title: Aberrant Rho GTPases signaling and cognitive dysfunction: in vivo evidence for a compelling molecular relationship.
abstract: Rho GTPases are key intracellular signaling molecules that coordinate dynamic changes in the actin cytoskeleton, thereby stimulating a variety of processes, including morphogenesis, migration, neuronal development, cell division and adhesion. Deviations from normal Rho GTPases activation state have been proposed to disrupt cognition and synaptic plasticity. This review focuses on the functional consequences of genetic ablation of upstream and downstream Rho GTPases molecules on cognitive function and neuronal morphology and connectivity. Available information on this issue is described and compared to that gained from mice carrying mutations in the most studied Rho GTPases and from pharmacological in vivo studies in which brain Rho GTPases signaling was modulated. Results from reviewed literature provide definitive evidence of a compelling link between Rho GTPases signaling and cognitive function, thus supporting the notion that Rho GTPases and their downstream effectors may represent important therapeutic targets for disorders associated with cognitive dysfunction.
authors: Sect. Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy. Electronic address: bianca.defilippis@iss.it.
authors: Bianca
authors: B
authors: De Filippis
authors: Sect. Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy; Bambino Gesù, Children Hospital, IRCCS, Roma, Italy.
authors: Emilia
authors: E
authors: Romano
authors: Sect. Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy.
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Laviola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000235:genetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins
keywords: Actin cytoskeleton; Cognitive dysfunction; Mouse models; Neural morphology; Rho GTPases; Structural plasticity