Rab GTPases, intracellular traffic and disease

MC Seabra, EH Mules, AN Hume - Trends in molecular medicine, 2002 - cell.com
MC Seabra, EH Mules, AN Hume
Trends in molecular medicine, 2002cell.com
Membrane and protein traffic in the secretory and endocytic pathways is mediated by
vesicular transport. Recent studies of certain key regulators of vesicular transport, the Rab
GTPases, have linked Rab dysfunction to human disease. Mutations in Rab27a result in
Griscelli syndrome, caused by defects in melanosome transport in melanocytes and loss of
cytotoxic killing activity in Tcells. Other genetic diseases are caused by partial dysfunction of
multiple Rab proteins resulting from mutations in general regulators of Rab activity; Rab …
Abstract
Membrane and protein traffic in the secretory and endocytic pathways is mediated by vesicular transport. Recent studies of certain key regulators of vesicular transport, the Rab GTPases, have linked Rab dysfunction to human disease. Mutations in Rab27a result in Griscelli syndrome, caused by defects in melanosome transport in melanocytes and loss of cytotoxic killing activity in Tcells. Other genetic diseases are caused by partial dysfunction of multiple Rab proteins resulting from mutations in general regulators of Rab activity; Rab escort protein-1 (choroideremia), Rab geranylgeranyl transferase (Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome) and Rab GDP dissociation inhibitor-α (X-linked mental retardation). In infectious diseases caused by intracellular microorganisms, the function of endocytic Rabs is altered either as part of host defences or as part of survival strategy of the pathogen. The human genome is predicted to contain 60 RAB genes, suggesting that future work could reveal further links between Rab dysfunction and disease.
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