Department of Biotechnology
inStem (Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine)

Rudhira-mediated microtubule stability controls TGFβ signaling during mouse vascular development.

Publication Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

May 15, 2025

Journal

eLife

Volume/Issue

13

ISSN

2050-084X

The transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathway is critical for survival, proliferation, and cell migration, and is tightly regulated during cardiovascular development. Smads, key effectors of TGFβ signaling, are sequestered by microtubules (MTs) and need to be released for pathway function. Independently, TGFβ signaling also stabilizes MTs. Molecular details and the in vivo relevance of this cross-regulation remain unclear, understanding which is important in complex biological processes such as cardiovascular development. Here, we use ), an MT-associated, endothelium-restricted, and developmentally essential proto-oncogene, as a pivot to decipher cellular mechanisms in bridging TGFβ signaling and MT stability. We show that Rudhira regulates TGFβ signaling in vivo, during mouse cardiovascular development, and in endothelial cells in culture. Rudhira associates with MTs and is essential for the activation and release of Smad2/3 from MTs. Consequently, Rudhira depletion attenuates Smad2/3-dependent TGFβ signaling, thereby impairing cell migration. Interestingly, Rudhira is also a transcriptional target of Smad2/3-dependent TGFβ signaling essential for TGFβ-induced MT stability. Our study identifies an immediate early physical role and a slower, transcription-dependent role for Rudhira in cytoskeleton-TGFβ signaling crosstalk. These two phases of control could facilitate temporally and spatially restricted targeting of the cytoskeleton and/or TGFβ signaling in vascular development and disease.

Alternate Journal

Elife

PubMed ID

40372775

PubMed Central ID

PMC12080998

Authors

Joshi D
Jindal P
Shetty RK
Inamdar MS

Keywords

Animals
Signal Transduction
Mice
Humans
Cell Movement
Microtubules
Endothelial Cells
Cell Cycle Proteins
Transforming Growth Factor beta
Proto-Oncogene Mas
Smad2 Protein