http://hdl.handle.net/10033/6880 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:12:54 GMT 2013-06-19T18:12:54Z http://hdl.handle.net/10033/213811 Title: RhoA is dispensable for skin development, but crucial for contraction and directed migration of keratinocytes. Authors: Jackson, Ben; Peyrollier, Karine; Pedersen, Esben; Basse, Astrid; Karlsson, Richard; Wang, Zhipeng; Lefever, Tine; Ochsenbein, Alexandra M; Schmidt, Gudula; Aktories, Klaus; Stanley, Alanna; Quondamatteo, Fabio; Ladwein, Markus; Rottner, Klemens; van Hengel, Jolanda; Brakebusch, Cord Abstract: RhoA is a small guanosine-5'-triphosphatase (GTPase) suggested to be essential for cytokinesis, stress fiber formation, and epithelial cell-cell contacts. In skin, loss of RhoA was suggested to underlie pemphigus skin blistering. To analyze RhoA function in vivo, we generated mice with a keratinocyte-restricted deletion of the RhoA gene. Despite a severe reduction of cofilin and myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation, these mice showed normal skin development. Primary RhoA-null keratinocytes, however, displayed an increased percentage of multinucleated cells, defective maturation of cell-cell contacts. Furthermore we observed increased cell spreading due to impaired RhoA-ROCK (Rho-associated protein kinase)-MLC phosphatase-MLC-mediated cell contraction, independent of Rac1. Rho-inhibiting toxins further increased multinucleation of RhoA-null cells but had no significant effect on spreading, suggesting that RhoB and RhoC have partially overlapping functions with RhoA. Loss of RhoA decreased directed cell migration in vitro caused by reduced migration speed and directional persistence. These defects were not related to the decreased cell contraction and were independent of ROCK, as ROCK inhibition by Y27632 increased directed migration of both control and RhoA-null keratinocytes. Our data indicate a crucial role for RhoA and contraction in regulating cell spreading and a contraction-independent function of RhoA in keratinocyte migration. In addition, our data show that RhoA is dispensable for skin development. Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10033/213811 2011-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10033/209453 Title: Cortactin deficiency is associated with reduced neutrophil recruitment but increased vascular permeability in vivo. Authors: Schnoor, Michael; Lai, Frank P L; Zarbock, Alexander; Kläver, Ruth; Polaschegg, Christian; Schulte, Dörte; Weich, Herbert A; Oelkers, J Margit; Rottner, Klemens; Vestweber, Dietmar Abstract: Neutrophil extravasation and the regulation of vascular permeability require dynamic actin rearrangements in the endothelium. In this study, we analyzed in vivo whether these processes require the function of the actin nucleation-promoting factor cortactin. Basal vascular permeability for high molecular weight substances was enhanced in cortactin-deficient mice. Despite this leakiness, neutrophil extravasation in the tumor necrosis factor-stimulated cremaster was inhibited by the loss of cortactin. The permeability defect was caused by reduced levels of activated Rap1 (Ras-related protein 1) in endothelial cells and could be rescued by activating Rap1 via the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) exchange factor EPAC (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP). The defect in neutrophil extravasation was caused by enhanced rolling velocity and reduced adhesion in postcapillary venules. Impaired rolling interactions were linked to contributions of β(2)-integrin ligands, and firm adhesion was compromised by reduced ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1) clustering around neutrophils. A signaling process known to be critical for the formation of ICAM-1-enriched contact areas and for transendothelial migration, the ICAM-1-mediated activation of the GTPase RhoG was blocked in cortactin-deficient endothelial cells. Our results represent the first physiological evidence that cortactin is crucial for orchestrating the molecular events leading to proper endothelial barrier function and leukocyte recruitment in vivo. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10033/209453 2011-08-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10033/136956 Title: RhoA is dispensable for skin development, but crucial for contraction and directed migration of keratinocytes. Authors: Jackson, Ben; Peyrollier, Karine; Pedersen, Esben; Basse, Astrid; Karlsson, Richard; Wang, Zhipeng; Lefever, Tine; Ochsenbein, Alexandra M; Schmidt, Gudula; Aktories, Klaus; Stanley, Alanna; Quondamatteo, Fabio; Ladwein, Markus; Rottner, Klemens; van Hengel, Jolanda; Brakebusch, Cord Abstract: RhoA is a small guanosine-5'-triphosphatase (GTPase) suggested to be essential for cytokinesis, stress fiber formation, and epithelial cell-cell contacts. In skin, loss of RhoA was suggested to underlie pemphigus skin blistering. To analyze RhoA function in vivo, we generated mice with a keratinocyte-restricted deletion of the RhoA gene. Despite a severe reduction of cofilin and myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation, these mice showed normal skin development. Primary RhoA-null keratinocytes, however, displayed an increased percentage of multinucleated cells, defective maturation of cell-cell contacts. Furthermore we observed increased cell spreading due to impaired RhoA-ROCK (Rho-associated protein kinase)-MLC phosphatase-MLC-mediated cell contraction, independent of Rac1. Rho-inhibiting toxins further increased multinucleation of RhoA-null cells but had no significant effect on spreading, suggesting that RhoB and RhoC have partially overlapping functions with RhoA. Loss of RhoA decreased directed cell migration in vitro caused by reduced migration speed and directional persistence. These defects were not related to the decreased cell contraction and were independent of ROCK, as ROCK inhibition by Y27632 increased directed migration of both control and RhoA-null keratinocytes. Our data indicate a crucial role for RhoA and contraction in regulating cell spreading and a contraction-independent function of RhoA in keratinocyte migration. In addition, our data show that RhoA is dispensable for skin development. Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10033/136956 2011-03-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10033/132609 Title: Introduction to Small GTPases Authors: Williams, Michael J.; Rottner, Klemens Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10033/132609 2010-07-01T00:00:00Z