Rho GTPases are members of the Ras superfamily which regulate multiple cell functions. Rho GTPases cycle between active, GTP-bound and inactive, GDP-bound states and are regulated by guanine exchange factors (GEF), GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) and guanine dissociation inhibitors (GDIs). Rac (including the related Rac1, Rac2 and Rac3 proteins), Cdc42 and RhoA represent the best studied members of the Rho family of small GTPases. Previous studies have relied primarily on transfection and expression of dominant negative and constitutive active mutants in cell lines, most notably fibroblasts and these approaches, while informative, suffer from experimental deficiencies. In the previous funding period, we have utilized knock-out and conditional knock-out mouse lines generated by gene targeting to study the role of Rac1 and Rac2 in blood cell development and function. We have determined that Rac is activated via stimulation of CXCR4 by SDF-1, by adhesion via beta1 integrins and via binding of c-kit by SCF-all pathways involved in stem cell engraftment. We have defined the Rac proteins as key regulators of hematopoietic stem and progenitor (HSC/P) cell function, delineated key unique and overlapping functions of these two highly related GTPases in a variety of primary hematopoietic cell lineages in vitro and in vivo. In this continuation application, we seek to expand our studies to further define the role of individual Rac proteins, Rac3 in particular, in blood cell function. These studies will utilize gene-targeted mice deficient in Rac3 and Rac3 in combination with Rac1/Rac2. Utilizing insights gained in the previous funding period we also seek to define key upstream regulators and downstream effectors of the Rac-dependent hematopoietic cell functions, particularly engraftment and retention in the bone marrow niche. These studies will utilize 'candidate gene'approaches focusing on the role of downstream Rac targets Pak, POR-1 and WAVE and Stat5 in engraftment and marrow retention. Finally, again utilizing knockout mice deficient in the Vav family of activators of Rac (Vav1, Vav2, and Vav3) (all in hand), we will determine the role of these GEFs in stem cell functions focusing on the hematopoietic-specific Vav1 GEG. Thus, overall the goal of these studies is to build on the recent identification of Rac GTPases as major regulators of HSC localization and retention in the hematopoietic microenvironment to determine the 'biochemical footprint'of stem cell engraftment and marrow retention.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DK062757-09
Application #
7664355
Study Section
Hematopoiesis Study Section (HP)
Program Officer
Wright, Daniel G
Project Start
2002-04-01
Project End
2012-06-30
Budget Start
2009-07-01
Budget End
2010-06-30
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$414,050
Indirect Cost
Name
Children's Hospital Boston
Department
Type
DUNS #
076593722
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
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De Vita, Serena; Li, Yanhua; Harris, Chad E et al. (2018) The gp130 Cytokine Interleukin-11 Regulates Engraftment of Vav1-/- Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Lethally Irradiated Recipients. Stem Cells 36:446-457
Gavillet, Mathilde; Martinod, Kimberly; Renella, Raffaele et al. (2018) A key role for Rac and Pak signaling in neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation defines a new potential therapeutic target. Am J Hematol 93:269-276
Reddy, Pavankumar N G; Radu, Maria; Xu, Ke et al. (2016) p21-activated kinase 2 regulates HSPC cytoskeleton, migration, and homing via CDC42 activation and interaction with ?-Pix. Blood 127:1967-75
Ciuculescu, Marioara F; Park, Shin-Young; Canty, Kimberly et al. (2015) Perivascular deletion of murine Rac reverses the ratio of marrow arterioles and sinusoid vessels and alters hematopoiesis in vivo. Blood 125:3105-13
Gavillet, Mathilde; Martinod, Kimberly; Renella, Raffaele et al. (2015) Flow cytometric assay for direct quantification of neutrophil extracellular traps in blood samples. Am J Hematol 90:1155-8
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Gordon, P M; Dias, Stuart; Williams, D A (2014) Cytokines secreted by bone marrow stromal cells protect c-KIT mutant AML cells from c-KIT inhibitor-induced apoptosis. Leukemia 28:2257-60
De Vita, Serena; Schneider, Rebekka K; Garcia, Michael et al. (2014) Loss of function of TET2 cooperates with constitutively active KIT in murine and human models of mastocytosis. PLoS One 9:e96209
Keerthivasan, Ganesan; Mei, Yang; Zhao, Baobing et al. (2014) Aberrant overexpression of CD14 on granulocytes sensitizes the innate immune response in mDia1 heterozygous del(5q) MDS. Blood 124:780-90

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