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Erol ÖD, Şenocak Ş, Aerts-Kaya F. The Role of Rab GTPases in the development of genetic and malignant diseases. Mol Cell Biochem 2024; 479:255-281. [PMID: 37060515 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-023-04727-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Small GTPases have been shown to play an important role in several cellular functions, including cytoskeletal remodeling, cell polarity, intracellular trafficking, cell-cycle, progression and lipid transformation. The Ras-associated binding (Rab) family of GTPases constitutes the largest family of GTPases and consists of almost 70 known members of small GTPases in humans, which are known to play an important role in the regulation of intracellular membrane trafficking, membrane identity, vesicle budding, uncoating, motility and fusion of membranes. Mutations in Rab genes can cause a wide range of inherited genetic diseases, ranging from neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) to immune dysregulation/deficiency syndromes, like Griscelli Syndrome Type II (GS-II) and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), as well as a variety of cancers. Here, we provide an extended overview of human Rabs, discussing their function and diseases related to Rabs and Rab effectors, as well as focusing on effects of (aberrant) Rab expression. We aim to underline their importance in health and the development of genetic and malignant diseases by assessing their role in cellular structure, regulation, function and biology and discuss the possible use of stem cell gene therapy, as well as targeting of Rabs in order to treat malignancies, but also to monitor recurrence of cancer and metastasis through the use of Rabs as biomarkers. Future research should shed further light on the roles of Rabs in the development of multifactorial diseases, such as diabetes and assess Rabs as a possible treatment target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özgür Doğuş Erol
- Department of Stem Cell Sciences, Hacettepe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
- Hacettepe University Center for Stem Cell Research and Development, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Şimal Şenocak
- Department of Stem Cell Sciences, Hacettepe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
- Hacettepe University Center for Stem Cell Research and Development, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Fatima Aerts-Kaya
- Department of Stem Cell Sciences, Hacettepe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
- Hacettepe University Center for Stem Cell Research and Development, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
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2
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Nik Akhtar S, Bunner WP, Brennan E, Lu Q, Szatmari EM. Crosstalk between the Rho and Rab family of small GTPases in neurodegenerative disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1084769. [PMID: 36779014 PMCID: PMC9911442 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1084769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegeneration is associated with defects in cytoskeletal dynamics and dysfunctions of the vesicular trafficking and sorting systems. In the last few decades, studies have demonstrated that the key regulators of cytoskeletal dynamics are proteins from the Rho family GTPases, meanwhile, the central hub for vesicle sorting and transport between target membranes is the Rab family of GTPases. In this regard, the role of Rho and Rab GTPases in the induction and maintenance of distinct functional and morphological neuronal domains (such as dendrites and axons) has been extensively studied. Several members belonging to these two families of proteins have been associated with many neurodegenerative disorders ranging from dementia to motor neuron degeneration. In this analysis, we attempt to present a brief review of the potential crosstalk between the Rab and Rho family members in neurodegenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shayan Nik Akhtar
- The Harriet and John Wooten Laboratory for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Wyatt P. Bunner
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Allied Health Sciences, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Elizabeth Brennan
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Allied Health Sciences, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Qun Lu
- The Harriet and John Wooten Laboratory for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States,*Correspondence: Erzsebet M. Szatmari Qun Lu
| | - Erzsebet M. Szatmari
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Allied Health Sciences, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States,*Correspondence: Erzsebet M. Szatmari Qun Lu
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3
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Chakravorty A, Sharma A, Sheeba V, Manjithaya R. Glutamatergic Synapse Dysfunction in Drosophila Neuromuscular Junctions Can Be Rescued by Proteostasis Modulation. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:842772. [PMID: 35909443 PMCID: PMC9337869 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.842772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, and the Drosophila glutamatergic neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) offer a tractable platform to understand excitatory synapse biology both in health and disease. Synaptopathies are neurodegenerative diseases that are associated with synaptic dysfunction and often display compromised proteostasis. One such rare, progressive neurodegenerative condition, Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 (SCA3) or Machado-Joseph Disease (MJD), is characterized by cerebellar ataxia, Parkinsonism, and degeneration of motor neuron synapses. While the polyQ repeat mutant protein ataxin-3 is implicated in MJD, it is unclear how it leads to impaired synaptic function. In this study, we indicated that a Drosophila model of MJD recapitulates characteristics of neurodegenerative disorders marked by motor neuron dysfunction. Expression of 78 polyQ repeats of mutant ataxin-3 protein in Drosophila motor neurons resulted in behavioral defects, such as impaired locomotion in both larval and adult stages. Furthermore, defects in eclosion and lifespan were observed in adult flies. Detailed characterization of larval glutamatergic neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) revealed defects in morphological features along with compromised NMJ functioning. Autophagy, one of the key proteostasis pathways, is known to be impaired in the case of several synaptopathies. Our study reveals that overexpression of the autophagy-related protein Atg8a rescued behavioral defects. Thus, we present a model for glutamatergic synapse dysfunction that recapitulates synaptic and behavioral deficits and show that it is an amenable system for carrying out genetic and chemical biology screens to identify potential therapeutic targets for synaptopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anushka Chakravorty
- Autophagy Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
| | - Ankit Sharma
- Chronobiology and Behavioural Neurogenetics Laboratory, Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
| | - Vasu Sheeba
- Chronobiology and Behavioural Neurogenetics Laboratory, Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
- *Correspondence: Vasu Sheeba
| | - Ravi Manjithaya
- Autophagy Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India
- Ravi Manjithaya
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4
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Jordan KL, Koss DJ, Outeiro TF, Giorgini F. Therapeutic Targeting of Rab GTPases: Relevance for Alzheimer's Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:1141. [PMID: 35625878 PMCID: PMC9138223 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10051141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rab GTPases (Rabs) are small proteins that play crucial roles in vesicle transport and membrane trafficking. Owing to their widespread functions in several steps of vesicle trafficking, Rabs have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several disorders, including cancer, diabetes, and multiple neurodegenerative diseases. As treatments for neurodegenerative conditions are currently rather limited, the identification and validation of novel therapeutic targets, such as Rabs, is of great importance. This review summarises proof-of-concept studies, demonstrating that modulation of Rab GTPases in the context of Alzheimer's disease (AD) can ameliorate disease-related phenotypes, and provides an overview of the current state of the art for the pharmacological targeting of Rabs. Finally, we also discuss the barriers and challenges of therapeutically targeting these small proteins in humans, especially in the context of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate L. Jordan
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK;
| | - David J. Koss
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK; (D.J.K.); (T.F.O.)
| | - Tiago F. Outeiro
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK; (D.J.K.); (T.F.O.)
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Natural Sciences, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Scientific Employee with a Honorary Contract at Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Flaviano Giorgini
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK;
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Delfino L, Campesan S, Fedele G, Green EW, Giorgini F, Kyriacou CP, Rosato E. Visualization of Mutant Aggregates from Clock Neurons by Agarose Gel Electrophoresis (AGERA) in Drosophila melanogaster. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2482:373-383. [PMID: 35610440 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2249-0_25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The clock neurons of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster have become a useful model for expressing misfolded protein aggregates that accumulate in several human neurodegenerative diseases. One advantage of such an approach is that the behavioral effects can be readily quantified on circadian locomotor rhythms, sleep or activity levels via automated, highly reliable and objective procedures. Therefore, a rapid assay is required to visualize whether these neurons develop aggregates. Here we describe a modified immunoblot method, agarose gel electrophoresis (AGERA) that has been optimized for resolving aggregates from fly clock neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Delfino
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Susanna Campesan
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Giorgio Fedele
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Edward W Green
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Flaviano Giorgini
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Ezio Rosato
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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Abstract
Endogenous biological clocks, orchestrated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, time the circadian rhythms that synchronize physiological and behavioural functions in humans. The circadian system influences most physiological processes, including sleep, alertness and cognitive performance. Disruption of circadian homeostasis has deleterious effects on human health. Neurodegenerative disorders involve a wide range of symptoms, many of which exhibit diurnal variations in frequency and intensity. These disorders also disrupt circadian homeostasis, which in turn has negative effects on symptoms and quality of life. Emerging evidence points to a bidirectional relationship between circadian homeostasis and neurodegeneration, suggesting that circadian function might have an important role in the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, the circadian system has become an attractive target for research and clinical care innovations. Studying circadian disruption in neurodegenerative disorders could expand our understanding of the pathophysiology of neurodegeneration and facilitate the development of novel, circadian-based interventions for these disabling disorders. In this Review, we discuss the alterations to the circadian system that occur in movement (Parkinson disease and Huntington disease) and cognitive (Alzheimer disease and frontotemporal dementia) neurodegenerative disorders and provide directions for future investigations in this field.
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