βPix is a New Player in Renal Physiology

Kirk L Hamilton,Alan C Pao

doi:10.3389/fphys.2012.00268

Kirk L Hamilton, Alan C Pao

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2012.00268

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Abstract

GENERAL COMMENTARY article Front. Physiol., 20 July 2012Sec. Renal Physiology and Pathophysiology Volume 3 - 2012 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2012.00268

Highlights

The focus of this Commentary is to highlight the recent review article by Staruschenko and Sorokin (2012) published in Frontiers of Physiology in which they have provided a brief background of the Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) βPix, but more importantly, they have reviewed the recent and very exciting roles of βPix in kidney physiology. βPix [p21-activated kinase (PAK)-interacting exchange factor β] is a GEF that modulates Rac1 and Cdc42 (Guilluy et al, 2011)
Staruschenko and Sorokin (2012) describe that β1Pix participates in both canonical and non-canonical signaling pathways involved in various cellular functions
ΒPix expression has been detected in mesangial cells, podocytes, cortical collecting ducts, and localized vessels and vascular smooth muscle cells of the rat kidney and in a number of nephron segment-specific derived cell lines

Summary

Introduction

The focus of this Commentary is to highlight the recent review article by Staruschenko and Sorokin (2012) published in Frontiers of Physiology in which they have provided a brief background of the GEF βPix, but more importantly, they have reviewed the recent and very exciting roles of βPix in kidney physiology. βPix [p21-activated kinase (PAK)-interacting exchange factor β] is a GEF that modulates Rac1 and Cdc42 (Guilluy et al, 2011). The focus of this Commentary is to highlight the recent review article by Staruschenko and Sorokin (2012) published in Frontiers of Physiology in which they have provided a brief background of the GEF βPix, but more importantly, they have reviewed the recent and very exciting roles of βPix in kidney physiology. Oh et al (1997) originally demonstrated that p85SPR [Src Homology 3 (SH3) domain containing proline-rich protein], known as βPix, interacted with areas of focal adhesion, suggesting a role for βPix in cytoskeletal function.

Results

Conclusion