Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026

Spatio-Temporal Manipulation of Small GTPase Activity at Subcellular Level and on Timescale of Seconds in Living Cells
Published on: March 9, 2012
Rit GTPase regulates a p38 MAPK-dependent neuronal survival pathway.
Weikang Cai1, Jennifer L Rudolph, Tomoko Sengoku
1Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, 741 S. Limestone Street, BBSRB, Lexington, KY 40536-0509, United States.
The Ras-related GTPase Rit protects neurons from oxidative stress. This survival pathway involves the p38 MAPK signaling cascade, crucial for hippocampal neuron health.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- The physiological roles of Ras-related GTPases, specifically Rit, are not fully understood.
- Loss of Rit function increases sensitivity to oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in various cell types.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Rit in neuronal survival under oxidative stress.
- To determine the signaling pathways involved in Rit-mediated neuroprotection.
Main Methods:
- Generation of transgenic mice overexpressing constitutively active Rit (Rit(Q79L)) in neurons using the Synapsin I promoter.
- Assessment of oxidative stress resistance in hippocampal neurons.
- Pharmacological inhibition of signaling pathways, including p38 MAPK and MEK/ERK.
Main Results:
- Neurons overexpressing active Rit exhibited significantly enhanced resistance to oxidative stress.
- The protective effect of Rit was dependent on the p38 MAPK pathway.
- The MEK/ERK signaling cascade was not required for Rit-mediated neuroprotection.
Conclusions:
- The Rit-p38 MAPK signaling cascade plays a critical role in promoting hippocampal neuron survival against oxidative stress.
- Rit acts as a key regulator of neuronal resilience to oxidative damage.
More Related Videos
09:18Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death
Published on: December 27, 2016
13:51Detection of Small GTPase Prenylation and GTP Binding Using Membrane Fractionation and GTPase-linked Immunosorbent Assay
Published on: November 11, 2018
Related Concept Videos
MAPK Signaling Cascades
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Activation and Inactivation of G Proteins
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway
Small GTPases - Ras and Rho
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
GTPases and their Regulation
Large G-proteins, also known...