Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor (RGNEF) is a prosurvival factor under stress conditions

Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences
Kevin CheungMichael J Strong

Abstract

Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor (RGNEF) is a 190kDa RNA binding protein (RBP) that also contains a Dbl/PH domain capable of RhoA activation. Consistent with a key role in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), RGNEF forms pathological neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions in degenerating spinal motor neurons. To further understand the role of RGNEF in the stress response, we first observed that the expression of RGNEF is upregulated in murine spinal motor neurons following distal sciatic nerve injury. Secondly, in response to in vitro cellular stress (500μM sodium arsenite for 1h; or 400mM sorbitol 1 hour exposure; as an oxidative or osmotic stress, respectively), we observed a significant survival benefit in RGNEF-transfected HEK293T cells. Using deletion constructs, we found that the NH2-terminus domain is essential for this protective effect. Interestingly, we observed that under stress conditions RGNEF associates with Staufen1 positive granules but not TIA-1-positive stress granules. These findings support the hypothesis that RGNEF plays a critical role both in RNA homeostasis and in the response to cell stress.

Citations

Jul 17, 2019·Oncogene·Elizabeth G KleinschmidtDavid D Schlaepfer
Aug 9, 2020·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Sonja E Di GregorioMartin L Duennwald
Dec 29, 2019·Scientific Reports·Cristian A DroppelmannMichael J Strong
Jun 3, 2021·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Chisato KinoshitaKoji Aoyama

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

ALS: Stress Granules

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by cytoplasmic protein aggregates within motor neurons. TDP-43 is an ALS-linked protein that is known to regulate splicing and storage of specific mRNAs into stress granules, which have been implicated in formation of ALS protein aggregates. Here is the latest research in this field.

Amyloid Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive nervous system disease associated with the death of neurons that control voluntary muscles. Discover the latest research on ALS here.