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Arrazola Sastre A, Luque Montoro M, Gálvez-Martín P, Lacerda HM, Lucia A, Llavero F, Zugaza JL. Small GTPases of the Ras and Rho Families Switch on/off Signaling Pathways in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6312. [PMID: 32878220 PMCID: PMC7504559 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) of the Ras superfamily are key regulators of many key cellular events such as proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle regulation, migration, or apoptosis. To control these biological responses, GTPases activity is regulated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), GTPase activating proteins (GAPs), and in some small GTPases also guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitors (GDIs). Moreover, small GTPases transduce signals by their downstream effector molecules. Many studies demonstrate that small GTPases of the Ras family are involved in neurodegeneration processes. Here, in this review, we focus on the signaling pathways controlled by these small protein superfamilies that culminate in neurodegenerative pathologies, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Specifically, we concentrate on the two most studied families of the Ras superfamily: the Ras and Rho families. We summarize the latest findings of small GTPases of the Ras and Rho families in neurodegeneration in order to highlight these small proteins as potential therapeutic targets capable of slowing down different neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alazne Arrazola Sastre
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (A.A.S.); (M.L.M.)
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology, and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - Miriam Luque Montoro
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (A.A.S.); (M.L.M.)
| | - Patricia Gálvez-Martín
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, 180041 Granada, Spain;
- R&D Human Health, Bioibérica S.A.U., 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Alejandro Lucia
- Faculty of Sport Science, European University of Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain;
- Research Institute of the Hospital 12 de Octubre (i+12), 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Llavero
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (A.A.S.); (M.L.M.)
- Faculty of Sport Science, European University of Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain;
| | - José Luis Zugaza
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; (A.A.S.); (M.L.M.)
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology, and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
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