RPTP-alpha acts as a transducer of mechanical force on alphav/beta3-integrin-cytoskeleton linkages.
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ABSTRACT: Cell motility on ECM critically depends on the cellular response to force from the matrix. We find that force-dependent reinforcement of alphav/beta3-integrin-mediated cell-matrix connections requires the receptor-like tyrosine phosphatase alpha (RPTPalpha). RPTPalpha colocalizes with alphav-integrins at the leading edge during early spreading, and coimmunoprecipitates with alphav-integrins during spreading on fibronectin and vitronectin. RPTPalpha-dependent activation of Src family kinases, in particular activation of Fyn, is required for the force-dependent formation of focal complexes and strengthening of alphav/beta3-integrin-cytoskeleton connections during the initial phase of ECM contact. These observations indicate that Src family kinases have distinct functions during adhesion site assembly, and that RPTPalpha is an early component in force-dependent signal transduction pathways leading to the assembly of focal complexes on both fibronectin and vitronectin.
Project description:Integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) plays a pivotal role in hemostasis and thrombosis by mediating adhesive interactions of platelets. Binding of alpha(IIb)beta(3) to its physiological ligands, immobilized fibrinogen and fibrin, induces outside-in signaling in platelets, leading to their adhesion and spreading even without prior stimulation by agonists. Implicit in these phenomena is a requirement for the linkage between integrins' cytoplasmic tails and intracellular proteins. However, the nature of the initiating signal has not been established. In this study, we examined whether binding of alpha(IIb)beta(3) to immobilized fibrin(ogen), per se, triggers interaction of the integrin with cytoplasmic proteins. Using the integrin-binding skelemin fragment as a marker of exposure of residues involved in the clasp between alpha(IIb) and beta(3) cytoplasmic tails, we showed that its binding site in the membrane-proximal beta(3) 715-730 segment is cryptic and becomes exposed as a result of binding of isolated alpha(IIb)beta(3) to immobilized ligands. Furthermore, the skelemin-like protein present in platelets and CHO cells does not associate with alpha(IIb)beta(3) in resting platelets or suspended alpha(IIb)beta(3)-expressing CHO cells but is recruited to integrin during cell adhesion. In addition, not only beta(3) but also the membrane-proximal 989-1000 segment of the alpha(IIb) cytoplasmic tail binds the skelemin fragment. Finally, the same residues, alpha(IIb) Val(990), alpha(IIb) Arg(995), and beta(3) His(722), involved in the formation of the clasp between the tails are also required for skelemin binding. These studies suggest that ligation of alpha(IIb)beta(3) by immobilized ligands during platelet adhesion induces a transmembrane conformation change in the integrin, resulting in unclasping of the complex between the membrane-proximal parts of cytoplasmic tails, thereby unmasking residues involved in binding the skelemin-like protein. Thus, the junction between alpha(IIb) and beta(3) cytoplasmic tails may contain the critical structural information for the initiation of outside-in signaling.
Project description:The turnover of integrin receptors is critical for cell migration and adhesion dynamics. Here we find that force development at integrins regulates adaptor protein recruitment and endocytosis. Using mobile RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) ligands on supported lipid membranes (RGD membranes) and rigid RGD ligands on glass (RGD-glass), we find that matrix force-dependent integrin signals block endocytosis. Dab2, an adaptor protein of clathrin-mediated endocytosis, is not recruited to activated integrin-beta3 clusters on RGD-glass; however, it is recruited to integrin-mediated adhesions on RGD membranes. Further, when force generation is inhibited on RGD-glass, Dab2 binds to integrin-beta3 clusters. Dab2 binding to integrin-beta3 excludes other adhesion-related adaptor proteins, such as talin. The clathrin-mediated endocytic machinery combines with Dab2 to facilitate the endocytosis of RGD-integrin-beta3 clusters. From these observations, we propose that loss of traction force on ligand-bound integrin-beta3 causes recruitment of Dab2/clathrin, resulting in endocytosis of integrins.
Project description:There is increasing evidence that the catch bond mechanism, where binding becomes stronger under tensile force, is a common property among non-covalent interactions between biological molecules that are exposed to mechanical force in vivo. Here, by using the multi-protein tip complex of the mannose-binding type 1 fimbriae of Escherichia coli, we show how the entire quaternary structure of the adhesive organella is adapted to facilitate binding under mechanically dynamic conditions induced by flow. The fimbrial tip mediates shear-dependent adhesion of bacteria to uroepithelial cells and demonstrates force-enhanced interaction with mannose in single molecule force spectroscopy experiments. The mannose-binding, lectin domain of the apex-positioned adhesive protein FimH is docked to the anchoring pilin domain in a distinct hooked manner. The hooked conformation is highly stable in molecular dynamics simulations under no force conditions but permits an easy separation of the domains upon application of an external tensile force, allowing the lectin domain to switch from a low- to a high-affinity state. The conformation between the FimH pilin domain and the following FimG subunit of the tip is open and stable even when tensile force is applied, providing an extended lever arm for the hook unhinging under shear. Finally, the conformation between FimG and FimF subunits is highly flexible even in the absence of tensile force, conferring to the FimH adhesin an exploratory function and high binding rates. The fimbrial tip of type 1 Escherichia coli is optimized to have a dual functionality: flexible exploration and force sensing. Comparison to other structures suggests that this property is common in unrelated bacterial and eukaryotic adhesive complexes that must function in dynamic conditions.
Project description:The beta3 integrin cytoplasmic domain, and specifically S752, is critical for integrin localization and osteoclast (OC) function. Because growth factors such as macrophage colony-stimulating factor and hepatocyte growth factor affect integrin activation and function via inside-out signaling, a process requiring the beta integrin cytoplasmic tail, we examined the effect of these growth factors on OC precursors. To this end, we retrovirally expressed various beta3 integrins with cytoplasmic tail mutations in beta3-deficient OC precursors. We find that S752 in the beta3 cytoplasmic tail is required for growth factor-induced integrin activation, cytoskeletal reorganization, and membrane protrusion, thereby affecting OC adhesion, migration, and bone resorption. The small GTPases Rho and Rac mediate cytoskeletal reorganization, and activation of each is defective in OC precursors lacking a functional beta3 subunit. Activation of the upstream mediators c-Src and c-Cbl is also dependent on beta3. Interestingly, although the FAK-related kinase Pyk2 interacts with c-Src and c-Cbl, its activation is not disrupted in the absence of functional beta3. Instead, its activation is dependent upon intracellular calcium, and on the beta2 integrin. Thus, the beta3 cytoplasmic domain is responsible for activation of specific intracellular signals leading to cytoskeletal reorganization critical for OC function.
Project description:Cells are exposed to several types of integrin stimuli, which generate responses generally referred to as "integrin signals", but the specific responses to different integrin stimuli are poorly defined. In this study, signals induced by integrin ligation during cell attachment, mechanical force from intracellular contraction, or cell stretching by external force were compared. The elevated phosphorylation levels of several proteins during the early phase of cell attachment and spreading of fibroblast cell lines were not affected by inhibition of ROCK and myosin II activity, i.e. the reactions occurred independently of intracellular contractile force acting on the adhesion sites. The contraction-independent phosphorylation sites included ERK1/2 T202/Y204, AKT S473, p130CAS Y410, and cofilin S3. In contrast to cell attachment, cyclic stretching of the adherent cells induced a robust phosphorylation only of ERK1/2 and the phosphorylation levels of the other investigated proteins were not or only moderately affected by stretching. No major differences between signaling via α5β1 or αvβ3 integrins were detected. The importance of mitochondrial ROS for the integrin-induced signaling pathways was investigated using rotenone, a specific inhibitor of complex I in the respiratory chain. While rotenone only moderately reduced ATP levels and hardly affected the signals induced by cyclic cell stretching, it abolished the activation of AKT and reduced the actin polymerization rate in response to attachment in both cell lines. In contrast, scavenging of extracellular ROS with catalase or the vitamin C analog Asc-2P did not significantly influence the attachment-derived signaling, but caused a selective and pronounced enhancement of ERK1/2 phosphorylation in response to stretching. In conclusion, the results showed that "integrin signals" are composed of separate sets of reactions triggered by different types of integrin stimulation. Mitochondrial ROS and extracellular ROS had specific and distinct effects on the integrin signals induced by cell attachment and mechanical stretching.
Project description:Integrins are postulated to undergo structural rearrangement from a low affinity bent conformer to a high affinity extended conformer upon activation. However, some reports have shown that a bent conformer is capable of binding a ligand, whereas another report has shown that integrin extension does not absolutely lead to activation. To clarify whether integrin affinity is indeed regulated by the so-called switchblade-like movement, we have engineered a series of mutant αIIbβ3 integrins that are constrained specifically in either a bent or an extended conformation. These mutant αIIbβ3 integrins were expressed in mammalian cells, and fibrinogen binding to these cells was examined. The bent integrins were created through the introduction of artificial disulfide bridges in the β-head/β-tail interface. Cells expressing bent integrins all failed to bind fibrinogen unless pretreated with DTT to disrupt the disulfide bridges. The extended integrins were created by introducing N-glycosylation sites in amino acid residues located close to the α-genu, where the integrin legs fold backward. Among these mutants, activation was maximized in one integrin with an N-glycosylation site located behind the α-genu. This extension-induced activation was completely blocked when the swing-out of the hybrid domain was prevented. These results suggest that the bent and extended conformers represent low affinity and high affinity conformers, respectively, and that extension-induced activation depends on the swing-out of the hybrid domain. Taken together, these results are consistent with the current hypothesis that integrin affinity is regulated by the switchblade-like movement of the integrin legs.
Project description:We report a direct synthesis of ultrasmall c(RGDyK) peptide-coated Fe3O4 NPs (<10 nm in hydrodynamic diameter) and demonstrate their in vivo tumor-specific targeting capability. The Fe3O4 NPs are synthesized by thermal decomposition of iron pentacarbonyl in the presence of 4-methylcatechol (4-MC), and the peptide is coupled to the nanoparticles through 4-MC via Mannich reaction. The c(RGDyK)-MC-Fe3O4 NPs have an overall diameter of approximately 8.4 nm and are stable in physiological conditions. When administrated intravenously, these c(RGDyK)-MC-Fe3O4 NPs accumulate preferentially in the integrin alphavbeta3-rich tumor area, which are readily tracked by MRI.
Project description:Accumulating evidence suggests that integrin recycling regulates cell migration. However, the lack of reagents to selectively target the trafficking of individual heterodimers, as opposed to endocytic transport as a whole, has made it difficult to define the contribution made by particular recycling pathways to directional cell movement. We show that autophosphorylation of protein kinase D1 (PKD1) at Ser(916) is necessary for its association with alphavbeta3 integrin. Expression of PKD1(916A) or the use of mutants of beta3 that do not bind to PKD1 selectively inhibits short-loop, Rab4-dependent recycling of alphavbeta3, and this suppresses the persistence of fibroblast migration. However, we report that short-loop recycling does not directly contribute to fibroblast migration by moving alphavbeta3 to the cell front, but by antagonizing alpha5beta1 recycling, which, in turn, influences the cell's decision to migrate with persistence or to move randomly.
Project description:CD98 heavy chain (CD98hc) is expressed highly in developing human placental trophoblast. CD98hc is an amino acid transporter and is thought to function in cell fusion, adhesion, and invasion by interacting with integrins. In invasive extravillous trophoblast, alpha(v)beta(3) integrin is expressed in a temporally and spatially specific manner, which prompted us to investigate the potential role of CD98hc in signal transduction of alpha(v)beta(3) integrin. Immunocytochemistry of extravillous trophoblast derived from human placenta revealed that CD98hc colocalized with alpha(v)beta(3) integrin and with alpha(v)beta(3)-associated cytoplasmic proteins including paxillin, vinculin, and focal adhesion kinase. Coimmunoprecipitation of CD98hc and its mutants revealed that the transmembrane domain of CD98hc is necessary for the association of CD98hc with alpha(v)beta(3) integrin. When CD98hc negative liver cells (FLC4) were stably transfected with CD98hc and the extracellular domain of CD98hc was cross-linked by anti-CD98 antibody, FLC4 cells binding affinity to fibronectin and cell motility increased. The anti-CD98 antibody cross-linking promoted actin stress fiber formation and activation of signal transduction downstream of RhoA GTPase, and elevated the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, paxillin, and protein kinase B. Pretreatment of transfected FLC4 cells with specific inhibitors for alpha(v)beta(3)integrin, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and RhoA diminished these effects caused by anti-CD98 antibody cross-linking. These results suggest that notoriously invasive activity of extravillous trophoblast is mediated by CD98hc, which promotes alpha(v)beta(3) integrin-dependent signals.
Project description:Wound healing process is a complex and highly orchestrated process that ultimately results in the formation of scar tissue. Hypertrophic scar contracture is considered to be a pathologic and exaggerated wound healing response that is known to be triggered by repetitive mechanical forces. We now show that Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) C3 regulates the expression of fibronectin, a key regulatory molecule involved in the wound healing process, in response to mechanical strain via the NFkB pathway. TRPC3 is highly expressed in human hypertrophic scar tissue and mechanical stimuli are known to upregulate TRPC3 expression in human skin fibroblasts in vitro. TRPC3 overexpressing fibroblasts subjected to repetitive stretching forces showed robust expression levels of fibronectin. Furthermore, mechanical stretching of TRPC3 overexpressing fibroblasts induced the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF?B), a regulator fibronectin expression, which was able to be attenuated by pharmacologic blockade of either TRPC3 or NF?B. Finally, transplantation of TRPC3 overexpressing fibroblasts into mice promoted wound contraction and increased fibronectin levels in vivo. These observations demonstrate that mechanical stretching drives fibronectin expression via the TRPC3-NFkB axis, leading to intractable wound contracture. This model explains how mechanical strain on cutaneous wounds might contribute to pathologic scarring.