Rho-specific Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (Rho-GEFs) inhibition affects macrophage phenotype and disrupts Golgi complex

Macrophages play crucial role in tissue homeostasis and the innate and adaptive immune response. Depending on the state of activation macrophages acquire distinct phenotypes that depend on actin, which is regulated by small GTPase RhoA. The naive M0 macrophages are slightly elongated, pro-inflammatory M1 are round and M2 anti-inflammatory macrophages are elongated. We showed previously that interference with RhoA pathway (RhoA deletion or RhoA/ROCK kinase inhibition) disrupted actin, produced extremely elongated (hummingbird) macrophage phenotype and inhibited macrophage movement toward transplanted hearts. The RhoA function depends on the family of guanine-nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), which catalyze the exchange of GDP for GTP and activate RhoA that reorganizes actin cytoskeleton. Using actin staining, immunostaining, Western blotting, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy we studied how a direct inhibition of Rho-GEFs with Rhosin (Rho GEF-binding domain blocker) and Y16 (Rho GEF DH-PH domain blocker) affects M0, M1 and M2 macrophage phenotypes. We also studied how Rho-GEFs inhibition and RhoA deletion affects organization of Golgi complex that is crucial for normal macrophage functions such as phagocytosis, antigen presentation and receptor recycling. We found that GEFs inhibition differently affected M0, M1 and M2 macrophages phenotype and that GEFs inhibition and RhoA deletion both caused changes in the ultrastructure of the Golgi complex. These results suggest that actin/RhoA- dependent shaping of macrophage phenotype has different requirements for activity of RhoA/GEFs pathway in M0, M1 and M2 macrophages, and that RhoA and Rho-GEFs functions are necessary for the maintenance of actin-dependent organization of Golgi complex.     

Vav GEFs regulate macrophage morphology and adhesion-induced Rac and Rho activation

The Vav family of proteins have the potential to act as both signalling adapters and GEFs for Rho GTPases. They have therefore been proposed as regulators of the cytoskeleton in various cell types. We have used macrophages from mice deficient in all three Vav isoforms to determine how their function affects cell morphology and migration. Macrophages lacking Vav proteins adopt an elongated morphology and have enhanced migratory persistence in culture. To investigate the pathways through which Vav proteins exert their effects we analysed the responses of macrophages to the chemoattractant CSF-1 and to adhesion. We found that morphological and signalling responses of macrophages to CSF-1 did not require Vav proteins. In contrast, adhesion-induced cell spreading, RhoA and Rac1 activation and cell signalling were all dependent on Vav proteins. We propose that Vav proteins affect macrophage morphology and motile behaviour by coupling adhesion receptors to Rac1 and RhoA activity and regulating adhesion signalling events such as paxillin and ERK1/2 phosphorylation by acting as adapters.     

Adenylate cyclase toxin subverts phagocyte function by RhoA inhibition and unproductive ruffling

Adenylate cyclase toxin (CyaA or ACT) is a key virulence factor of pathogenic Bordetellae. It penetrates phagocytes expressing the alpha(M)beta(2) integrin (CD11b/CD18, Mac-1 or CR3) and paralyzes their bactericidal capacities by uncontrolled conversion of ATP into a key signaling molecule, cAMP. Using pull-down activity assays and transfections with mutant Rho family GTPases, we show that cAMP signaling of CyaA causes transient and selective inactivation of RhoA in mouse macrophages in the absence of detectable activation of Rac1, Rac2, or RhoG. This CyaA/cAMP-induced drop of RhoA activity yielded dephosphorylation of the actin filament severing protein cofilin and massive actin cytoskeleton rearrangements, which were paralleled by rapidly manifested macrophage ruffling and a rapid and unexpected loss of macropinocytic fluid phase uptake. As shown in this study for the first time, CyaA/cAMP signaling further caused a rapid and near-complete block of complement-mediated phagocytosis. Induction of unproductive membrane ruffling, hence, represents a novel sophisticated mechanism of down-modulation of bactericidal activities of macrophages and a new paradigm for action of bacterial toxins that hijack host cell signaling by manipulating cellular cAMP levels.     

Overexpression of wild-type RhoA produces growth arrest by disrupting actin cytoskeleton and microtubules

We have investigated the role of Rho GTPase in cell growth by generating stable cells that express the wild-type RhoA (RhoA(wt)) under the control of an inducible promoter. Induction of RhoA(wt) had a biphasic effect on the actin cytoskeleton. At low levels of expression, RhoA(wt) stimulated the assembly of actin stress fibers without affecting cell growth. At high levels, there was a paradoxical disruption of the actin cytoskeleton accompanied by a growth arrest. Cell cycle analysis revealed a dual block at the G(1)/S and G(2)/M checkpoints. The G(1)/S arrest correlated with the accumulation of p21(Cip1), resulting in the inhibition of cdk2 activity, whereas the G(2)/M block correlated with the loss of microtubules. The cyclin B level and the cdc2 kinase activity, however, were increased, suggesting that the progression through mitosis rather than entry into the G(2)/M is defective when RhoA(wt) is overexpressed. Similar cell cycle defects and the loss of microtubules were observed after a cytochalasin D treatment, indicating that the ability of RhoA to regulate the integrity of actin cytoskeleton may be critical for the cell cycle transition through both the G(1)/S and M phase checkpoints.     

The involvement of actin cytoskeleton in glutoxim and molixan effect on intracellular Ca(2+)-concentration in macrophages

Glutoxim and molixan belong to new generation of disulfide-containing drugs with immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective and hemopoetic effect on cells. Using Fura-2AM microfluorimetry, two structurally distinct actin filament disrupters, latrunculin B and cytochalasin D, and calyculin A, which causes actin filaments condensation under plasmalemma, we have shown the involvement of actin cytoskeleton in the intracellular Ca(2+)-concentration increase induced by glutoxim or molixan in rat peritoneal macrophages. Morphological data obtained with the use of rhodamine-phalloidine have demonstrated that glutoxim and molixan cause the actin cytoskeleton reorganization in rat peritoneal macrophages.     

Shear stress-induced endothelial cell polarization is mediated by Rho and Rac but not Cdc42 or PI 3-kinases

Shear stress induces endothelial polarization and migration in the direction of flow accompanied by extensive remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton. The GTPases RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 are known to regulate cell shape changes through effects on the cytoskeleton and cell adhesion. We show here that all three GTPases become rapidly activated by shear stress, and that each is important for different aspects of the endothelial response. RhoA was activated within 5 min after stimulation with shear stress and led to cell rounding via Rho-kinase. Subsequently, the cells respread and elongated within the direction of shear stress as RhoA activity returned to baseline and Rac1 and Cdc42 reached peak activation. Cell elongation required Rac1 and Cdc42 but not phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases. Cdc42 and PI3Ks were not required to establish shear stress-induced polarity although they contributed to optimal migration speed. Instead, Rho and Rac1 regulated directionality of cell movement. Inhibition of Rho or Rho-kinase did not affect the cell speed but significantly increased cell displacement. Our results show that endothelial cells reorient in response to shear stress by a two-step process involving Rho-induced depolarization, followed by Rho/Rac-mediated polarization and migration in the direction of flow.     

RhoA is required for cortical retraction and rigidity during mitotic cell rounding

Mitotic cell rounding is the process of cell shape change in which a flat interphase cell becomes spherical at the onset of mitosis. Rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton, de-adhesion, and an increase in cortical rigidity accompany mitotic cell rounding. The molecular mechanisms that contribute to this process have not been defined. We show that RhoA is required for cortical retraction but not de-adhesion during mitotic cell rounding. The mitotic increase in cortical rigidity also requires RhoA, suggesting that increases in cortical rigidity and cortical retraction are linked processes. Rho-kinase is also required for mitotic cortical retraction and rigidity, indicating that the effects of RhoA on cell rounding are mediated through this effector. Consistent with a role for RhoA during mitotic entry, RhoA activity is elevated in rounded, preanaphase mitotic cells. The activity of the RhoA inhibitor p190RhoGAP is decreased due to its serine/threonine phosphorylation at this time. Cumulatively, these results suggest that the mitotic increase in RhoA activity leads to rearrangements of the cortical actin cytoskeleton that promote cortical rigidity, resulting in mitotic cell rounding.     

Cdc42: an important regulator of neuronal morphology

Regulation of neuronal morphology and activity-dependent synaptic modifications involves reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. Dynamic changes of the actin cytoskeleton in many cell types are controlled by small GTPases of the Rho family, such as RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42. As key regulators of both actin and microtubule cytoskeleton, Rho GTPases have also emerged as important regulators of dendrite and spine structural plasticity. Multiple studies suggest that Rac1 and Cdc42 are positive regulators promoting neurite outgrowth and growth cone protrusion, while the activation of RhoA induces stress fiber formation, leading to growth cone collapse and neurite retraction. This review focuses on recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying physiological and pathological functions of Cdc42 in the nervous system. We also discuss application of different FRET-based biosensors as a powerful approach to examine the dynamics of Cdc42 activity in living cells.     

Lysophosphatidic acid rescues RhoA activation and phosphoinositides levels in astrocytes exposed to ethanol

Long-term ethanol treatment substantially impairs glycosylation and membrane trafficking in primary cultures of rat astrocytes. Our previous studies indicated that these effects were attributable to a primary alteration in the dynamics and organization of the actin cytoskeleton, although the molecular mechanism(s) remains to be elucidated. As small Rho GTPases and phosphoinositides are involved in the actin cytoskeleton organization, we now explore the effects of chronic ethanol treatment on these pathways. We show that chronic ethanol treatment of rat astrocytes specifically reduced endogenous levels of active RhoA as a result of the increase of in the RhoGAP activity. Furthermore, ethanol-treated astrocytes showed reduced phosphoinositides levels. When lysophosphatidic acid was added to ethanol-treated astrocytes, it rapidly reverted actin cytoskeleton reorganization and raised active RhoA levels and phosphoinositides content to those observed in untreated astrocytes. Overall, our results indicate that the harmful effects of chronic exposure to ethanol on a variety of actin dynamics-associated cellular events are primarily because of alterations of activated RhoA and phosphoinositides pools.     

Soluble Axoplasm Enriched from Injured CNS Axons Reveals the Early Modulation of the Actin Cytoskeleton

Axon injury and degeneration is a common consequence of diverse neurological conditions including multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. The molecular events underlying axon degeneration are poorly understood. We have developed a novel method to enrich for axoplasm from rodent optic nerve and characterised the early events in Wallerian degeneration using an unbiased proteomics screen. Our detergent-free method draws axoplasm into a dehydrated hydrogel of the polymer poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), which is then recovered using centrifugation. This technique is able to recover axonal proteins and significantly deplete glial contamination as confirmed by immunoblotting. We have used iTRAQ to compare axoplasm-enriched samples from naïve vs injured optic nerves, which has revealed a pronounced modulation of proteins associated with the actin cytoskeleton. To confirm the modulation of the actin cytoskeleton in injured axons we focused on the RhoA pathway. Western blotting revealed an augmentation of RhoA and phosphorylated cofilin in axoplasm-enriched samples from injured optic nerve. To investigate the localisation of these components of the RhoA pathway in injured axons we transected axons of primary hippocampal neurons in vitro. We observed an early modulation of filamentous actin with a concomitant redistribution of phosphorylated cofilin in injured axons. At later time-points, RhoA is found to accumulate in axonal swellings and also colocalises with filamentous actin. The actin cytoskeleton is a known sensor of cell viability across multiple eukaryotes, and our results suggest a similar role for the actin cytoskeleton following axon injury. In agreement with other reports, our data also highlights the role of the RhoA pathway in axon degeneration. These findings highlight a previously unexplored area of axon biology, which may open novel avenues to prevent axon degeneration. Our method for isolating CNS axoplasm also represents a new tool to study axon biology.     

ROCK1 and 2 differentially regulate actomyosin organization to drive cell and synaptic polarity

RhoGTPases organize the actin cytoskeleton to generate diverse polarities, from front–back polarity in migrating cells to dendritic spine morphology in neurons. For example, RhoA through its effector kinase, RhoA kinase (ROCK), activates myosin II to form actomyosin filament bundles and large adhesions that locally inhibit and thereby polarize Rac1-driven actin polymerization to the protrusions of migratory fibroblasts and the head of dendritic spines. We have found that the two ROCK isoforms, ROCK1 and ROCK2, differentially regulate distinct molecular pathways downstream of RhoA, and their coordinated activities drive polarity in both cell migration and synapse formation. In particular, ROCK1 forms the stable actomyosin filament bundles that initiate front–back and dendritic spine polarity. In contrast, ROCK2 regulates contractile force and Rac1 activity at the leading edge of migratory cells and the spine head of neurons; it also specifically regulates cofilin-mediated actin remodeling that underlies the maturation of adhesions and the postsynaptic density of dendritic spines.     

STAR syndrome-associated CDK10/Cyclin M regulates actin network architecture and ciliogenesis

CDK10/CycM is a protein kinase deficient in STAR (toe Syndactyly, Telecanthus and Anogenital and Renal malformations) syndrome, which results from mutations in the X-linked FAM58A gene encoding Cyclin M. The biological functions of CDK10/CycM and etiology of STAR syndrome are poorly understood. Here, we report that deficiency of CDK10/Cyclin M promotes assembly and elongation of primary cilia. We establish that this reflects a key role for CDK10/Cyclin M in regulation of actin network organization, which is known to govern ciliogenesis. In an unbiased screen, we identified the RhoA-associated kinase PKN2 as a CDK10/CycM phosphorylation substrate. We establish that PKN2 is a bone fide regulator of ciliogenesis, acting in a similar manner to CDK10/CycM. We discovered that CDK10/Cyclin M binds and phosphorylates PKN2 on threonines 121 and 124, within PKN2′s core RhoA-binding domain. Furthermore, we demonstrate that deficiencies in CDK10/CycM or PKN2, or expression of a non-phosphorylatable version of PKN2, destabilize both the RhoA protein and the actin network architecture. Importantly, we established that ectopic expression of RhoA is sufficient to override the induction of ciliogenesis resulting from CDK10/CycM knockdown, indicating that RhoA regulation is critical for CDK10/CycM's negative effect on ciliogenesis. Finally, we show that kidney sections from a STAR patient display dilated renal tubules and abnormal, elongated cilia. Altogether, these results reveal CDK10/CycM as a key regulator of actin dynamics and a suppressor of ciliogenesis through phosphorylation of PKN2 and promotion of RhoA signaling. Moreover, they suggest that STAR syndrome is a ciliopathy.     

RhoE Regulates Actin Cytoskeleton Organization and Cell Migration

The actin cytoskeleton is regulated by Rho family proteins: in fibroblasts, Rho mediates the formation of actin stress fibers, whereas Rac regulates lamellipodium formation and Cdc42 controls filopodium formation. We have cloned the mouse RhoE gene, whose product is a member of the Rho family that shares (except in one amino acid) the conserved effector domain of RhoA, RhoB, and RhoC. RhoE is able to bind GTP but does not detectably bind GDP and has low intrinsic GTPase activity compared with Rac. The role of RhoE in regulating actin organization was investigated by microinjection in Bac1.2F5 macrophages and MDCK cells. In macrophages, RhoE induced actin reorganization, leading to the formation of extensions resembling filopodia and pseudopodia. In MDCK cells, RhoE induced the complete disappearance of stress fibers, together with cell spreading. However, RhoE did not detectably affect the actin bundles that run parallel to the outer membranes of cells at the periphery of colonies, which are known to be dependent on RhoA. In addition, RhoE induced an increase in the speed of migration of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor-stimulated MDCK cells, in contrast to the previously reported inhibition produced by activated RhoA. The subcellular localization of RhoE at the lateral membranes of MDCK cells suggests a role in cell-cell adhesion, as has been shown for RhoA. These results suggest that RhoE may act to inhibit signalling downstream of RhoA, altering some RhoA-regulated responses, such as stress fiber formation, but not affecting others, such as peripheral actin bundle formation.     

Phorbol myristate acetate stimulates microtubule and 10-nm filament extension and lysosome redistribution in mouse macrophages

Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulates cell spreading and fluid- phase pinocytosis in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Colchicine (10(-5) M) and cytochalasin B (10(-5) M) abolish PMA stimulated pinocytosis but have little effect on cellular spreading (Phaire-Washington et al., 1980, J. Cell Biol., 86:634-640). We report here that PMA also alters the organization of the cytoskeleton and the distrubution of organelles in these cells. Neither control nor PMA-treated macrophages contain actin cables. PMA-treated resident thioglycolate-elicited macrophages exhibit beneath their substrate-adherent membranes many randomly distributed punctate foci that stain brightly for actin. The appearance and distribution of these actin-containing foci are not altered by colchicine (10(-5) M) or cytochalasin B (10(-5) M). In thioglycolate- elicited macrophages PMA causes the extension and radial organization of microtubules and 10-nm filaments and promotes the movement of secondary lysosomes from their perinuclear location to the peripheral cytoplasm. Depending upon the concentration of PMA used, 45-71% of thioglycolate-elicited macrophages and 32-44% of proteose-peptone- elicited macrophages and numerous lysosomes, radiating from the centrosphere region, arranged linearly along microtubule and 10-nm filament bundles. Colchicine (10(-5) M) and podophyllotoxin (10(-5) M) prevent the radial redistribution of microtubules, 10-nm filaments, and lysosomes in these cells. Cytochalasins B and D (10(-5) M) have no inhibitory effects on these processes. These findings indicate that microtubules and 10-nm filaments respond in a coordinated fashion to PMA and to agents that inhibit microtubule function; they suggest that these cytoskeletal elements regulate the movement and distribution of lysosomes in the macrophage cytoplasm.     

RhoA GTPase regulates radiation-induced alterations in endothelial cell adhesion and migration

Endothelial cells of the microvasculature are major target of ionizing radiation, responsible of the radiation-induced vascular early dysfunctions. Molecular signaling pathways involved in endothelial responses to ionizing radiation, despite being increasingly investigated, still need precise characterization. Small GTPase RhoA and its effector ROCK are crucial signaling molecules involved in many endothelial cellular functions. Recent studies identified implication of RhoA/ROCK in radiation-induced increase in endothelial permeability but other endothelial functions altered by radiation might also require RhoA proteins. Human microvascular endothelial cells HMEC-1, either treated with Y-27632 (inhibitor of ROCK) or invalidated for RhoA by RNA interference were exposed to 15 Gy. We showed a rapid radiation-induced activation of RhoA, leading to a deep reorganisation of actin cytoskeleton with rapid formation of stress fibers. Endothelial early apoptosis induced by ionizing radiation was not affected by Y-27632 pre-treatment or RhoA depletion. Endothelial adhesion to fibronectin and formation of focal adhesions increased in response to radiation in a RhoA/ROCK-dependent manner. Consistent with its pro-adhesive role, ionizing radiation also decreased endothelial cells migration and RhoA was required for this inhibition. These results highlight the role of RhoA GTPase in ionizing radiation-induced deregulation of essential endothelial functions linked to actin cytoskeleton.     

OxLDL induces membrane structure rearrangement leading to biomechanics alteration and migration deficiency in macrophage

Cholesterol sequestration from plasma membrane has been shown to induce lipid packing disruption, causing actin cytoskeleton reorganization and polymerization, increasing cell stiffness and inducing lysosomal exocytosis in non-professional phagocytes. Similarly, oxidized form of low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) has also been shown to disrupt lipid organization and packing in endothelial cells, leading to biomechanics alterations that interfere with membrane injury and repair. For macrophages, much is known about oxLDL effects in cell activation, cytokine production and foam cell formation. However, little is known about its impact in the organization of macrophage membrane structured domains and cellular mechanics, the focus of the present study. Treatment of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) with oxLDL not only altered membrane structure, and potentially the distribution of raft domains, but also induced actin rearrangement, diffuse integrin distribution and cell shrinkage, similarly to observed upon treatment of these cells with MβCD. Those alterations led to decreased migration efficiency. For both treatments, higher co-localization of actin cytoskeleton and GM1 was observed, indicating a similar mechanism of action involving raft-like domain dynamics. Lastly, like MβCD treatment, oxLDL also induced lysosomal spreading in BMDM. We propose that OxLDL induced re-organization of membrane/cytoskeleton complex in macrophages can be attributed to the insertion of oxysterols into the membrane, which lead to changes in lipid organization and disruption of membrane structure, similar to the effect of cholesterol depletion by MβCD treatment. These results indicate that oxLDL can induce physical alterations in the complex membrane/cytoskeleton of macrophages, leading to significant biomechanical changes that compromise cell behavior.     

Urokinase plasminogen activator inhibits HIV virion release from macrophage-differentiated chronically infected cells via activation of RhoA and PKCε

Background

HIV replication in mononuclear phagocytes is a multi-step process regulated by viral and cellular proteins with the peculiar feature of virion budding and accumulation in intra-cytoplasmic vesicles. Interaction of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) with its cell surface receptor (uPAR) has been shown to favor virion accumulation in such sub-cellular compartment in primary monocyte-derived macrophages and chronically infected promonocytic U1 cells differentiated into macrophage-like cells by stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). By adopting this latter model system, we have here investigated which intracellular signaling pathways were triggered by uPA/uPAR interaction leading the redirection of virion accumulation in intra-cytoplasmic vesicles.

Results

uPA induced activation of RhoA, PKCδ and PKCε in PMA-differentiated U1 cells. In the same conditions, RhoA, PKCδ and PKCε modulated uPA-induced cell adhesion and polarization, whereas only RhoA and PKCε were also responsible for the redirection of virions in intracellular vesicles. Distribution of G and F actin revealed that uPA reorganized the cytoskeleton in both adherent and polarized cells. The role of G and F actin isoforms was unveiled by the use of cytochalasin D, a cell-permeable fungal toxin that prevents F actin polymerization. Receptor-independent cytoskeleton remodeling by Cytochalasin D resulted in cell adhesion, polarization and intracellular accumulation of HIV virions similar to the effects gained with uPA.

Conclusions

These findings illustrate the potential contribution of the uPA/uPAR system in the generation and/or maintenance of intra-cytoplasmic vesicles that actively accumulate virions, thus sustaining the presence of HIV reservoirs of macrophage origin. In addition, our observations also provide evidences that pathways controlling cytoskeleton remodeling and activation of PKCε bear relevance for the design of new antiviral strategies aimed at interfering with the partitioning of virion budding between intra-cytoplasmic vesicles and plasma membrane in infected human macrophages.     

RhoA and ROCK promote migration by limiting membrane protrusions

Previously, we and others have shown that RhoA and ROCK signaling are required for negatively regulating integrin-mediated adhesion and for tail retraction of migrating leukocytes. This study continues our investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying RhoA/ROCK-regulated integrin adhesion. We show that inhibition of ROCK up-regulates integrin-mediated adhesion, which is accompanied by both increased phosphotyrosine signaling through Pyk-2 and paxillin and inappropriate membrane protrusions. We provide evidence that inhibition of ROCK induces integrin adhesion by promoting remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton. Furthermore, we find that ROCK regulates membrane activity through a pathway involving cofilin. Inhibition of RhoA signaling allows the formation of multiple competing lamellipodia that disrupt productive migration of monocytes. Together, our results show that RhoA/ROCK signaling promotes migration by restricting integrin activity and membrane protrusions to the leading edge.