title: Rab and rho GTPases are involved in specific response of periodontal ligament fibroblasts to mechanical stretching.
abstract: To investigate the contribution of ras-related signalling molecules to the mechanotransduction process, stretch-sensing human periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblasts were isolated and cultured in dishes with a flexible bottom. The cells were stimulated by stretching the bottom of the dishes and membrane fractions were prepared and analysed at the level of mapping small GTP-binding proteins by high resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by renaturing transfer and an [alpha-32P]GTP-overlay procedure. This analysis revealed that mechanically-stretched PDL fibroblasts exhibit complete down-regulation of rhoA and induction of rab6, rab17 and a putative member of the rab3 subfamily in a cell type-specific manner.
authors.affiliation: Poliklinik für Kieferorthopädie, Universität Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Basdra
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Papavassiliou
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Huber
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000201:enzymology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases