title: Rab5 activation as a tumor cell migration switch.
abstract: Increased cell migration is an acquired feature of metastatic cancer cells and relies on derailed signal transduction pathways. Intracellular vesicular trafficking plays a key role in cell migration due to its intricate involvement in cargo transport and membrane composition. In the last decade, endocytosis has been implicated in cell migration and found to be responsible for the internalization of membrane receptors at the plasma membrane, where integrin trafficking and fine-tuning of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling by internalization are major mechanisms. Accumulating evidence has suggested a link between endosome dynamics, cell migration, and invasion, in which small GTPases of the Rab family have central roles. We have recently determined that Rab5 activation is a crucial event in promoting focal adhesion disassembly, which is concomitant with the migration and invasion of metastatic cancer cells. The mechanisms underlying this novel role for Rab5 are currently unclear, and their elucidation will provide insight into the role of Rab5 function in cancer cell metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Dental Sciences; Faculty of Dentistry; Universidad de Chile; Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Dental Sciences; Faculty of Dentistry; Universidad de Chile; Santiago, Chile; Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell; Faculty of Medicine; Universidad de Chile; Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Dental Sciences; Faculty of Dentistry; Universidad de Chile; Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Patricio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Dental Sciences; Faculty of Dentistry; Universidad de Chile; Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Vicente A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Torres
keywords: Rab5; cell migration; focal adhesion disassembly; metastasis