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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

RhoC GTPase Activation Assay
Published on: August 22, 2010
Involvement of Rho/ROCK signalling in small cell lung cancer migration through human brain microvascular endothelial
Bo Li1, Wei-Dong Zhao, Zhi-Min Tan
1Department of Developmental Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health of China, China Medical University, 92 Bei Er Road, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, PR China.
Abstract:
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells migration across human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) is an essential step of brain metastases. Here we investigated signalling pathways in HBMECs contributing to the process. Inhibition of endothelial Rho kinase (ROCK) with Y27632 and overexpression of ROCK dominant-negative mutant prevented SCLC cells, NCI-H209, transendothelial migration and the concomitant changes of tight junction. Conversely, inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase C (PKC) had no effects. Furthermore, endothelial RhoA protein was activated during NCI-H209 cells transendothelial migration. Rho/ROCK participated in NCI-H209 cells transendothelial migration through regulating actin cytoskeleton reorganization. These results suggested that Rho/ROCK was required for SCLC cells transendothelial migration.
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