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A novel agent, methylophiopogonanone B, promotes Rho activation and tubulin depolymerization

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Abstract

Cytoskeletal reorganization, including reconstruction of actin fibers and microtubules, is essential for various biological processes, such as cell migration, proliferation and dendrite formation. We show here that methylophiopogonanone B (MOPB) induces cell morphological change via melanocyte dendrite retraction and stress fiber formation. Since members of the Rho family of small GTP-binding proteins act as master regulators of dendrite formation and actin cytoskeletal reorganization, and activated Rho promotes dendrite retraction and stress fiber formation, we studied the effects of MOPB on the small GTPases using normal human epidermal melanocytes and HeLa cells. In in vitro binding assay, MOPB significantly increased GTP-Rho, but not GTP-Rac or GTP-CDC42. Furthermore, a Rho inhibitor, a Rho kinase inhibitor and a small GTPase inhibitor each blocked MOPB-induced stress fiber formation. The effect of MOPB on actin reorganization was blocked in a Rho dominant negative mutant. These results suggest MOPB acts via the Rho signaling pathway, and it may directly or indirectly activate Rho. Quantitative Western blot analysis indicated that MOPB also induced microtubule destabilization and tubulin depolymerization. Thus, MOPB appears to induce Rho activation, resulting in actin cytoskeletal reorganization, including dendrite retraction and stress fiber formation.

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Abbreviations

MOPB:

methylophiopogonanone B

NHEM:

normal human epidermal melanocytes

ROCK:

Rho kinase

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Acknowledgments

We thank Drs. S. Kuroda (Tokyo University) and K. Kaibuchi (Nagoya University) for providing small GTPase plasmids. We also thank Drs. K. Mizuno and K. Ohashi (Tohoku University) for helpful discussions, and T. Katagiri and Dr. Y. Fujiki for encouragement and suggestions concerning all aspects of this work.

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  1. POLA Laboratories, POLA Chemical Industries, Inc., 560 Kashio-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, 244-0812, Japan

    Yuko Ito, Akiko Kanamaru & Akihiro Tada

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  1. Yuko Ito
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  2. Akiko Kanamaru
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  3. Akihiro Tada
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Correspondence to Yuko Ito.

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Ito, Y., Kanamaru, A. & Tada, A. A novel agent, methylophiopogonanone B, promotes Rho activation and tubulin depolymerization. Mol Cell Biochem 297, 121–129 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-006-9336-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-006-9336-y

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