Rho Protein Regulates Tight Junctions and Perijunctional Actin Organization in Polarized Epithelia

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1995-11, Vol.92 (23), p.10629-10633
• Main Authors: Nusrat, A., Giry, M., Turner, J. R., Colgan, S. P., Parkos, C. A., Carnes, D., Lemichez, E., Boquet, P., Madara, J. L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actins; Actins - physiology; Actins - ultrastructure; ADP Ribose Transferases - metabolism; Biochemistry; Blotting, Western; Botulinum Toxins; Cadherins; Cadherins - metabolism; Cell Adhesion; Cell Communication; Cell lines; Cell Polarity - physiology; Cells; Cells, Cultured; Cellular biology; Epithelial Cells; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; GTP-Binding Proteins - genetics; GTP-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Humans; Intestines - cytology; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Membranes; Microfilaments; Phosphoproteins - metabolism; Physiological regulation; Precipitin Tests; Proteins; Recombinant Proteins - metabolism; rho GTP-Binding Proteins; rhoC GTP-Binding Protein; Signal Transduction; Stress fibers; Tight junctions; Tight Junctions - physiology; Tight Junctions - ultrastructure; Toxins; Zonula Occludens-1 Protein
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.92.23.10629

The rho family of GTP-binding proteins regulates actin filament organization. In unpolarized mammalian cells, rho proteins regulate the assembly of actin-containing stress fibers at the cell-matrix interface. Polarized epithelial cells, in contrast, are tall and cylindrical with well developed intercellular tight junctions that permit them to behave as biologic barriers. We report that rho regulates filamentous actin organization preferentially in the apical pole of polarized intestinal epithelial cells and, in so doing, influences the organization and permeability of the associated apical tight junctions. Thus, barrier function, which is an essential characteristic of columnar epithelia, is regulated by rho.