scholarly journals Inhibition of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling in focal adhesions decreases cell motility and proliferation.

1996 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 1209-1224 ◽  
Author(s):  
A P Gilmore ◽  
L H Romer
Keyword(s):  
Focal Adhesion Kinase ◽  
Tyrosine Phosphorylation ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Umbilical Vein ◽  
Adhesion Formation ◽  
Focal Adhesions ◽  
Kinase Domain ◽  
Glutathione S Transferase ◽  
Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ◽  
And Function

It has been proposed that the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) mediates focal adhesion formation through tyrosine phosphorylation during cell adhesion. We investigated the role of FAK in focal adhesion structure and function. Loading cells with a glutathione-S-transferase fusion protein (GST-Cterm) containing the FAK focal adhesion targeting sequence, but not the kinase domain, decreased the association of endogenous FAK with focal adhesions. This displacement of endogenous FAK in both BALB/c 3T3 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells loaded with GST-Cterm decreased focal adhesion phosphotyrosine content. Neither cell type, however, exhibited a reduction in focal adhesions after GST-Cterm loading. These results indicate that FAK mediates adhesion-associated tyrosine phosphorylation, but not the formation of focal adhesions. We then examined the effect of inhibiting FAK function on other adhesion-dependent cell behavior. Cells microinjected with GST-Cterm exhibited decreased migration. In addition, cells injected with GST-Cterm had decreased DNA synthesis compared with control-injected or noninjected cells. These findings suggest that FAK functions in the regulation of cell migration and cell proliferation.

Abstract 110: Thrombospondin Type-1 Domain-Containing Protein 1 (THSD1), an Intracranial Aneurysm Susceptibility Gene, Mediates Cell Adhesion in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Stroke ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoqian Fang ◽  
Dong H Kim ◽  
Teresa Santiago-Sim
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Umbilical Vein ◽  
Adhesion Formation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Focal Adhesion Formation ◽  
Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Introduction: An intracranial aneurysm (IA) is a weak spot in cerebral blood vessel wall that can lead to its abnormal bulging. Previously, we reported that mutations in THSD1 , encoding thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing protein 1, are associated with IA in a subset of patients. THSD1 is a transmembrane molecule with a thrombospondin type-1 repeat (TSR). Proteins with TSR domain have been implicated in a variety of processes including regulation of matrix organization, cell adhesion and migration. We have shown that in mouse brain Thsd1 is expressed in endothelial cells. Hypothesis: THSD1 plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the endothelium by promoting adhesion of endothelial cells to the underlying basement membrane. Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells are used to investigate the role of THSD1 in vitro . THSD1 expression was knocked-down by RNA interference. Cell adhesion assay was done on collagen I-coated plates and focal adhesion formation was visualized using immunofluorescence by paxillin and phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (pFAK) staining. THSD1 re-expression is accomplished by transfection with a pCR3.1-THSD1-encoding plasmid. Results: Knockdown of THSD1 caused striking change in cell morphology and size. Compared to control siRNA-treated cells that exhibited typical cobblestone morphology, THSD1 knockdown cells were narrow and elongated, and were significantly smaller ( p <0.01). Cell adherence to collagen I-coated plates was also attenuated in THSD1 knockdown cells ( p <0.01). Consistent with this finding is the observation that the number and size of focal adhesions, based on paxillin and pFAK staining, were significantly reduced after THSD1 knockdown ( p <0.01). These defects in cell adhesion and focal adhesion formation were rescued by re-expression of wild type THSD1 ( p <0.05). In contrast, initial studies indicate that expression of mutated versions of THSD1 as seen in human patients (L5F, R450*, E466G, P639L) could not restore cell adhesion and focal adhesion formation to wild type levels. Conclusions: Our studies provide evidence for a role of THSD1 and THSD1 mutations in endothelial cell adhesion and suggest a possible mechanism underlying THSD1 -mediated aneurysm disease.

scholarly journals Autophosphorylation of Tyr397 and its phosphorylation by Src-family kinases are altered in focal-adhesion-kinase neuronal isoforms

2000 ◽  
Vol 348 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeleine TOUTANT ◽  
Jeanne-Marie STUDLER ◽  
Ferran BURGAYA ◽  
Alicia COSTA ◽  
Pascal EZAN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focal Adhesion Kinase ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Focal Adhesions ◽  
Src Family Kinases ◽  
Critical Residue ◽  
Green Fluorescent ◽  
And Function

In brain, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is regulated by neurotransmitters and has a higher molecular mass than in other tissues, due to alternative splicing. Two exons code for additional peptides of six and seven residues (‘boxes’ 6 and 7), located on either side of Tyr397, which increase its autophosphorylation. Using in situ hybridization and a monoclonal antibody (Mab77) which does not recognize FAK containing box 7, we show that, although mRNAs coding for boxes 6 and 7 have different patterns of expression in brain, FAK+6,7 is the main isoform in forebrain neurons. The various FAK isoforms fused to green fluorescent protein were all targeted to focal adhesions in non-neuronal cells. Phosphorylation-state-specific antibodies were used to study in detail the phosphorylation of Tyr397, a critical residue for the activation and function of FAK. The presence of boxes 6 and 7 increased autophosphorylation of Tyr397 independently and additively, whereas they had a weak effect on FAK kinase activity towards poly(Glu,Tyr). Src-family kinases were also able to phosphorylate Tyr397 in cells, but this phosphorylation was decreased in the presence of box 6 or 7, and abolished in the presence of both. Thus the additional exons characteristic of neuronal isoforms of FAK do not alter its targeting, but change dramatically the phosphorylation of Tyr397. They increase its autophosphorylation in vitro and in transfected COS-7 cells, whereas they prevent its phosphorylation when co-transfected with Src-family kinases.

scholarly journals Direct association of pp125FAK with paxillin, the focal adhesion-targeting mechanism of pp125FAK.

1995 ◽  
Vol 182 (4) ◽  
pp. 1089-1099 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Tachibana ◽  
T Sato ◽  
N D'Avirro ◽  
C Morimoto
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Focal Adhesion Kinase ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Fusion Proteins ◽  
Focal Adhesions ◽  
Immunohistochemical Analysis ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Glutathione S Transferase ◽  
Cytoskeleton Protein ◽  
Direct Association

Focal adhesion kinase (pp125FAK) is localized to focal adhesions and tyrosine phosphorylated by the engagement of beta 1 integrins. However, it is unclear how pp125FAK is linked to integrin molecules. We demonstrate that pp125FAK is directly associated with paxillin, a 68-kD cytoskeleton protein. The COOH-terminal domain of pp125FAK spanning FAK residues 919-1042 is sufficient for paxillin binding and has vinculin-homologous amino acids, which are essential for paxillin binding. Microinjection and subsequent immunohistochemical analysis reveal that glutathione S-transferase-FAK fusion proteins, which bind to paxillin, localize to focal adhesions, whereas fusion proteins with no paxillin-binding activity do not localize to focal adhesions. These findings strongly suggest that pp125FAK is localized to focal adhesions by the direct association with paxillin.

scholarly journals Tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (p125FAK): regulation by cAMP and thrombin in mesangial cells.

1996 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-423
Author(s):  
D A Troyer ◽  
A Bouton ◽  
R Bedolla ◽  
R Padilla
Keyword(s):  
Focal Adhesion Kinase ◽  
Tyrosine Phosphorylation ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Actin Filaments ◽  
Mesangial Cells ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Focal Adhesions ◽  
Cytochalasin D ◽  
Fiber Formation ◽  
Stress Fibers

Stress fibers, composed of actin filaments, converge upon and associate with a number of proteins, including focal adhesion kinase (p125FAK), and integrin receptors to form areas of close contact between cells and the extracellular matrix referred to as focal adhesions. Treatment of mesangial cells with cAMP-elevating agents causes a loss of focal adhesions, fragmentation of stress fibers, and decreased tyrosine phosphorylation of p125FAK. Thrombin reverses these effects of cAMP, and this model can be used to address some of the cellular mechanisms involved in regulating the loss and formation of focal adhesions. This study reports the effects of cAMP and thrombin on mesangial cell shape, distribution of actin, formation of stress fibers, and tyrosine phosphorylation of p125FAK. cAMP-treated cells display a condensed cell body with slender processes that traverse the area formerly covered by the cell. Addition of thrombin to these cells restores actin filaments (stress fibers) and increases tyrosine phosphorylation of p125FAK, and the cells resume a flattened morphology, even in the continued presence of cAMP-elevating agents. Peptides that mimic the tethered ligand portion of the thrombin receptor have the same effects on cell morphology and stress fiber formation as thrombin. In selected experiments, agents that disrupt either stress fibers (cytochalasin D) or microtubules (nocodazole; Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, MO) were used to examine the role of these cytoskeletal elements in thrombin-induced restoration of focal adhesions. Cytochalasin D blocked the ability of thrombin to restore focal adhesions and phosphorylate p125FAK. The effects of nocodazole, an agent that destabilizes microtubules (but which has no known receptor), are very similar to those of thrombin. The findings discussed in this study indicate that thrombin can modulate the formation of focal adhesions. The organization of stress fibers and microtubules is apparently intimately related to the phosphorylation of p125FAK and can be modulated by soluble receptor agonists such as thrombin or via altered polymerization of microtubules.

scholarly journals Activation of Rho-kinase and focal adhesion kinase regulates the organization of stress fibers and focal adhesions in the central part of fibroblasts

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuo Katoh
Keyword(s):  
Focal Adhesion Kinase ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Adhesion Formation ◽  
Rho Kinase ◽  
Focal Adhesions ◽  
Fiber Formation ◽  
Stress Fibers ◽  
Focal Adhesion Formation ◽  
Specific Regulation

Specific regulation and activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) are thought to be important for focal adhesion formation, and activation of Rho-kinase has been suggested to play a role in determining the effects of FAK on the formation of stress fibers and focal adhesions. To clarify the role of FAK in stress fiber formation and focal adhesion organization, we examined the formation of new stress fibers and focal adhesions by activation of Rho-kinase in FAK knockout (FAK–/–) fibroblasts. FAK–/– cells were elliptical in shape, and showed reduced numbers of stress fibers and focal adhesions in the central part of the cells along with large focal adhesions in the peripheral regions. Activation of Rho-kinase in FAK–/– cells transiently increased the actin filaments in the cell center, but these did not form typical thick stress fibers. Moreover, only plaque-like structures as the origins of newly formed focal adhesions were observed in the center of the cell. Furthermore, introduction of an exogenous GFP-labeled FAK gene into FAK–/– cells resulted in increased numbers of stress fibers and focal adhesions in the center of the cells, which showed typical fibroblast morphology. These results indicated that FAK plays an important role in the formation of stress fibers and focal adhesions as well as in regulation of cell shape and morphology with the activation of Rho-kinase.

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