RhoA- and Actin-Dependent Functions of Macrophages from the Rodent Cardiac Transplantation Model Perspective -Timing Is the Essence.

The small GTPase RhoA, and its down-stream effector ROCK kinase, and the interacting Rac1and and mTORC2 pathways, are the principal regulators of the actin cytoskeleton and actin-related functions in all eukaryotic cells, including the immune cells. As such, they also regulate the phenotypes and functions of macrophages in the immune response and beyond. Here, we review the results of our and other's studies on the role of the actin and RhoA pathway in shaping the macrophage functions in general and macrophage immune response during the development of chronic (long term) rejection of allografts in the rodent cardiac transplantation model.

Computational DNA hole spectroscopy: A new tool to predict mutation hotspots, critical base pairs, and disease 'driver' mutations.

We report on a new technique, computational DNA hole spectroscopy, which creates spectra of electron hole probabilities vs. nucleotide position. A hole is a site of positive charge created when an electron is removed.