Role of Rho GTPases in desmosomal adhesion and pemphigus pathogenesis.

Abstract

Desmosomes are distinct intercellular contacts essential to the integrity of epithelial tissues and the heart muscle. This function is impaired in the disease pemphigus, in which patients develop autoantibodies against the cadherin-type desmosomal core proteins desmogleins. Autoantibody binding induces loss of cell-cell adhesion leading to blisters within the epidermis and mucous membranes. Despite the relevance of desmosomes for integrity of such essential organs as the skin, data on the regulation of desmosome assembly and maintenance and desmosome-mediated adhesion are only slowly emerging. Small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) of the Rho family have long been established as regulators of other cell junctions such as adherens junctions, but also have been implicated in participating in the formation of desmosomes. In this short review we summarize two papers from our group dealing with the role of Rho family GTPases for desmosomal adhesion and pemphigus and discuss these data integrating novel work recently published.

• Authors: Volker Spindler, Jens Waschke
• Journal: Annals of anatomy = Anatomischer Anzeiger : official organ of the Anatomische Gesellschaft (Ann Anat) Vol. 193 Issue 3 Pg. 177-80 (May 2011) ISSN: 1618-0402 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 21441018 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• rho GTP-Binding Proteins

Topics

• Animals
• Cell Adhesion (immunology)
• Desmosomes (enzymology)
• Humans
• Models, Immunological
• Pemphigus (enzymology, immunology)
• Skin (enzymology, immunology)
• rho GTP-Binding Proteins (immunology)