RhoB regulates uPAR signalling

J Cell Sci. 2012 May 15;125(Pt 10):2369-80. doi: 10.1242/jcs.091579. Epub 2012 Feb 24.

Abstract

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor, uPAR, play important roles in promoting cancer cell adhesion, migration and invasion. Rho GTPases are key coordinators of these processes; the Rho GTPase Rac1 has previously been implicated in uPA- and/or uPAR-induced migratory or morphological cell responses. We used RNAi to deplete 12 different Rho GTPases to screen for effects on uPA-stimulated migration, and found that depletion of RhoB significantly reduces uPA-induced migration and invasion of prostate carcinoma cells. RhoB depletion did not affect the expression or surface levels of uPAR but reduced the uPAR-induced increase in levels of several integrins and inhibited uPAR signalling to the actin regulator cofilin, the cell-adhesion signal-transduction adaptor molecule paxillin and the serine/threonine kinase Akt. uPAR rapidly activated RhoB and increased RhoB expression. RhoB depletion also reduced cell adhesion to and spreading on vitronectin, which is a uPAR ligand. This correlated with decreased association between integrins and uPAR and reduced integrin β1 activity. Our results indicate that RhoB is a key regulator of uPAR signalling in cell adhesion, migration and invasion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Humans
  • Integrins / metabolism
  • Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator / genetics
  • Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / genetics
  • Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / metabolism*
  • Vitronectin / metabolism
  • rhoB GTP-Binding Protein / genetics
  • rhoB GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism*

Substances

  • Integrins
  • Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator
  • Vitronectin
  • Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator
  • rhoB GTP-Binding Protein