Rho GTPase signaling in inflammation and transformation

Intracellular Rho GTPases provide an important regulatory mechanism to connect cell-surface-generated signals with the nucleus. By cycling between the active (guanosine 5'-triphosphate [GTP]) and inactive (guanosine 5'-diphosphate) state, these GTP-binding proteins control cellular functions ranging from dynamic actin remodeling and activation of transcription factors to cell-cycle progression and cellular transformation. Their contribution to these very diverse processes makes them an essential part of cell movement, growth, and apoptosis. Upstream regulatory mechanisms, as well as a variety of downstream effector molecules, enable Rho GTPases to act in a specific, orchestrated manner, dictating cellular responses. In this article, I review my laboratory's work centering on the goal of determining how specificity in intracellular signaling is achieved and identifying molecular mechanisms of Rho GTPase-mediated processes in innate immune and transformed cells.