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Machin PA, Johnsson AKE, Massey EJ, Pantarelli C, Chetwynd SA, Chu JY, Okkenhaug H, Segonds-Pichon A, Walker S, Malliri A, Fukui Y, Welch HCE. Dock2 generates characteristic spatiotemporal patterns of Rac activity to regulate neutrophil polarisation, migration and phagocytosis. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1180886. [PMID: 37383235 PMCID: PMC10293741 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1180886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Rac-GTPases and their Rac-GEF activators play important roles in neutrophil-mediated host defence. These proteins control the adhesion molecules and cytoskeletal dynamics required for neutrophil recruitment to inflamed and infected organs, and the neutrophil effector responses that kill pathogens. Methods Here, we used live cell TIRF-FRET imaging in neutrophils from Rac-FRET reporter mice with deficiencies in the Rac-GEFs Dock2, Tiam1 or Prex1/Vav1 to evaluate if these proteins activate spatiotemporally distinct pools of Rac, and to correlate patterns of Rac activity with the neutrophil responses they control. Results All the GEFs were required for neutrophil adhesion, and Prex1/Vav1 were important during spreading and for the velocity of migration during chemotaxis. However, Dock2 emerged as the prominent regulator of neutrophil responses, as this GEF was required for neutrophil polarisation and random migration, for migration velocity during chemokinesis, for the likelihood to migrate and for the speed of migration and of turning during chemotaxis, as well as for rapid particle engulfment during phagocytosis. We identified characteristic spatiotemporal patterns of Rac activity generated by Dock2 which correlate with the importance of the Rac-GEF in these neutrophil responses. We also demonstrate a requirement for Dock2 in neutrophil recruitment during aseptic peritonitis. Discussion Collectively, our data provide a first direct comparison of the pools of Rac activity generated by different types of Rac-GEFs, and identify Dock2 as a key regulator of polarisation, migration and phagocytosis in primary neutrophils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polly A. Machin
- Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anna-Karin E. Johnsson
- Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ellie J. Massey
- Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Chiara Pantarelli
- Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen A. Chetwynd
- Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Julia Y. Chu
- Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Hanneke Okkenhaug
- Imaging Facility, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Segonds-Pichon
- Bioinformatics Facility, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Walker
- Imaging Facility, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Angeliki Malliri
- Cell Signalling, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Yoshinori Fukui
- Division of Immunogenetics, Department of Immunobiology and Neuroscience, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Heidi C. E. Welch
- Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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2
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Floerchinger A, Murphy KJ, Latham SL, Warren SC, McCulloch AT, Lee YK, Stoehr J, Mélénec P, Guaman CS, Metcalf XL, Lee V, Zaratzian A, Da Silva A, Tayao M, Rolo S, Phimmachanh M, Sultani G, McDonald L, Mason SM, Ferrari N, Ooms LM, Johnsson AKE, Spence HJ, Olson MF, Machesky LM, Sansom OJ, Morton JP, Mitchell CA, Samuel MS, Croucher DR, Welch HCE, Blyth K, Caldon CE, Herrmann D, Anderson KI, Timpson P, Nobis M. Optimizing metastatic-cascade-dependent Rac1 targeting in breast cancer: Guidance using optical window intravital FRET imaging. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109689. [PMID: 34525350 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Assessing drug response within live native tissue provides increased fidelity with regards to optimizing efficacy while minimizing off-target effects. Here, using longitudinal intravital imaging of a Rac1-Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor mouse coupled with in vivo photoswitching to track intratumoral movement, we help guide treatment scheduling in a live breast cancer setting to impair metastatic progression. We uncover altered Rac1 activity at the center versus invasive border of tumors and demonstrate enhanced Rac1 activity of cells in close proximity to live tumor vasculature using optical window imaging. We further reveal that Rac1 inhibition can enhance tumor cell vulnerability to fluid-flow-induced shear stress and therefore improves overall anti-metastatic response to therapy during transit to secondary sites such as the lung. Collectively, this study demonstrates the utility of single-cell intravital imaging in vivo to demonstrate that Rac1 inhibition can reduce tumor progression and metastases in an autochthonous setting to improve overall survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Floerchinger
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Kendelle J Murphy
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Sharissa L Latham
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Sean C Warren
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Andrew T McCulloch
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Young-Kyung Lee
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Janett Stoehr
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Pauline Mélénec
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Cris S Guaman
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Xanthe L Metcalf
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Victoria Lee
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Anaiis Zaratzian
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Andrew Da Silva
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Michael Tayao
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Sonia Rolo
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK
| | - Monica Phimmachanh
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Ghazal Sultani
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Laura McDonald
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK
| | - Susan M Mason
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK
| | - Nicola Ferrari
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK; Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Switchback Road, Glasgow G111QH, UK
| | - Lisa M Ooms
- Cancer Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
| | | | - Heather J Spence
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Michael F Olson
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, Toronto ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Laura M Machesky
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Owen J Sansom
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK; Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Switchback Road, Glasgow G111QH, UK
| | - Jennifer P Morton
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK; Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Switchback Road, Glasgow G111QH, UK
| | - Christina A Mitchell
- Cancer Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Michael S Samuel
- Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia; and the School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - David R Croucher
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Heidi C E Welch
- Signalling Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB223AT, UK
| | - Karen Blyth
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK; Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Switchback Road, Glasgow G111QH, UK
| | - C Elizabeth Caldon
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - David Herrmann
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Kurt I Anderson
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK; Francis Crick Institute, London NW11AT, UK
| | - Paul Timpson
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.
| | - Max Nobis
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.
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3
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Nobis M, Herrmann D, Warren SC, Kadir S, Leung W, Killen M, Magenau A, Stevenson D, Lucas MC, Reischmann N, Vennin C, Conway JRW, Boulghourjian A, Zaratzian A, Law AM, Gallego-Ortega D, Ormandy CJ, Walters SN, Grey ST, Bailey J, Chtanova T, Quinn JMW, Baldock PA, Croucher PI, Schwarz JP, Mrowinska A, Zhang L, Herzog H, Masedunskas A, Hardeman EC, Gunning PW, Del Monte-Nieto G, Harvey RP, Samuel MS, Pajic M, McGhee EJ, Johnsson AKE, Sansom OJ, Welch HCE, Morton JP, Strathdee D, Anderson KI, Timpson P. A RhoA-FRET Biosensor Mouse for Intravital Imaging in Normal Tissue Homeostasis and Disease Contexts. Cell Rep 2017; 21:274-288. [PMID: 28978480 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The small GTPase RhoA is involved in a variety of fundamental processes in normal tissue. Spatiotemporal control of RhoA is thought to govern mechanosensing, growth, and motility of cells, while its deregulation is associated with disease development. Here, we describe the generation of a RhoA-fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor mouse and its utility for monitoring real-time activity of RhoA in a variety of native tissues in vivo. We assess changes in RhoA activity during mechanosensing of osteocytes within the bone and during neutrophil migration. We also demonstrate spatiotemporal order of RhoA activity within crypt cells of the small intestine and during different stages of mammary gestation. Subsequently, we reveal co-option of RhoA activity in both invasive breast and pancreatic cancers, and we assess drug targeting in these disease settings, illustrating the potential for utilizing this mouse to study RhoA activity in vivo in real time.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
- Biosensing Techniques
- Bone and Bones/cytology
- Bone and Bones/metabolism
- Cell Movement/drug effects
- Dasatinib/pharmacology
- Erlotinib Hydrochloride/pharmacology
- Female
- Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer/instrumentation
- Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer/methods
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Intestine, Small/metabolism
- Intestine, Small/ultrastructure
- Intravital Microscopy/instrumentation
- Intravital Microscopy/methods
- Mammary Glands, Animal/blood supply
- Mammary Glands, Animal/drug effects
- Mammary Glands, Animal/ultrastructure
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/blood supply
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/drug therapy
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/genetics
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/ultrastructure
- Mechanotransduction, Cellular
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Neutrophils/metabolism
- Neutrophils/ultrastructure
- Osteocytes/metabolism
- Osteocytes/ultrastructure
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/blood supply
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/genetics
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/ultrastructure
- Time-Lapse Imaging/instrumentation
- Time-Lapse Imaging/methods
- rho GTP-Binding Proteins/genetics
- rho GTP-Binding Proteins/metabolism
- rhoA GTP-Binding Protein
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Nobis
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - David Herrmann
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Sean C Warren
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Shereen Kadir
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK
| | - Wilfred Leung
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Monica Killen
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Astrid Magenau
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - David Stevenson
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK
| | - Morghan C Lucas
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Nadine Reischmann
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Claire Vennin
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - James R W Conway
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Alice Boulghourjian
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Anaiis Zaratzian
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Andrew M Law
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - David Gallego-Ortega
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Christopher J Ormandy
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Stacey N Walters
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Shane T Grey
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Jacqueline Bailey
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Tatyana Chtanova
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Julian M W Quinn
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Paul A Baldock
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Peter I Croucher
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Juliane P Schwarz
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK
| | - Agata Mrowinska
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK
| | - Lei Zhang
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Herbert Herzog
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Andrius Masedunskas
- Neuromuscular and Regenerative Medicine Unit, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; Oncology Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Edna C Hardeman
- Neuromuscular and Regenerative Medicine Unit, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Peter W Gunning
- Oncology Research Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Gonzalo Del Monte-Nieto
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; St. Vincent's Clinical School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Richard P Harvey
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; St. Vincent's Clinical School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Michael S Samuel
- Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Marina Pajic
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Ewan J McGhee
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK
| | | | - Owen J Sansom
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK
| | - Heidi C E Welch
- Signalling Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB223AT, UK
| | - Jennifer P Morton
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK
| | - Douglas Strathdee
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G611BD, UK
| | | | - Paul Timpson
- The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia.
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4
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Pajic M, Herrmann D, Vennin C, Conway JR, Chin VT, Johnsson AKE, Welch HC, Timpson P. The dynamics of Rho GTPase signaling and implications for targeting cancer and the tumor microenvironment. Small GTPases 2015; 6:123-33. [PMID: 26103062 PMCID: PMC4601362 DOI: 10.4161/21541248.2014.973749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous large scale genomics studies have demonstrated that cancer is a molecularly heterogeneous disease, characterized by acquired changes in the structure and DNA sequence of tumor genomes. More recently, the role of the equally complex tumor microenvironment in driving the aggressiveness of this disease is increasingly being realized. Tumor cells are surrounded by activated stroma, creating a dynamic environment that promotes cancer development, metastasis and chemoresistance. The Rho family of small GTPases plays an essential role in the regulation of cell shape, cytokinesis, cell adhesion, and cell motility. Importantly, these processes need to be considered in the context of a complex 3-dimensional (3D) environment, with reciprocal feedback and cross-talk taking place between the tumor cells and host environment. Here we discuss the role of molecular networks involving Rho GTPases in cancer, and the therapeutic implications of inhibiting Rho signaling in both cancer cells and the emerging concept of targeting the surrounding stroma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Pajic
- a The Kinghorn Cancer Center; Cancer Division; Garvan Institute of Medical Research ; Sydney , Australia
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5
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Johnsson AKE, Dai Y, Nobis M, Baker MJ, McGhee EJ, Walker S, Schwarz JP, Kadir S, Morton JP, Myant KB, Huels DJ, Segonds-Pichon A, Sansom OJ, Anderson KI, Timpson P, Welch HCE. The Rac-FRET mouse reveals tight spatiotemporal control of Rac activity in primary cells and tissues. Cell Rep 2014; 6:1153-1164. [PMID: 24630994 PMCID: PMC3988842 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2013] [Revised: 02/05/2014] [Accepted: 02/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The small G protein family Rac has numerous regulators that integrate extracellular signals into tight spatiotemporal maps of its activity to promote specific cell morphologies and responses. Here, we have generated a mouse strain, Rac-FRET, which ubiquitously expresses the Raichu-Rac biosensor. It enables FRET imaging and quantification of Rac activity in live tissues and primary cells without affecting cell properties and responses. We assessed Rac activity in chemotaxing Rac-FRET neutrophils and found enrichment in leading-edge protrusions and unexpected longitudinal shifts and oscillations during protruding and stalling phases of migration. We monitored Rac activity in normal or disease states of intestinal, liver, mammary, pancreatic, and skin tissue, in response to stimulation or inhibition and upon genetic manipulation of upstream regulators, revealing unexpected insights into Rac signaling during disease development. The Rac-FRET strain is a resource that promises to fundamentally advance our understanding of Rac-dependent responses in primary cells and native environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Karin E Johnsson
- Signalling Programme, Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Yanfeng Dai
- Signalling Programme, Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Max Nobis
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Martin J Baker
- Signalling Programme, Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Ewan J McGhee
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Simon Walker
- Signalling Programme, Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Juliane P Schwarz
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Shereen Kadir
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Jennifer P Morton
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Kevin B Myant
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - David J Huels
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Anne Segonds-Pichon
- Signalling Programme, Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Owen J Sansom
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Kurt I Anderson
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Paul Timpson
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK; Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Cancer Research Program, St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, NSW, 2010 Sydney, Australia.
| | - Heidi C E Welch
- Signalling Programme, Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK.
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