Comparative analysis of the role of small G proteins in cell migration and cell death: Cytoprotective and promigratory effects of RalA
- Department of Pharmacology, Brain Science and Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju (Korea, Republic of)
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)
Small G protein superfamily consists of more than 150 members, and is classified into six families: the Ras, Rho, Rab, Arf, Ran, and RGK families. They regulate a wide variety of cell functions such as cell proliferation/differentiation, cytoskeletal reorganization, vesicle trafficking, nucleocytoplasmic transport and microtubule organization. The small G proteins have also been shown to regulate cell death/survival and cell shape. In this study, we compared the role of representative members of the six families of small G proteins in cell migration and cell death/survival, two cellular phenotypes that are associated with inflammation, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. Our results show that small G proteins of the six families differentially regulate cell death and cell cycle distribution. In particular, our results indicate that Rho family of small G proteins is antiapoptotic. Ras, Rho, and Ran families promoted cell migration. There was no significant correlation between the cell death- and cell migration-regulating activities of the small G proteins. Nevertheless, RalA was not only cytoprotective against multiple chemotherapeutic drugs, but also promigratory inducing stress fiber formation, which was accompanied by the activation of Akt and Erk pathways. Our study provides a framework for further systematic investigation of small G proteins in the perspectives of cell death/survival and motility in inflammation and cancer.
- OSTI ID:
- 22212165
- Journal Information:
- Experimental Cell Research, Vol. 317, Issue 14; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0014-4827
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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