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Biomedical subjects

Johanna Ivaska

Publications and source records attributed to Johanna Ivaska.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Integrin traffic.

Cell adhesion, migration and the maintenance of cell polarity are all processes that depend on the correct targeting of integrins and the dynamic remodelling of integrin-containing adhesion sites. The importance of the endo/exocytic cycle of integrins as a key regulator of these functions is increasingly recognized. Several recent publications have provided mechanistic insight into how integrin traffic is regulated in cells. Increasing evidence suggests that small GTPases such as Arf6 and members of the Rab family control integrin internalization and recycling back to the plasma membrane along microtubules. The fine tuning of these trafficking events seems to be mediated by specific guanine-nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs). In addition, several kinases regulate integrin traffic. The identification of their substrates has demonstrated how these kinases regulate integrin traffic by controlling small GTPases or stabilizing cytoskeletal tracks that are crucial for efficient traffic of integrins to the plasma membrane.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Small GTPase Rab21 regulates cell adhesion and controls endosomal traffic of beta1-integrins.

Dynamic turnover of integrin cell adhesion molecules to and from the cell surface is central to cell migration. We report for the first time an association between integrins and Rab proteins, which are small GTPases involved in the traffic of endocytotic vesicles. Rab21 (and Rab5) associate with the cytoplasmic domains of alpha-integrin chains, and their expression influences the endo/exocytic traffic of integrins. This function of Rab21 is dependent on its GTP/GDP cycle and proper membrane targeting. Knock down of Rab21 impairs integrin-mediated cell adhesion and motility, whereas its overexpression stimulates cell migration and cancer cell adhesion to collagen and human bone. Finally, overexpression of Rab21 fails to induce cell adhesion via an integrin point mutant deficient in Rab21 association. These data provide mechanistic insight into how integrins are targeted to intracellular compartments and how their traffic regulates cell adhesion.

Cell Adhesion↗

PKCepsilon-mediated phosphorylation of vimentin controls integrin recycling and motility.

PKCepsilon controls the transport of endocytosed beta1-integrins to the plasma membrane regulating directional cell motility. Vimentin, an intermediate filament protein upregulated upon epithelial cell transformation, is shown here to be a proximal PKCepsilon target within the recycling integrin compartment. On inhibition of PKC and vimentin phosphorylation, integrins become trapped in vesicles and directional cell motility towards matrix is severely attenuated. In vitro reconstitution assays showed that PKCepsilon dissociates from integrin containing endocytic vesicles in a selectively phosphorylated vimentin containing complex. Mutagenesis of PKC (controlled) sites on vimentin and ectopic expression of the variant leads to the accumulation of intracellular PKCepsilon/integrin positive vesicles. Finally, introduction of ectopic wild-type vimentin is shown to promote cell motility in a PKCepsilon-dependent manner; alanine substitutions in PKC (controlled) sites on vimentin abolishes the ability of vimentin to induce cell migration, whereas the substitution of these sites with acidic residues enables vimentin to rescue motility of PKCepsilon null cells. Our results indicate that PKC-mediated phosphorylation of vimentin is a key process in integrin traffic through the cell.

Animals↗

Negative regulation of EGFR signalling through integrin-alpha1beta1-mediated activation of protein tyrosine phosphatase TCPTP.

Integrin-mediated cell adhesion regulates a multitude of cellular responses, including proliferation, survival and cross-talk between different cellular signalling pathways. So far, integrins have been mainly shown to convey permissive signals enabling anchorage-dependent receptor tyrosine kinase signalling. Here we show that a collagen-binding integrin alpha(1)beta(1) functions as a negative regulator of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signalling through the activation of a protein tyrosine phosphatase. The cytoplasmic tail of alpha(1) integrin selectively interacts with a ubiquitously expressed protein tyrosine phosphatase TCPTP (T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase) and activates it after cell adhesion to collagen. The activation results in reduced EGFR phosphorylation after EGF stimulation. Introduction of the alpha(1) cytoplasmic domain peptide into cells induces phosphatase activation and inhibits EGF-induced cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth of malignant cells. These data are the first demonstration of the regulation of TCPTP activity in vivo and represent a new molecular paradigm of integrin-mediated negative regulation of receptor tyrosine kinase signalling.

Animals↗

Differential expression of collagen- and laminin-binding integrins mediates ureteric bud and inner medullary collecting duct cell tubulogenesis.

Inner medullary collecting ducts (IMCD) are terminally differentiated structures derived from the ureteric bud (UB). UB development is mediated by changes in the temporal and spatial expression of integrins and their respective ligands. We demonstrate both in vivo and in vitro that the UB expresses predominantly laminin receptors (alpha3beta1-, alpha6beta1-, and alpha6beta(4-integrins), whereas the IMCD expresses both collagen (alpha1beta1- and alpha2beta1-integrins) and laminin receptors. Cells derived from the IMCD, but not the UB, undergo tubulogenesis in collagen-I (CI) gels in an alpha1beta1- and alpha2beta1-dependent manner. UB cells transfected with the alpha2-integrin subunit undergo tubulogenesis in CI, suggesting that collagen receptors are required for branching morphogenesis in CI. In contrast, both UB and IMCD cells undergo tubulogenesis in CI/Matrigel gels. UB cells primarily utilize alpha3beta1- and alpha6-integrins, whereas IMCD cells mainly employ alpha1beta1 for this process. These results demonstrate a switch in integrin expression from primarily laminin receptors in the early UB to both collagen and laminin receptors in the mature IMCD, which has functional consequences for branching morphogenesis in three-dimensional cell culture models. This suggests that temporal and spatial changes in integrin expression could help organize the pattern of branching morphogenesis of the developing collecting system in vivo.

Animals↗

Integrin-mediated cell adhesion to type I collagen fibrils.

In the integrin family, the collagen receptors form a structurally and functionally distinct subgroup. Two members of this subgroup, alpha(1)beta(1) and alpha(2)beta(1) integrins, are known to bind to monomeric form of type I collagen. However, in tissues type I collagen monomers are organized into large fibrils immediately after they are released from cells. Here, we studied collagen fibril recognition by integrins. By an immunoelectron microscopy method we showed that integrin alpha(2)I domain is able to bind to classical D-banded type I collagen fibrils. However, according to the solid phase binding assay, the collagen fibril formation appeared to reduce integrin alpha(1)I and alpha(2)I domain avidity to collagen and to lower the number of putative alphaI domain binding sites on it. Respectively, cellular alpha(1)beta(1) integrin was able to mediate cell spreading significantly better on monomeric than on fibrillar type I collagen matrix, whereas alpha(2)beta(1) integrin appeared still to facilitate both cell spreading on fibrillar type I collagen matrix and also the contraction of fibrillar type I collagen gel. Additionally, alpha(2)beta(1) integrin promoted the integrin-mediated formation of long cellular projections typically induced by fibrillar collagen. Thus, these findings suggest that alpha(2)beta(1) integrin is a functional cellular receptor for type I collagen fibrils, whereas alpha(1)beta(1) integrin may only effectively bind type I collagen monomers. Furthermore, when the effect of soluble alphaI domains on type I collagen fibril formation was tested in vitro, the observations suggest that integrin type collagen receptors might guide or even promote pericellular collagen fibrillogenesis.

Animals↗

Clustering induces a lateral redistribution of alpha 2 beta 1 integrin from membrane rafts to caveolae and subsequent protein kinase C-dependent internalization.

Integrin alpha 2 beta 1 mediates the binding of several epithelial and mesenchymal cell types to collagen. The composition of the surrounding plasma membrane, especially caveolin-1- and cholesterol-containing membrane structures called caveolae, may be important to integrin signaling. On cell surface alpha 2 beta 1 integrin was located in the raft like membrane domain, rich in GPI-anchored proteins, rather than in caveolae. However, when antibodies were used to generate clusters of alpha 2 beta 1 integrin, they started to move laterally on cell surface along actin filaments. During the lateral movement small clusters fused together. Finally alpha 2 beta 1 integrin was found inside caveolae and subsequently internalized into caveosome-like perinuclear structures. The internalization process, unlike cluster formation or lateral redistribution, was dependent on protein kinase C alpha activity. Caveolae are known to be highly immobile structures and alpha 2 beta 1 integrin clusters represent a previously unknown mechanism to activate endocytic trafficking via caveolae. The process was specific to alpha 2 beta 1 integrin, because the antibody-mediated formation of alpha V integrin clusters activated their internalization in coated vesicles and early endosomes. In addition to natural ligands human echovirus-1 (EV1) gains entry into the cell by binding to alpha 2 beta 1 and taking advantage of alpha 2 beta 1 internalization via caveolae.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

PKCepsilon is a permissive link in integrin-dependent IFN-gamma signalling that facilitates JAK phosphorylation of STAT1.

The critical dependence of receptor-triggered signals on integrin-mediated cell-substrate interactions represents a fundamental biological paradigm in health and disease. However, the molecular connections of these permissive inputs, which operate through integrin-matrix interactions, has remained largely obscure. Here we show that the serine-threonine kinase protein kinase C epsilon (PKCepsilon) functions as a signal integrator between cytokine and integrin signalling pathways. Integrins are shown to control PKCepsilon phosphorylation acutely by determining complex formation with protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and the upstream kinase PDK1 (phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1). The PP2A-induced loss of PKCepsilon function results in attenuated interferon gamma (INF-gamma)-induced phosphorylation of STAT1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 1) downstream of Janus kinase 1/2 (JAK1/2). PKCepsilon function and the IFN-gamma response can be recovered by inhibition of PP2A if PDK1 is associated with PKCepsilon in this complex. More directly, a PP2A-resistant mutant of PKCepsilon is sufficient for restoration of the IFN-gamma response in suspension culture. Thus, PKCepsilon functions as a central point of integration through which integrin engagement exerts a permissive input on IFN-gamma signalling.

3-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinases↗

PKC epsilon controls the traffic of beta1 integrins in motile cells.

Protein kinase C (PKC) has been implicated in beta 1 integrin-mediated cell migration. Expression of the novel PKC isoform, PKC epsilon, in PKC epsilon(-/-) cells is shown here to stimulate directional migration of cells towards beta 1 integrin substrates in a manner dependent on PKC catalytic activity. On PKC inhibition, integrin beta 1 and PKC epsilon become reversibly trapped in a tetraspanin (CD81)-positive intracellular compartment, correlating with reduced haptotaxis. Immunofluorescence and pulse labelling studies indicate that this is a previously uncharacterized recycling compartment trapped by inhibition of PKC. Electron microscopy demonstrated the co-localization of PKC epsilon and integrin beta 1 on the vesicular membranes. Finally, using a reconstituted in vitro system, the dissociation of PKC epsilon from these vesicles is shown to be dependent on both the presence of cytosolic components and energy, and on PKC catalytic activity. The evidence presented indicates that PKC epsilon controls an internal traffic step that under uninhibited conditions permits the recycling of beta 1 integrin, contributing to cell motility.

Animals↗

Internalization of echovirus 1 in caveolae.

Echovirus 1 (EV1) is a human pathogen which belongs to the Picornaviridae family of RNA viruses. We have analyzed the early events of infection after EV1 binding to its receptor alpha 2 beta 1 integrin and elucidated the route by which EV1 gains access to the host cell. EV1 binding onto the cell surface and subsequent entry resulted in conformational changes of the viral capsid as demonstrated by sucrose gradient sedimentation analysis. After 15 min to 2 h postinfection (p.i.) EV1 capsid proteins were seen in vesicular structures that were negative for markers of the clathrin-dependent endocytic pathway. In contrast, immunofluorescence confocal microscopy showed that EV1, alpha 2 beta 1 integrin, and caveolin-1 were internalized together in vesicular structures to the perinuclear area. Electron microscopy showed the presence of EV1 particles inside caveolae. Furthermore, infective EV1 could be isolated with anti-caveolin-1 beads 15 min p.i., confirming a close association with caveolin-1. Finally, the expression of dominant negative caveolin in cells markedly inhibited EV1 infection, indicating the importance of caveolae for the viral replication cycle of EV1.

Animals↗

Integrin alpha 2 beta 1 promotes activation of protein phosphatase 2A and dephosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta.

Serine/threonine kinase Akt is a downstream effector protein of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI-3K). Many integrins can function as positive modulators of the PI-3K/Akt pathway. Integrin alpha 2 beta 1 is a collagen receptor that has been shown to induce specific signals distinct from those activated by other integrins. Here, we found that, in contrast what was found for cells adherent to fibronectin, alpha 2 beta 1-mediated cell adhesion to collagen leads to dephosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3 beta) and concomitantly to the induction of protein serine/threonine phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity. PP2A activation can be inhibited by mutation in the alpha 2 cytoplasmic domain and by a function-blocking anti-alpha 2 antibody. Akt can be coprecipitated with PP2A, and coexpression of Akt with PP2Ac (catalytic subunit) inhibits Akt kinase activity. Integrin alpha 2 beta 1-related activation of PP2A is dependent on Cdc42. These results indicate that cell adhesion to collagen modulates Akt activity via the alpha 2 beta 1-induced activation of PP2A.

Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases↗