Journal: eLife

Article Title: Global molecular landscape of early MASLD progression in human obesity

doi: 10.7554/eLife.109534

Figure Lengend Snippet: ( A ) Workflow of the LX2 experiment in panels A–F ( n = 8–10). ( B ) GTPase inhibitors NSC23766 (Rac1 inhibitor) and ML141 (Cdc42 inhibitor) significantly reduced pro-collagen secretion from HSC-like LX-2 cells and ( C ) decreased gene expression of COL1A1 and COL1A2 under basal conditions. ( D ) TGF-β administration increased pro-collagen secretion by 32% and ( E ) doubled collagen gene expression in LX2 cells. ( F ) NSC23766-mediated GTPase inhibition impairs pro-collagen secretion from LX-2 cells after TGF-β treatment. Pro-collagen secretion was determined by ELISA and gene expression levels were assessed by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Asterisks (*) denote p-value <0.05 for statistical significance from one-way ANOVA with Holm–Sidak multiple comparisons (B, C), unpaired t -test (D, E), Kruskal–Wallis Test with Dunn's multiple comparisons ( F ). ( G ) Gene expression of selected GTPases in LX-2 cells with and without Elafibranor ( n = 3).

Article Snippet: The cells were then serum-starved in high glucose DMEM for 24 hr and then incubated with high glucose DMEM with either established IC50 doses of NSC23766 at 100 μM (MedChemExpress) and ML141 (MedChemExpress) with or without 5 ng/ml of TGF-β1 (R&D Systems) for 24 hr.

Techniques: Gene Expression, Inhibition, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay, Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Journal: bioRxiv

Article Title: A tunnel microtract organ for T cell progenitor homing is formed by neural crest morphogenesis via Sox10-Cdc42 axis

doi: 10.64898/2026.03.05.709688

Figure Lengend Snippet: a , GO analysis of biological process showing enrichment of Cdc42- and cytoskeleton-related terms in cluster 12. b , qPCR analysis of cdc42 transcript levels in sorted fli1a + flk1 - cells from the zTMT region of 2 dpf and 4 dpf. c , Confocal images showing immunofluorescence staining of Cdc42 co-stained with fli1a-eGFP + zTMT at 6 dpf. d , Confocal images showing immunofluorescence of Cdc42 in the zTMT region of sib and sox10 -/- zebrafish at 6 dpf. e , qPCR analysis of cdc42 transcript levels in sib and sox10 -/- zebrafish at 6 dpf. f , Top: Schematic diagram of the predicted cdc42 promoter with two potential Sox10 binding sites. Bottom: ChIP-PCR gel results. Sites 1 and 2 were amplified using cdc42 -F1/R1 and cdc42 -F2/R2 primers, respectively; cdc42 -NF/NR primers served as negative control. g , Quantification of fold changes in the luciferase activities after transfection with indicated vectors. h , Confocal images showing morphology of fli1a-eGFP + zTMT in sib, sox10 -/- , and sox10 -/- /Tg(fli1a:cdc42) zebrafish at 6 dpf. i , Top: Schematic diagram of the ML141 treatment regimen. Bottom: Confocal images showing morphology of fli1a-eGFP + zTMT in control and ML141-treated zebrafish at 5 dpf. j , Quantification of the ratio of extra-zTMT to intra-zTMT dextran intensity in control and ML141-treated zebrafish. k , Confocal images showing actin-tracker + (magenta) and fli1a-Lifeact-DsRed + (red) signals in fli1a-eGFP + zTMT cells (green) at 2.5 dpf and 6 dpf. l , Confocal images showing actin-tracker + signals (magenta) within fli1a-eGFP + zTMT cells (green) in sib, sox10 -/- , sox10 -/- / Tg ( fli1a : sox10) , and sox10 -/- / Tg ( fli1a : cdc42) zebrafish at 6 dpf. m , Confocal images showing actin-tracker + signals (magenta) within fli1a-eGFP + zTMT cells (green) in control and ML141-treated zebrafish at 5 dpf. n , Top: Schematic diagram of the cytochalasin D (cyto-D) treatment regimen. Bottom: Confocal images showing morphology of fli1a-eGFP + zTMT in control and cyto-D-treated zebrafish at 5.5 dpf. o , Confocal images showing actin-tracker + signals (magenta) within fli1a-eGFP + zTMT cells (green) in control and cyto-D-treated zebrafish at 5 dpf. p , Schematic illustration of the Sox10-Cdc42-actin axis in zTMT morphogenesis, created with BioRender.com. White arrowheads in c indicate the overlapping signals. White and yellow arrowheads in d indicate the zTMT cells of sib and sox10 -/- , respectively. White and magenta arrowheads in h , i , n indicate spindle-like and oval morphologies of zTMT cells, respectively. White dashed lines in k-m , o delineate the zTMT cells. The experiment in b , e , g was repeated three times independently. Each dot in j represents an individual zebrafish larva. Error bars represent mean ± SEM. Unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test. P values are included in the graphs.

Article Snippet: ML141 (Selleck, S7686) powder was dissolved in DMSO to prepare a 50 mM stock solution.

Techniques: Immunofluorescence, Staining, Binding Assay, Amplification, Negative Control, Luciferase, Transfection, Control, Two Tailed Test

Journal: Frontiers in Immunology

Article Title: The Rho GTPase signaling pathway modulates Moraxella catarrhalis invasion into human respiratory epithelial cells by regulating actin polymerization

doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1730864

Figure Lengend Snippet: CDC42 -/- A549, Rac1 -/- A549, ArpC2 -/- A549 and ArpC4 -/- A549 cell lines.

Article Snippet: Actin-related protein 2/3 complex (Arp2/3) inhibitor CK-636 (CK-0944636, Cat. No. IC3650, Beijing Solarbio Science &Technology Co., Ltd), CDC42 GTPase inhibitor ML 141 (ab145603, Cat. No. 10155-1-AP, Proteintech Group, Inc. Chicago, USA), actin polymerization inhibitor: Latrunculin A (Cat. No. HY-16929, MedChem Express LLC), Rho GTPase inhibitor: Simvastatin (Cat. No. IS0170, Beijing Solarbio Science &Technology Co., Ltd.), Rac1/CDC42 activator: CN02-B (Cat. No. CN02-B, Cytoskeleton, Inc.).

Techniques:

Journal: Frontiers in Immunology

Article Title: The Rho GTPase signaling pathway modulates Moraxella catarrhalis invasion into human respiratory epithelial cells by regulating actin polymerization

doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1730864

Figure Lengend Snippet: Critical role of CDC42 in the Rho GTPase signaling pathway during M. catarrhalis invasion into A549 cells. (A) Comparison of invasion counts of M. catarrhalis strains 73-OR and ATCC 25238 into WT A549 cells vs. CDC42 -/- A549 cells. Data are presented as mean ± standard error (SE) from three independent biological replicates (n=3). Statistical significance was determined using an unpaired Student’s t-test. To accurately assess the magnitude of the impact given the limited sample size, effect sizes (Cohen’s d) and mean differences are reported alongside P-values. (B) Transmission electron micrographs (TEM) of 73-OR and ATCC 25238 invading WT A549 cells and CDC42 -/- A549 cells. (C) TEM quantification of M. catarrhalis invasion into wild-type and CDC42 -/- A549 cells. Invasion counts for M. catarrhalis strains 73-OR and ATCC 25238 were quantified by counting the number of bacteria internalized within wild-type (WT) and CDC42 -/- A549 cells via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Data represent the mean ± standard error(SE) from three independent biological replicates (n =3). Within each biological replicate, three random microscopic fields at the same magnification were selected and counted. Statistical significance between groups was determined using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test. Both 73-OR and ATCC 25238 strains showed a significant reduction in invasion into CDC42 -/- A549 cells compared to WT cells. (D) Quantitative comparison of F-actin/G-actin ratios in WT A549 cells and CDC42 -/- A549 cells post-infection with M. catarrhalis strains 73-OR and ATCC 25238. Data are presented as the mean ± standard error(SE) from three independent biological replicates (n=3). Statistical comparison between groups was performed using an unpaired Student’s t-test. (E) Immunofluorescence analysis of F-actin polymerization in A549 cells post-infection. Wild-type (WT) and CDC42 -/- A549 cells were challenged with M. catarrhalis strains 73-OR and ATCC 25238, fixed, and stained. Blue: nuclei; Green: F-actin. (F) Analysis of microfilament expression levels in WT A549 cells vs. CDC42 -/- A549 cells following infection with 73-OR and ATCC 25238. Data are presented as the mean ± standard error(SE) from three independent biological replicates (n=3). Statistical comparison between groups was performed using an unpaired Student’s t-test.

Article Snippet: Actin-related protein 2/3 complex (Arp2/3) inhibitor CK-636 (CK-0944636, Cat. No. IC3650, Beijing Solarbio Science &Technology Co., Ltd), CDC42 GTPase inhibitor ML 141 (ab145603, Cat. No. 10155-1-AP, Proteintech Group, Inc. Chicago, USA), actin polymerization inhibitor: Latrunculin A (Cat. No. HY-16929, MedChem Express LLC), Rho GTPase inhibitor: Simvastatin (Cat. No. IS0170, Beijing Solarbio Science &Technology Co., Ltd.), Rac1/CDC42 activator: CN02-B (Cat. No. CN02-B, Cytoskeleton, Inc.).

Techniques: Comparison, Transmission Assay, Bacteria, Electron Microscopy, MANN-WHITNEY, Infection, Immunofluorescence, Staining, Expressing