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PAK2

Official Full Name
p21 (RAC1) activated kinase 2
Organism
Homo sapiens
GeneID
5062
Background
The p21 activated kinases (PAK) are critical effectors that link Rho GTPases to cytoskeleton reorganization and nuclear signaling. The PAK proteins are a family of serine/threonine kinases that serve as targets for the small GTP binding proteins, CDC42 and RAC1, and have been implicated in a wide range of biological activities. The protein encoded by this gene is activated by proteolytic cleavage during caspase-mediated apoptosis, and may play a role in regulating the apoptotic events in the dying cell. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]
Synonyms
KNO2; PAK65; PAKgamma;

Detailed Information

PAK2 works as a new target for Cardioprotective Endoplasmic Reticulum stress response

Functional dichotomy of Pak2, which is serine/threonine kinase as a member if the group I Pak family, in cell survival has been described in previous studies. Activation of full-length Pak2 is cell survival stimulative, whereas the caspase3-cleaved short form, Pak-p34, promoted cell death. Pro-survival role for Pak2 was firstly evidenced by zebrafish models, where autonomous endothelial cell defects and hemorrhage occurred after removal of Pak2. Global deletion of Pak2 culminated in embryonic demise while endothelial specific deletion gave rise to the flawed blood vessel formation, all of which suggests the indispensable role of Pak2 in endothelial cell survival and angiogenesis.

As a stress-responsive kinase with localization of close proximity to ER membrane in cardiomyocytes, pak2 can activate Rac1/Cdc42 signaling pathway. A Pak2 promoted protective ER stress response under ER stress conditions was revealed by the phenotypic analysis in cardiac Pak2 knockout mice. Mechanistic study of gene array data demonstrated that Pak2 regulated ER function protection is IRE1/XBP1 pathway dependent. This was further corroborated by IRE activator that relieved ER dysfunction in Pak2-CKO hearts. Hearts injured from CVD (cardiovascular disease), which is still ranked as the leading cause of death worldwide, eventually progress to heart failure (HF), the cause of which is massive cardiomyocyte loss in despite of numerous causative factors. Vulnerability of cardiomyocytes to ER stress is the consequence of their poor regenerative capacity and dependence on trans-membrane proteins, such as ion channels for contractile processes. Oxidative stress, energy deprivation, abnormal calcium content and inflammation, all of which can role as disruptive factors for ER folding and ER stress inducer.

Synaptic cytoskeleton impairment and autism-related behavior resulted from PAK2 haploinsufficiency

In neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), synaptic cytoskeleton dysfunction is always represented as a common pathogenesis. As a critical regulator of cytoskeleton dynamics, serine/threonine kinase Pak2 was found to be functional in central nervous system and ASD pathogenesis. Pak2 haploinsufficiency gave the consequence of markedly decreased synapse densities, defective long-term potentiation, and autism-related behaviors in mice. Functional networks related to ASD are perturbed by PAK2 deficiency via actin cytoskeleton dynamics regulation.

The mechanism of PAK2 regulating glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity in neuronal cells.Figure 1. The mechanism of PAK2 regulating glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity in neuronal cells. (Pallavi Varshney, et al. 2016)

References:

  1. Binder P, Wang S, Radu M, et al. Pak2 as a novel therapeutic target for cardioprotective endoplasmic reticulum stress response. Circulation research, 2019, 124(5): 696-711.
  2. Wang Y, Zeng C, Li J, et al. PAK2 haploinsufficiency results in synaptic cytoskeleton impairment and autism-related behavior. Cell reports, 2018, 24(8): 2029-2041.
  3. Varshney P, Dey C S. P21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2) regulates glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity in neuronal cells. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 2016, 429: 50-61.
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