RhoA蛋白和cAMP对人前列腺癌细胞株PC-3形态的影响(简报)

小G蛋白RhoA是细胞内信号转导的重要成分,参与对细胞的多种功能活动的调控。溶血磷脂酸(lysophosphatidicacid,LPA)与多种细胞的G蛋白偶连受体结合而发挥作用,除刺激细胞增殖外,还通过活化RhoA,诱导细胞骨架改变。cAMP是经典的第二信使,其下游激酶PKA可抑制RhoA活性,因此,cAMP在许多细胞活动中对RhoA有拮抗作用。本实验采用人前列腺癌细胞株PC-3,以绿色荧光蛋白(GreenFluorescentProtein,GFP)分别和不同RhoA结构(野生型RhoA、RhoA63L和RhoA188A)的cDNA共同转染细胞,在显微镜下(200倍视野)观察记录未转染细胞和转染细胞在LPA和cAMP作用下的形态变化,研究RhoA和cAMP/PKA介导的信号转导在调控癌细胞形态改变中的作用。     

thoA介导的细胞骨架在肿瘤发生发展中的作用

RhoA是Ras超家族中具有GTP酶活性的一种小G蛋白分子。RhoA在肿瘤组织的高表达与肿瘤的恶性程度密切相关。另外,RhoA的酶活性通过信号通路参与和调节微丝（microfilament,MF）和微管（microtubule,MT）细胞骨架的重排。新近研究表明,活性RhoA调控细胞骨架改变,进而诱导细胞癌变及肿瘤细胞增殖、入侵、转移、屏障功能和凋亡等多种生命活动。因此,研究RhoA介导的细胞骨架在肿瘤发生发展中的作用具有重要意义。该文结合作者的最新研究成果,对RhoA及其分子机制作一综述。     

RhoA介导的细胞骨架在肿瘤发生发展中的作用

RhoA是Ras超家族中具有GTP酶活性的一种小G蛋白分子。RhoA在肿瘤组织的高表达与肿瘤的恶性程度密切相关。另外,RhoA的酶活性通过信号通路参与和调节微丝(microfi lament,MF)和微管(microtubule,MT)细胞骨架的重排。新近研究表明,活性RhoA调控细胞骨架改变,进而诱导细胞癌变及肿瘤细胞增殖、入侵、转移、屏障功能和凋亡等多种生命活动。因此,研究RhoA介导的细胞骨架在肿瘤发生发展中的作用具有重要意义。该文结合作者的最新研究成果,对RhoA及其分子机制作一综述。     

小G蛋白RhoA与细胞发育

细胞发育是细胞内各种复杂反应在时间和空间上有序协调的过程, 包括细胞增殖、胞质分裂、细胞运动、细胞分化和组织生成等．作为G蛋白家族重要成员的RhoA起了重要的调控作用：在G蛋白调控因子(如GEF XPLN、 p115RhoGEF、p190RhoGAP等）的作用下,活化的RhoA依次与效应蛋白分子（如ROCK1/2、 mDia、 PRK1/2、 citron 激酶等）结合, 从而开启了下游的信号通路, 最终使细胞能够迅速地对外界刺激做出反应．干细胞是一类既能自我更新又能特异分化形成终末分化细胞的细胞, 而 RhoA对干细胞的自我更新和定向分化也起着“开关"作用, 对RhoA信号通路的调节调控了胚胎发生、神经发生、造血生成及成骨和肌肉生成等干细胞分化发育过程．肿瘤是正常细胞在各种因素长期作用下增殖异常的产物, 而RhoA异常表达与肿瘤的发生、侵润与转移密切相关, RhoA信号通路与p53等基因的交互作用在肿瘤的发育过程中也发挥了重要的作用．     

精氨酸酶Ⅰ参与环腺苷酸促进脑缺血再灌注大鼠的轴突再生

环腺苷酸（cAMP）作为细胞内的重要第二信使之一,主要通过激活下游cAMP依赖性蛋白激酶A（PKA）,进一步激活转录因子-cAMP效应元件结合蛋（CREB）,达到促进损伤轴突再生的作用.精氨酸酶Ⅰ主要是通过促进多胺的表达,从而克服髓鞘相关抑制因子对轴突再生的抑制作用,达到促进轴突再生的效果.在脑缺血中,cAMP促进轴突再生的过程是否有精氨酸酶Ⅰ的参与及其与RhoA信号通路的关系尚不清楚.本研究采用线栓法制备脑缺血再灌注模型（MACO）,采用Longa 5评分法对大鼠运动功能进行评分,利用逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）和Western蛋白印迹方法分别检测缺血灶周边脑组织生长相关蛋白43（GAP-43）和RhoA的mRNA和蛋白表达,免疫组化法进行GAP-43的形态学检测,作为轴突再生的标志.通过尾静脉注射cAMP类似物db-cAMP增加脑缺血后大鼠脑组织内cAMP的浓度后发现：db-cAMP处理可明显降低MACO大鼠的运动功能评分,且可促进GAP-43 mRNA及蛋白的表达,抑制RhoA mRNA及蛋白的表达,由此可见db-cAMP处理可促进脑缺血后大鼠运动功能的恢复,且这一过程与抑制RhoA通路,进而促进轴突再生有关;通过在db-cAMP的基础上给予精氨酸酶Ⅰ拮抗剂NOHA来降低精氨酸酶Ⅰ的活性发现：给予NOHA的大鼠运动功能评分明显增加,这一变化趋势与RhoA mRNA及蛋白表达的变化趋势相一致,而与GAP-43 mRNA及蛋白表达的变化趋势相反. 因此可推断：精氨酸酶Ⅰ参与了db-cAMP促进轴突再生、改善脑缺血后大鼠运动功能的过程,且与钝化RhoA通路有关.     

整合素与RhoA、蛋白激酶A在肿瘤迁移过程中的作用

整合素是一种重要的细胞表面分子,因介导细胞与细胞外基质的粘附和黏着斑的形成等而在对肿瘤迁移的研究中备受关注。小G蛋白RhoA、蛋白激酶A所介导的信号通路在肿瘤迁移过程中所起的作用也是近年来研究的热点。本文综述整合素与RhoA、PKA在肿瘤迁移过程中的作用以及相互影响。     

ROCK与动脉粥样硬化

Rho相关的卷曲螺旋型蛋白激酶（Rho—associated,coiled-coil containing protein kinase,ROCK）是ras同源家族RhoA（ras homolog family memberA）T游的靶蛋白之一,主要功能是调节肌动蛋白细胞骨架的活动,如细胞粘附、细胞运动、细胞迁移及细胞收缩。实验及临床研究表明R0cK可能与多种心血管疾病如高血压、肺动脉高压、动脉粥样硬化以及脑血管疾病有着很大相关性。此篇综述将总结近期对于RhoA／ROCK通路在调控血管功能中的关键作用并探讨其对于动脉粥样硬化相关疾病的潜在治疗价值。     

植物G蛋白与植物防卫反应

近年来, 植物G蛋白(包括异三聚体G蛋白和小G蛋白)的存在及其信号调控途径已经成为人们研究细胞信号转导过程的热点问题。从多种植物细胞中相继分离克隆出多个与动物G蛋白同源的编码植物G蛋白的基因, 并且植物G蛋白的种类和数量有其独特性。植物G蛋白在植物细胞跨膜信号转导中发挥重要的作用, 参与多种生命活动的调控。本文主要综述了植物G蛋白参与植物防卫反应调节作用的研究进展。     

CREB4基因的表达谱分析和功能初步研究

cAMP反应元件结合蛋白(cAMPresponseelement-bindingproteins,CREB)是一个哺乳动物转录因子家族,通过cAMP反应元件(cAMPresponseelement,CRE)介导cAMP和钙离子依赖性基因表达。CREB4是CREB转录家族的新成员。人肿瘤MTCpanel结果显示,CREB4在人肺癌LX-1、结肠腺癌CX-1、前列腺癌PC-3、结肠癌G1-112和胰腺癌G1-103中有表达。构建表达CREB4-LexA和CREB215~395aa-LexA的pLexA融合质粒分别转化含p8opLacZ报告质粒的酵母EGY48菌株,诱导表达后发现CREB4蛋白为转录激活因子,N端决定其转录激活活性。亚细胞定位结果显示,全长CREB4蛋白定位于细胞质,而缺失C端假定转膜结构域的CREB41~275aa蛋白突变体则转移至细胞核内。表达谱结果显示CREB4蛋白可能在人多种肿瘤组织的基因表达调控中起作用,其C端假定的转膜结构域与其转录激活功能密切相关。     

羽扇豆醇通过抑制RhoA-ROCK1信号通路抑制结肠癌细胞增殖

该文探讨了羽扇豆醇(Lupeol)对人结肠癌HCT116和SW620细胞增殖的影响及相关作用机制。使用不同浓度的Lupeol处理HCT116和SW620细胞后,用MTT法检测细胞活性,CCK8法检测细胞增殖能力,平板克隆实验检测细胞克隆形成能力,流式细胞术检测细胞周期和细胞凋亡,(quantitative real-time PCR,qPCR)和Western blot检测相应mRNA和蛋白表达水平,免疫荧光检测β-Catenin蛋白细胞内分布情况。通过构建shRNA敲低两种结肠癌细胞中RhoA,进一步研究Lupeol影响细胞增殖的分子机制。结果显示,Lupeol处理后,HCT116和SW620细胞增殖能力明显下降,克隆形成能力受到抑制,细胞周期阻滞于G0/G1期,细胞内RhoA、ROCK1、β-Catenin、Cyclin D1 mRNA和蛋白表达水平均显著下降,β-Catenin蛋白胞质和胞膜上分布减少。敲低RhoA后抑制了细胞增殖,同时使得RhoA-ROCK1-β-Catenin信号通路蛋白受到抑制,β-Catenin蛋白胞质和胞膜上分布减少。综上所述,Lupeol可通过抑制RhoA-ROCK1信号通路,抑制β-Catenin蛋白表达,进而抑制HCT116和SW620细胞增殖,Lupeol有望成为临床结肠癌治疗的新药物。     

The cross talk between protein kinase A- and RhoA-mediated signaling in cancer cells

The cross talk between cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) and RhoA-mediated signal transductions and the effect of this cross talk on biologic features of human prostate and gastric cancer cells were investigated. In the human gastric cancer cell line, SGC-7901, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) increased RhoA activity in a dose-dependent manner. The cellular permeable cAMP analog, 8-chlorophenylthio-cAMP (CPT-cAMP), inhibited the LPA-induced RhoA activation and caused phosphorylation of RhoA at serine(188). Immunofluorescence microscopy, Western blotting, and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged RhoA location assay in live cells revealed that RhoA was distributed in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of SGC-7901 cells. Treatment with LPA and/or CPT-cAMP did not induce obvious translocation of RhoA in the cells. The LPA treatment caused formation of F-actin in SGC-7901 cells, and CPT-cAMP inhibited the formation. In a modified Boyden chamber assay, LPA stimulated the migration of SGC-7901 cells, and CPT-cAMP dose-dependently inhibited the stimulating effect of LPA. In soft agar assay, LPA stimulated early proliferation of SGC-7901 cells, and CPT-cAMP significantly inhibited the growth of LPA-stimulated cells. In the prostate cancer cell line, PC-3, LPA caused morphologic changes from polygonal to round, and transfection with plasmid DNA encoding constitutively active RhoA(63L) caused a similar change. Treatment with CPT-cAMP inhibited the changes in both cases. However, in PC-3 cells transfected with a plasmid encoding mutant RhoA188A, LPA induced rounding, but CPT-cAMP could not prevent the change. Results of this experiment indicated that cAMP/PKA inhibited RhoA activation, and serine188 phosphorylation on RhoA was necessary for PKA to exert its inhibitory effect on RhoA activation. The cross talk between cAMP/PKA and RhoA-mediated signal transductions had significant affect on biologic features of gastric and prostate cancer cells, such as morphologic and cytoskeletal change, migration, and anchorage-independent growth. The results may be helpful in implementing novel therapeutic strategies for invasive and metastatic prostate and gastric cancers.     

Inhibition of sustained smooth muscle contraction by PKA and PKG preferentially mediated by phosphorylation of RhoA

The role of RhoA in myosin light-chain (MLC)(20) dephosphorylation and smooth muscle relaxation by PKA and PKG was examined in freshly dispersed and cultured smooth muscle cells expressing wild-type RhoA, constitutively active Rho(V14), and phosphorylation site-deficient Rho(A188). Activators of PKA (5,6-dichloro-1-beta-ribofuranosyl benzimidazole 3',5'-cyclic monophosphothionate, Sp-isomer; cBIMPS) or PKG [8-(4-chlorophenylthio)guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-pCPT-cGMP), sodium nitroprusside (SNP)] or both PKA and PKG (VIP) induced phosphorylation of constitutively active Rho(V14) and agonist (ACh)- or GTPgammaS-stimulated wild-type RhoA but not Rho(A188). Phosphorylation was accompanied by translocation of membrane-bound wild-type RhoA and Rho(V14) to the cytosol and complete inhibition of ACh-stimulated Rho kinase and phospholipase D activities, RhoA/Rho kinase association, MLC(20) phosphorylation, and sustained muscle contraction. Each of these events was blocked depending on the agent used, by the PKG inhibitor KT5823 or the PKA inhibitor myristoylated PKI. Inhibitors were used at a concentration (1 microM) previously shown by direct measurement of kinase activity to selectively inhibit the corresponding kinase. In muscle cells overexpressing the active phosphorylation site-deficient mutant Rho(A188), MLC(20) phosphorylation was partly inhibited by SNP, VIP, cBIMPS, and 8-pCPT-cGMP, suggesting the existence of an independent inhibitory mechanism downstream of RhoA. Results demonstrate that dephosphorylation of MLC(20) and smooth muscle relaxation are preferentially mediated by PKG- and PKA-dependent phosphorylation and inactivation of RhoA.     

Rho GTPase and cAMP/protein kinase A signaling mediates myocilin-induced alterations in cultured human trabecular meshwork cells

Myocilin is a gene linked to the most common form of glaucoma, a major blinding disease. The trabecular meshwork (TM), a specialized eye tissue, is believed to be involved, at least in part, in the development of glaucoma. The myocilin expression is known to be up-regulated by glucocorticoids in TM cells, and an altered myocilin level may be the culprit in conditions such as corticosteroid glaucoma. Wild type myocilin, when transfected into cultured human TM cells, induced a dramatic loss of actin stress fibers and focal adhesions. Myocilin transfectants displayed a heightened sensitivity to trypsin. Adhesion to fibronectin, collagens, and vitronectin was compromised. The fibronectin deposition and the levels of fibronectin protein and mRNA were also reduced in myocilin transfectants. The fibronectin deposition could be restored by treatment with lysophosphatidic acid, a Rho stimulator. Assays further revealed that upon myocilin overexpression, the activity of RhoA was diminished, whereas the cAMP level and the protein kinase A (PKA) activity were augmented. Myocilin protein did not affect actin polymerization. The collapse of actin stress fibers and increased trypsin sensitivity from myocilin transfection could be reverted by co-expression of constitutively active RhoA or by treatment with PKA inhibitor H-89. The PKA activity, however, was not modified by co-expression of either constitutively active or dominant negative RhoA. These results demonstrate that myocilin has a de-adhesive activity and triggers signaling events. cAMP/PKA activation and the downstream Rho inhibition are possible mechanisms by which myocilin in overabundance may lead to TM cell or tissue damage.     

cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates and inactivates RhoA

Small GTPase Rho and cGMP/cGMP-dependent protein kinase (cGK) pathways exert opposing effects in specific systems such as vascular contraction and growth. However, the direct interaction between these pathways has remained elusive. We demonstrate that cGK phosphorylates RhoA in vitro at Ser188, the same residue phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. In HeLa cells transfected with constitutively active cGK (C-cGK), stress fiber formation induced by lysophosphatidic acid or V14RhoA was blocked. By contrast, C-cGK failed to inhibit stress fiber formation in cells transfected with mutant RhoA with substitution of Ser188 to Ala. C-cGK did not affect actin reorganization induced by Rac1 or Rho-associated kinase, one of the effectors for RhoA. Furthermore, C-cGK expression inhibited the membrane translocation of RhoA. Collectively, our findings suggest that cGK phosphorylates RhoA at Ser188 and inactivates RhoA signaling. The physiological relevance of the direct interaction between RhoA and cGK awaits further investigation.     

Protein kinase A phosphorylation of RhoA mediates the morphological and functional effects of cyclic AMP in cytotoxic lymphocytes.

We have observed that stimulation of human natural killer cells with dibutyryl cAMP (Bt2cAMP) reproduced the effects of ADP ribosylation of the GTP binding protein RhoA by Clostridium botulinum C3 transferase: both agents induced similar morphological changes, inhibited cell motility and blocked the cytolytic function. We demonstrate here that cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylates RhoA in its C-terminal region, on serine residue 188. This phosphorylation does not affect the ability of recombinant RhoA to bind guanine nucleotides, nor does it modify its intrinsic GTPase activity. However, treatment of cells with Bt2cAMP results in the translocation of membrane-associated RhoA towards the cytosol. Experiments using purified membrane preparations indicated that Rho-GDP dissociation inhibitor, which can complex phosphorylated RhoA in its GTP-bound state, was the effector of this translocation. Taken together, these data suggest that PKA phosphorylation of RhoA is a central event in mediating the cellular effects of cAMP, and support the existence of an alternative pathway for terminating RhoA signalling whereby GTP-bound RhoA, when phosphorylated, could be separated from its putative effector(s) independently of its GTP/GDP cycling.     

Regulation of RhoA Signaling by the cAMP-dependent Phosphorylation of RhoGDIα

RhoA plays a pivotal role in regulating cell shape and movement. Protein kinase A (PKA) inhibits RhoA signaling and thereby induces a characteristic morphological change, cell rounding. This has been considered to result from cAMP-induced phosphorylation of RhoA at Ser-188, which induces a stable RhoA-GTP-RhoGDIα complex and sequesters RhoA to the cytosol. However, few groups have shown RhoA phosphorylation in intact cells. Here we show that phosphorylation of RhoGDIα but not RhoA plays an essential role in the PKA-induced inhibition of RhoA signaling and in the morphological changes using cardiac fibroblasts. The knockdown of RhoGDIα by siRNA blocks cAMP-induced cell rounding, which is recovered by RhoGDIα-WT expression but not when a RhoGDIα-S174A mutant is expressed. PKA phosphorylates RhoGDIα at Ser-174 and the phosphorylation of RhoGDIα is likely to induce the formation of a active RhoA-RhoGDIα complex. Our present results thus reveal a principal molecular mechanism underlying G_s/cAMP-induced cross-talk with G_q/G₁₃/RhoA signaling.     

Hepatoma cell migration through a mesothelial cell monolayer is inhibited by cyclic AMP-elevating agents via a Rho-dependent pathway

1-Oleoyl lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) induces transmonolayer migration (in vitro invasion) of rat ascites hepatoma MM1 cells and their morphological changes leading to the migration. We have previously shown that an LPA analog, palmitoyl cyclic phosphatidic acid (Pal-cPA), suppresses transmonolayer migration of MM1 cells by rapidly increasing the intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) concentration. We report here that various cAMP-elevating agents, including dibutyryl cAMP, forskolin, cholera toxin and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, consistently inhibited LPA-induced transmonolayer migration of MM1 cells. Moreover, pull-down assays for GTP-bound, active RhoA demonstrated that the blockage by cAMP-elevating agents of morphological changes leading to the migration was probably mediated through inhibiting RhoA activation.     

Control of neurite outgrowth by RhoA inactivation

cAMP induces neurite outgrowth in the rat pheochromocytoma cell line 12 (PC12). In particular, di-butyric cAMP (db-cAMP) induces a greater number of primary processes with shorter length than the number induced by nerve growth factor (NGF). db-cAMP up- and down-regulates GTP-RhoA levels in PC12 cells in a time-dependent manner. Tat-C3 toxin stimulates neurite outgrowth, whereas lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and constitutively active (CA)-RhoA reduce neurite outgrowth, suggesting that RhoA inactivation is essential for the neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells stimulated by cAMP. In this study, the mechanism by which RhoA is inactivated in response to cAMP was examined. db-cAMP induces phosphorylation of RhoA and augments the binding of RhoA with Rho guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI). Moreover, RhoA (S188D) mimicking phosphorylated RhoA induces greater neurite outgrowth than RhoA (S188A) mimicking dephosphorylated form does. Additionally, db-cAMP increases GTP-Rap1 levels, and dominant negative (DN)-Rap1 and DN-Rap-dependent RhoGAP (ARAP3) block neurite outgrowth induced by db-cAMP. DN-p190RhoGAP and the Src inhibitor PP2 suppress neurite outgrowth, whereas transfection of c-Src and p190RhoGAP cDNAs synergistically stimulate neurite outgrowth. Taken together, RhoA is inactivated by phosphorylation of itself, by p190RhoGAP which is activated by Src, and by ARAP3 which is activated by Rap1 during neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells in response to db-cAMP.     

Protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation of RhoA on serine 188 triggers the rapid induction of a neuroendocrine-like phenotype in prostate cancer epithelial cells

Whilst androgen ablation therapy is used to treat locally advanced or metastatic forms of prostate cancer, side-effects can include the emergence of an androgen-independent neuroendocrine cell population which is associated with poor prognosis. Here we have examined how cyclic AMP elevation regulates early events in the neuroendocrine differentiation process. We demonstrate that selective activation of protein kinase A is necessary and sufficient for cyclic AMP (cAMP) elevation to rapidly promote a neuroendocrine phenotype in LNCaP cells independent of de novo protein synthesis. Furthermore, the effects of cAMP could be recapitulated by inhibition of RhoA signalling or pharmacological inhibition of Rho kinase. Conversely, expression of constitutively active Gln63Leu-mutated RhoA acted as a dominant-negative inhibitor of cAMP-mediated NE phenotype formation. Consistent with these observations, cAMP elevation triggered the PKA-dependent phosphorylation of RhoA on serine 188, and a non-phosphorylatable Ser188Ala RhoA mutant functioned as a dominant-negative inhibitor of cAMP-mediated neuroendocrine phenotype formation. These results suggest that PKA-mediated inhibition of RhoA via its phosphorylation on serine 188 and the subsequent inhibition of ROCK activity plays a key role in determining initial changes in cellular morphology during LNCaP cell differentiation to a neuroendocrine phenotype. It also raises the possibility that targeted suppression of this pathway to inhibit neuroendocrine cell expansion might be a useful adjuvant to conventional prostate cancer therapy.