Regular Article
Rho GTPases Are Involved in the Regulation of NF-κB by Genotoxic Stress

https://doi.org/10.1006/excr.2001.5165Get rights and content

Abstract

A common cellular response to genotoxic agents and inflammatory cytokines is the activation of NF-κB. Here, we addressed the question of whether small GTPases of the Rho family are involved in the stimulation of NF-κB signaling by genotoxic agents or TNFα in HeLa cells. Inhibition of isoprenylation of Rho proteins by use of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor lovastatin attenuated UV-, doxorubicin-, and TNFα-induced degradation of IκBα as well as drug-stimulated DNA binding activity of NF-κB. Furthermore, NF-κB-regulated gene expression stimulated by either UV irradiation or treatment with TNFα was abrogated by lovastatin pretreatment. This indicates that isoprenylated regulatory proteins participate in the regulation of NF-κB by DNA-damaging agents as well as by TNFα. Specific blockage of Rho signaling by Clostridium difficile toxin B attenuated UV- and doxorubicin-induced activation of NF-κB, but did not affect stimulation of NF-κB by TNFα. Obviously, signaling to NF-κB by genotoxic and nongenotoxic stimuli occurs via different molecular mechanisms, either involving Rho GTPases or not. Based on the data, we suggest Rho GTPases to be essentially required for genotoxic stress-induced signaling to NF-κB.

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