 acts at least partially through the small GTPase CDC-42 to modulate calcium signaling, while also acting on RHO-1 to modulate Rho-ROCK signaling. This places SPV-1 as a central regulator of cellular contractility.

scholarly journals The RhoGAP SPV-1 regulates calcium signaling to control the contractility of theCaenorhabditis elegansspermatheca during embryo transits

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 907-922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff Bouffard ◽  
Alyssa D. Cecchetelli ◽  
Coleman Clifford ◽  
Kriti Sethi ◽  
Ronen Zaidel-Bar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Calcium Signaling ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Calcium Release ◽  
Small Gtpases ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Calcium Signal ◽  
Spatial Regulation ◽  
Actomyosin Contractility ◽  
Calcium Indicator ◽  
Rho Family

Contractility of the nonmuscle and smooth muscle cells that comprise biological tubing is regulated by the Rho-ROCK (Rho-associated protein kinase) and calcium signaling pathways. Although many molecular details about these signaling pathways are known, less is known about how they are coordinated spatiotemporally in biological tubes. The spermatheca of the Caenorhabditis elegans reproductive system enables study of the signaling pathways regulating actomyosin contractility in live adult animals. The RhoGAP (GTPase-­activating protein toward Rho family small GTPases) SPV-1 was previously identified as a negative regulator of RHO-1/Rho and spermathecal contractility. Here, we uncover a role for SPV-1 as a key regulator of calcium signaling. spv-1 mutants expressing the calcium indicator GCaMP in the spermatheca exhibit premature calcium release, elevated calcium levels, and disrupted spatial regulation of calcium signaling during spermathecal contraction. Although RHO-1 is required for spermathecal contractility, RHO-1 does not play a significant role in regulating calcium. In contrast, activation of CDC-42 recapitulates many aspects of spv-1 mutant calcium signaling. Depletion of cdc-42 by RNA interference does not suppress the premature or elevated calcium signal seen in spv-1 mutants, suggesting other targets remain to be identified. Our results suggest that SPV-1 works through both the Rho-ROCK and calcium signaling pathways to coordinate cellular contractility.

scholarly journals Rap2 and TNIK control Plexin-dependent tiled synaptic innervation in C. elegans

eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Chen ◽  
Akihiro CE Shibata ◽  
Ardalan Hendi ◽  
Mizuki Kurashina ◽  
Ethan Fortes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Small Gtpase ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Gtpase Activity ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Receptor Interactions ◽  
Presynaptic Assembly ◽  
Intracellular Mechanisms

During development, neurons form synapses with their fate-determined targets. While we begin to elucidate the mechanisms by which extracellular ligand-receptor interactions enhance synapse specificity by inhibiting synaptogenesis, our knowledge about their intracellular mechanisms remains limited. Here we show that Rap2 GTPase (rap-2) and its effector, TNIK (mig-15), act genetically downstream of Plexin (plx-1) to restrict presynaptic assembly and to form tiled synaptic innervation in C. elegans. Both constitutively GTP- and GDP-forms of rap-2 mutants exhibit synaptic tiling defects as plx-1 mutants, suggesting that cycling of the RAP-2 nucleotide state is critical for synapse inhibition. Consistently, PLX-1 suppresses local RAP-2 activity. Excessive ectopic synapse formation in mig-15 mutants causes a severe synaptic tiling defect. Conversely, overexpression of mig-15 strongly inhibited synapse formation, suggesting that mig-15 is a negative regulator of synapse formation. These results reveal that subcellular regulation of small GTPase activity by Plexin shapes proper synapse patterning in vivo.

scholarly journals Rap2 and TNIK control Plexin-dependent synaptic tiling in C. elegans

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Chen ◽  
Akihiro C.E. Shibata ◽  
Ardalan Hendi ◽  
Mizuki Kurashina ◽  
Ethan Fortes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Small Gtpase ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Gtpase Activity ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Receptor Interactions ◽  
Presynaptic Assembly ◽  
Intracellular Mechanisms

AbstractDuring development, neurons form synapses with their fate-determined targets. While we begin to elucidate the mechanisms by which extracellular ligand-receptor interactions enhance synapse specificity by inhibiting synaptogenesis, our knowledge about their intracellular mechanisms remains limited. Here we show that Rap2 GTPase (rap-2) and its effector, TNIK (mig-15), act downstream of Plexin (plx-1) to restrict presynaptic assembly and to form tiled synaptic innervation in C. elegans. Both constitutively GTP- and GDP-forms of rap-2 mutants exhibit synaptic tiling defects as plx-1 mutants, suggesting that cycling of the RAP-2 nucleotide state is critical for synapse inhibition. Consistently, RAP-2 activity is locally suppressed by PLX-1. Excessive ectopic synapse formation in mig-15 mutants causes a severe synaptic tiling defect. Conversely, overexpression of mig-15 strongly inhibited synapse formation, suggesting that mig-15 is a negative regulator of synapse formation. These results reveal that subcellular regulation of small GTPase activity by Plexin shapes proper synapse patterning in vivo.

scholarly journals The Headpiece Domain of Dematin Regulates Cell Shape, Motility, and Wound Healing by Modulating RhoA Activation

2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (15) ◽  
pp. 4712-4718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morvarid Mohseni ◽  
Athar H. Chishti
Keyword(s):  
Wound Healing ◽  
Focal Adhesion Kinase ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Mouse Skin ◽  
Fiber Formation ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Rhoa Activation ◽  
Primary Mouse

ABSTRACT RhoA is known to participate in cytoskeletal remodeling events through several signaling pathways, yet the precise mechanism of its activation remains unknown. Here, we provide the first evidence that dematin functions upstream of RhoA and regulates its activation. Primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts were generated from a dematin headpiece domain null (HPKO) mouse, and the visualization of the actin morphology revealed a time-dependent defect in stress fiber formation, membrane protrusions, cell motility, and cell adhesion. Rescue experiments using RNA interference and transfection assays revealed that the observed phenotypes are due to a null effect and not a gain of function in the mutant fibroblasts. In vivo wounding of adult HPKO mouse skin showed a decrease in wound healing (reepithelialization and granulation) compared to the wild-type control. Biochemical analysis of the HPKO fibroblasts revealed a sustained hyperphosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) at tyrosine 397 as well as a twofold increase in RhoA activation. Inhibition of both RhoA and FAK signaling using C3 toxin and FRNK (focal adhesion kinase nonrelated kinase), respectively, revealed that dematin acts upstream of RhoA. Together, these results unveil a new function of dematin as a negative regulator of the RhoA activation pathway with physiological implications for normal and pathogenic signaling pathways.

scholarly journals Neuronal KGB-1 JNK MAPK signaling regulates the dauer developmental decision in response to environmental stress in C. elegans

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepshikha Dogra ◽  
Warakorn Kulalert ◽  
Frank Schroeder ◽  
Dennis H Kim
Keyword(s):  
Elevated Temperature ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Mapk Pathway ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Metabolic Remodeling ◽  
Dauer Formation ◽  
Identification And Characterization

In response to stressful growth conditions of high population density, food scarcity and elevated temperature, young larvae of nematode Caenorhabditis elegans can enter a developmentally arrested stage called dauer that is characterized by dramatic anatomic and metabolic remodeling. Genetic analysis of dauer formation of C. elegans has served as an experimental paradigm for the identification and characterization of conserved neuroendocrine signaling pathways. Here, we report the identification and characterization of a conserved JNK-like mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway that is required for dauer formation in response to environmental stressors. We observed that loss-of-function mutations in the MLK-1-MEK-1-KGB-1 MAPK pathway suppress dauer entry. Loss-of-function mutation in the VHP-1 MAPK phosphatase, a known negative regulator of KGB-1 signaling, results in constitutive dauer formation which is dependent on the presence of dauer pheromone but independent of diminished food levels or elevated temperatures. Our data suggest that KGB-1 pathway acts in the sensory neurons, in parallel to established insulin and TGF-β signaling pathways, to transduce the dauer-inducing environmental cues of diminished food levels and elevated temperature.

scholarly journals RHO-1 and the Rho GEF RHGF-1 interact with UNC-6/Netrin signaling to regulate growth cone protrusion and microtubule organization in C. elegans

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahekta R. Gujar ◽  
Aubrie M. Stricker ◽  
Erik A. Lundquist
Keyword(s):  
Axon Guidance ◽  
Growth Cone ◽  
Neural Circuit ◽  
Growth Cones ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Microtubule Organization ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Guidance Cue ◽  
Rho Gef

AbstractUNC-6/Netrin is a conserved axon guidance cue that directs growth cone migrations in the dorsal-ventral axis of C. elegans and in the vertebrate spinal cord. UNC-6/Netrin is expressed in ventral cells, and growth cones migrate ventrally toward or dorsally away from UNC-6/Netrin. Recent studies of growth cone behavior during outgrowth in vivo in C. elegans have led to a polarity/protrusion model in directed growth cone migration away from UNC-6/Netrin. In this model, UNC-6/Netrin first polarizes the growth cone via the UNC-5 receptor, leading to dorsally biased protrusion and F-actin accumulation. UNC-6/Netrin then regulates protrusion based on this polarity. The receptor UNC-40/DCC drives protrusion dorsally, away from the UNC-6/Netrin source, and the UNC-5 receptor inhibits protrusion ventrally, near the UNC-6/Netrin source, resulting in dorsal migration. UNC-5 inhibits protrusion in part by excluding microtubules from the growth cone, which are pro-protrusive. Here we report that the RHO-1/RhoA GTPase and its activator GEF RHGF-1 inhibit growth cone protrusion and MT accumulation in growth cones, similar to UNC-5. However, growth cone polarity of protrusion and F-actin were unaffected by RHO-1 and RHGF-1. Thus, RHO-1 signaling acts specifically as a negative regulator of protrusion and MT accumulation, and not polarity. Genetic interactions suggest that RHO-1 and RHGF-1 act with UNC-5, as well as with a parallel pathway, to regulate protrusion. The cytoskeletal interacting molecule UNC-33/CRMP was required for RHO-1 activity to inhibit MT accumulation, suggesting that UNC-33/CRMP might act downstream of RHO-1. In sum, these studies describe a new role of RHO-1 and RHGF-1 in regulation of growth cone protrusion by UNC-6/Netrin.Author SummaryNeural circuits are formed by precise connections between axons. During axon formation, the growth cone leads the axon to its proper target in a process called axon guidance. Growth cone outgrowth involves asymmetric protrusion driven by extracellular cues that stimulate and inhibit protrusion. How guidance cues regulate growth cone protrusion in neural circuit formation is incompletely understood. This work shows that the signaling molecule RHO-1 acts downstream of the UNC-6/Netrin guidance cue to inhibit growth cone protrusion in part by excluding microtubules from the growth cone, which are structural elements that drive protrusion.

scholarly journals The Amyloid Precursor-like Protein APL-1 Regulates Axon Regeneration

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lewie Zeng ◽  
Rachid El Bejjani ◽  
Marc Hammarlund
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Neuronal Development ◽  
Axon Regeneration ◽  
Neuronal Response ◽  
Small Gtpase ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Mature Neurons ◽  
And Function

AbstractMembers of the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) family have important functions during neuronal development. However, their physiological functions in the mature nervous system are not fully understood. Here we use the C. elegans GABAergic motor neurons to study the post-developmental function of the APP-like protein APL-1 in vivo. We find that apl-1 has minimum roles in the maintenance of gross neuron morphology and function. However, we show that apl-1 is an inhibitor of axon regeneration, acting on mature neurons to limit regrowth in response to injury. The small GTPase Rab6/RAB-6.2 also inhibits regeneration, and does so in part by maintaining protein levels of APL-1. To inhibit regeneration, APL-1 functions via the E2 domain of its ectodomain; the cytoplasmic tail, transmembrane anchoring, and the E1 domain are not required for this function. Our data defines a novel role for APL-1 in modulating the neuronal response to injury.

μ Opioid Receptor Stimulates a Growth Promoting and Pro-Angiogenic Tumor Microenvironment by Transactivating VEGF Receptor-2/Flk-1.

Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 3687-3687
Author(s):  
Elliot J. Stephenson ◽  
Humberto J. Martinez-Suarez ◽  
Mariya Farooqui ◽  
Debabrata Mukhopadhyay ◽  
Deborah A. Hughes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Microenvironment ◽  
Tumor Growth ◽  
Opioid Receptor ◽  
Calcium Release ◽  
Small Gtpase ◽  
Endothelial Cell Proliferation ◽  
Vegf Receptor ◽  
Growth Promoting ◽  
Stimulation Of

Abstract Like VEGF, morphine stimulates MAPK/ERK and Akt, leading to the promotion of angiogenesis via NO dependent signaling (Cancer Res62: 4491, 2002). Morphine acts via pertussis toxin (PT)-dependent G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRS), while VEGF acts via receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). We showed that PT-dependent GPCRs transactivate VEGF receptor-2/Flk1 via small GTPase RhoA (JBC277: 4679, 2002; JBC278:20738, 2003). Therefore, we hypothesized that morphine via the mu opioid receptor (MOR) transactivates Flk1 and promotes a pro-angiogenic microenvironment. Morphine-induced proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was completely abrogated by Y-27632 (100 μM), a highly selective and potent inhibitor of Rho-associated protein kinases, suggesting the activation of Rho signaling by morphine. Addition of 1 μM morphine potentiated VEGF-induced (10 ng/ml) proliferation of HUVEC by 25%. We observed a 30% increase in intracellular calcium release after VEGF stimulation of HUVEC pre-incubated with morphine as compared to HUVEC pre-incubated with PBS, detected by a change in the fluorescence ratio of the Fura-2 AM dye. These findings show that morphine, via MOR and Rho signaling, transactivates Flk1 leading to the stimulation of calcium signaling and endothelial cell proliferation. To functionally corroborate our hypothesis, we used MOR knockout (MOR-KO) mice and injected them with MOR-replete T241 fibrosarcoma cells. T241 fibrosarcoma tumor growth in vivo showed appearance of palpable and measurable tumors 2 days earlier in wild type (wt) as compared to MOR-KO mice. Tumor growth and angiogenesis were decreased by 20–35% in MOR-KO mice as compared to wt littermates during 3 weeks of tumor growth. None of the MOR-KO showed signs of lung metastasis versus 40% wt mice with metastasis. Morphine (1.42 for the first 2 wks and 2.14 mg/Kg/day later, respectively) stimulated 20–35% tumor growth in wt, but not in MOR-KO mice. Western immunoblotting showed a 10-fold increase in the expression of phospho-Flk1 in morphine treated wt tumors as compared to PBS-treated wt mice. Morphine did not stimulate phospho-Flk1 expression in MOR-KO mice. Western analysis of immunoprecipitates obtained with α-MOR antibody showed the expression of Flk1 and phospho-Flk1 in wt, but were not expressed in MOR-KO tumors. Thus, MOR stimulates the transactivation of Flk1 in wt mice but not in MOR-KO. These in vitro and in vivo data using MOR-KO mice and the MOR agonist, morphine, show that MOR stimulates endothelial proliferation, angiogenesis and promotes tumor growth and metastasis directly as well as by transactivating Flk1 phosphorylation. We speculate that MOR is a critical component of the ‘angiogenic switch’, which regulates the pro-angiogenic and growth promoting tumor microenvironment. Thus, MOR provides a novel target for developing anti-angiogenic therapies.

LIF transduces contradictory signals on capillary outgrowth through induction of stat3 and (P41/43)MAP kinase

2000 ◽  
Vol 113 (23) ◽  
pp. 4331-4339 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Paradis ◽  
R.L. Gendron
Keyword(s):  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Tyrosine Kinases ◽  
Mapk Pathway ◽  
Present Report ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Mapk Cascade ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase

The signaling pathways regulating blood vessel growth and development are not well understood. In the present report, an in vitro model was used to identify signaling pathways regulating capillary formation in embryonic endothelial cells. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plus leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) optimally stimulate the formation of capillary-like structures of the embryonic endothelial cell line IEM. LIF stimulation of IEM cells leads to activation of the Stat3 as well as the (P41/43)mitogen-activated protein kinase ((P41/43)MAPK) cascade, while bFGF does not activate Stat3 but does induce the (P41/43)MAPK cascade. Inhibition of Stat3 DNA-binding activity by expression of a dominant inhibitory Stat3 mutant increases the capillary outgrowth of the IEM cells induced by LIF. Increased Stat3 activity by overexpression of the wild-type Stat3 greatly reduced capillary outgrowth. In contrast, inhibition of the (P41/43)MAPK cascade using a MEK-1 inhibitor dramatically inhibits the LIF-induced capillary outgrowth. Moreover, the increased formation of capillary-like structures of the IEM cells mediated by Stat3 inhibition does not overcome the requirement for activation of the (P41/43)MAPK pathway for capillary outgrowth. Stat3 activity correlates with the LIF-induced expression of the negative feedback regulators of the Janus (JAK) family of tyrosine kinases, SOCS-1 and SOCS-3. These results provide evidence that Stat3 acts as a negative regulator of capillary outgrowth, possibly by increasing SOCS-1 or SOCS-3 expression. The contradictory signals stimulated by LIF could be necessary to control the intensity of the response leading to capillary outgrowth in vivo.

Adenine-based calcium signal pathway messengers: Synthesis and agonistic properties of cyclic ADP-ribose analogs

2008 ◽  
Vol 80 (8) ◽  
pp. 1821-1825
Author(s):  
Liangren Zhang ◽  
Zhenjun Yang ◽  
Andreas H. Guse ◽  
Lihe Zhang
Keyword(s):  
T Lymphocytes ◽  
Calcium Signaling ◽  
Molecular Mechanism ◽  
Calcium Release ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Signal Pathway ◽  
Calcium Signal ◽  
Structure Activity Relationships ◽  
Structure Activity ◽  
Cyclic Adp Ribose

A series of cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) analogs, in which modifications mainly focused on riboses, was synthesized in order to explore the molecular mechanism of calcium release regulated by cADPR. Biological activities investigated in intact T-lymphocytes showed that the structurally simplified analogs, N1-ethoxymethyl-substituted cyclic inosine diphosphoribose (cIDPRE), N1,N9-diethoxymethyl-substituted cyclic inosine diphosphoribose (cIDPDE), and N1-ethoxymethyl-substituted cyclic adenosine diphosphoribose (cADPRE) in which the northern ribose or both northern and southern riboses were replaced by ether linkages are membrane-permeant and induce calcium release from intracellular stores. This research has provided novel molecules to probe cADPR-mediated calcium signaling and enlarges our knowledge of the structure-activity relationships of cADPR analogs.

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