Browsing by Subject "Rac1"

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    Ovarian cancer G protein coupled receptor 1 suppresses cell migration of MCF7 breast cancer cells via a Gα12/13-Rho-Rac1 pathway
    (Ubiquity Press, 2013-05-10) Li, Jing; Guo, Bin; Wang, Jing; Cheng, Xiaoyan; Xu, Yan; Sang, Jianli; Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine
    Background: Ovarian cancer G protein coupled receptor 1 (OGR1) mediates inhibitory effects on cell migration in human prostate and ovarian cancer cells. However, the mechanisms and signaling pathways that mediate these inhibitory effects are essentially unknown. Methods: MCF7 cell line was chosen as a model system to study the mechanisms by which OGR1 regulates cell migration, since it expresses very low levels of endogenous OGR1. Cell migratory activities were assessed using both wound healing and transwell migration assays. The signaling pathways involved were studied using pharmacological inhibitors and genetic forms of the relevant genes, as well as small G protein pull-down activity assays. The expression levels of various signaling molecules were analyzed by Western blot and quantitative PCR analysis. Results: Over-expression of OGR1 in MCF7 cells substantially enhanced activation of Rho and inhibition of Rac1, resulting in inhibition of cell migration. In addition, expression of the Gα12/13 specific regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) domain of p115RhoGEF, but not treatment with pertussis toxin (PTX, a Gαi specific inhibitor), could abrogate OGR1-dependent Rho activation, Rac1 inactivation, and inhibition of migration in MCF7 cells. The bioactive lipids tested had no effect on OGR1 function in cell migration. Conclusion: Our data suggest, for the first time, that OGR1 inhibits cell migration through a Gα12/13 -Rho-Rac1 signaling pathway in MCF7 cells. This pathway was not significantly affected by bioactive lipids and all the assays were conducted at constant pH, suggesting a constitutive activity of OGR1. This is the first clear delineation of an OGR1-mediated cell signaling pathway involved in migration.
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    Signaling of the p21-activated kinase (PAK1) coordinates insulin-stimulated actin remodeling and glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells
    (Elsevier B.V., 2014-11-15) Tunduguru, Ragadeepthi; Chiu, Tim T.; Ramalingam, Latha; Elmendorf, Jeffrey S.; Klip, Amira; Thurmond, Debbie C.; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, IU School of Medicine
    Skeletal muscle accounts for ~80% of postprandial glucose clearance, and skeletal muscle glucose clearance is crucial for maintaining insulin sensitivity and euglycemia. Insulin-stimulated glucose clearance/uptake entails recruitment of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) to the plasma membrane (PM) in a process that requires cortical F-actin remodeling; this process is dysregulated in Type 2 Diabetes. Recent studies have implicated PAK1 as a required element in GLUT4 recruitment in mouse skeletal muscle in vivo, although its underlying mechanism of action and requirement in glucose uptake remains undetermined. Toward this, we have employed the PAK1 inhibitor, IPA3, in studies using L6-GLUT4-myc muscle cells. IPA3 fully ablated insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation to the PM, corroborating the observation of ablated insulin-stimulated GLUT4 accumulation in the PM of skeletal muscle from PAK1−/− knockout mice. IPA3-treatment also abolished insulin-stimulated glucose uptake into skeletal myotubes. Mechanistically, live-cell imaging of myoblasts expressing the F-actin biosensor LifeAct-GFP treated with IPA3 showed blunting of the normal insulin-induced cortical actin remodeling. This blunting was underpinned by a loss of normal insulin-stimulated cofilin dephosphorylation in IPA3-treated myoblasts. These findings expand upon the existing model of actin remodeling in glucose uptake, by placing insulin-stimulated PAK1 signaling as a required upstream step to facilitate actin remodeling and subsequent cofilin dephosphorylation. Active, dephosphorylated cofilin then provides the G-actin substrate for continued F-actin remodeling to facilitate GLUT4 vesicle translocation for glucose uptake into the skeletal muscle cell.