OBJECTIVE The Rho-kinase signaling pathway is associated with coronary vasculopathy and myocardial dysfunction after cardiac transplantation. This study evaluated whether using a Rho-kinase inhibitor during allograft storage could limit early endothelial dysfunction and improve myocardial performance after reperfusion. METHODS This experiment was performed with an isolated working rabbit hear...

Using Rho GTPases-inhibiting clostridial cytotoxins, we showed recently in RBL cells that the GTPase Rac is involved in Fc RI (high-affinity receptor for IgE) signaling and receptormediated calcium mobilization, including influx via calcium release-activated calcium channels. Here, we studied the role of Rho GTPases in muscarinic M1 receptor signaling in RBL 2H3hm1 cells. Clostridium difficile ...

IntroductionPhase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) is a non-invasive method used to compute blood flow velocity and volume, alongside several derivative hemodynamic parameters. Renal (RBF) assessment important for the diagnosis monitoring of range renal diseases, in which it decreases since earliest stages. The aim this study was elucidate PC-MRI potential as biomarker perfusion fun...

Purpose: Since Rho-Rho kinase calcium sensitizing pathway is being regarded as a potential target not only for the treatment of erectile dysfunction but also atherosclerosis, we designed a study to prevent vasculogenic erectile dysfunction in an atherosclerotic rat model by chronic administration of fasudil, oral Rho kinase inhibitor. Materials and Methods: Rats (3 months old) were divided into...

We have identified two redundant GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) - RGA-3 and RGA-4 - that regulate Rho GTPase function at the plasma membrane in early Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Knockdown of both RhoGAPs resulted in extensive membrane ruffling, furrowing and pronounced pseudo-cleavages. In addition, the non-muscle myosin NMY-2 and RHO-1 accumulated on the cortex at sites of ruffling. RGA...

Rhodopsin (Rho) is a prototypical G proteincoupled receptor (GPCR) that changes from an inactive conformational state to the G protein-activating state as a consequence of its retinal chromophore isomerization, 11-cisretinal → all-trans-retinal. The photoisomerized chromophore covalently linked to Lys by a Schiff base is subsequently hydrolyzed but little is known about this reaction. Recent re...

Formin proteins were recognized as effectors of Rho GTPases some 15 years ago. They contribute to different cellular actin cytoskeleton structures by their ability to polymerize straight actin filaments at the barbed end. While not all formins necessarily interact with Rho GTPases, a subgroup of mammalian formins, termed Diaphanous-related formins or DRFs, were shown to be activated by small GT...

Despite the proposed link between ablation of the CHOP protein and delay of the onset of ER stress-mediated disorders including diabetes, Alzheimer Disease, and cardiac hypertrophy, the role of CHOP protein in photoreceptor cell death associated with Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa (ADRP) has not been investigated. T17M RHO transgenic mice carry a mutated human rhodopsin transgene, the ...

Rho GTPases control a complex network of intracellular signalling pathways. Whereas progress has been made in identifying downstream signalling partners for these proteins, the characterization of Rho upstream regulatory guanine-nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) has been hampered by a lack of suitable research tools. Here we use small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to examine the cellular regulatio...