Integrins control migration style

杨柳

Danen et al. (page 515) show that ?1 and ?3 integrins direct different types of motility, despite binding fibronectin with similar efficiencies. Cells expressing ?1 integrin move in a random manner, whereas cells with ?3 integrin expression move in a persistent fashion. The proteins control cell migration by altering the activities of the Rho GTPases RhoA and Rac, which in turn control three aspects of motility: lamellipodia formation; cytoskeletal polarization; and the dynamics of cell matrix adhesions.; \* a4 }! J/ d+ E/ w

/ S" p( T- p/ W  a1 ~! SThe types of integrins expressed and their relative abundance change during dynamic processes such as wound healing and development. To understand the function of these shifts, Danen et al. studied GE11 cells that lack ?1 and express trace amounts of ?3. Previous work demonstrated these cells don't migrate well in a wound-healing assay.$ z  j" G4 R+ o; [4 `. U

' q; U' ~9 \# g1 c; wWhen GE11 cells were transduced with ?3 (GE?3), they formed lamellipodia, had active cofilin, and migrated persistently. Cells transduced with ?1 integrin (GE?1) migrated in a wound healing assay but contained many actin stress fibers, phosphorylated inactive cofilin, and multiple random protrusions rather than a well-organized lamellipod. Inhibition of RhoA〞which in its active form promotes stress fiber formation〞activated cofilin in GE?1 cells, restoring persistent migration. By contrast, overexpression of Rac, which supports lamellipodia formation, was not sufficient to promote persistent migration in GE?1 cells. Thus the problem in GE?1 cells seems to be too many stress fibers rather than too little lamellipodia formation.
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Just how the different ? integrins connect to distinct Rho GTPases to control migration is not clear. Switching the intracellular tails between integrins doesn't change their effect on Rho GTPases (Danen et al. 2002. J. Cell Biol. 159:1071–1086), so the researchers think that the signaling differences result from different integrins working with different coreceptors. Syndecans may fit that role〞they interact functionally with integrins and they regulate Rho GTPases.(Migration is less persistent with ?1 int)