Regulation of Actin Assembly Associated With Protrusion and Adhesion in Cell Migration

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 489-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Le Clainche ◽  
Marie-France Carlier

To migrate, a cell first extends protrusions such as lamellipodia and filopodia, forms adhesions, and finally retracts its tail. The actin cytoskeleton plays a major role in this process. The first part of this review (sect. ii) describes the formation of the lamellipodial and filopodial actin networks. In lamellipodia, the WASP-Arp2/3 pathways generate a branched filament array. This polarized dendritic actin array is maintained in rapid treadmilling by the concerted action of ADF, profilin, and capping proteins. In filopodia, formins catalyze the processive assembly of nonbranched actin filaments. Cell matrix adhesions mechanically couple actin filaments to the substrate to convert the treadmilling into protrusion and the actomyosin contraction into traction of the cell body and retraction of the tail. The second part of this review (sect. iii) focuses on the function and the regulation of major proteins (vinculin, talin, tensin, and α-actinin) that control the nucleation, the binding, and the barbed-end growth of actin filaments in adhesions.

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 1311-1325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgi Dimchev ◽  
Anika Steffen ◽  
Frieda Kage ◽  
Vanessa Dimchev ◽  
Julien Pernier ◽  
...  

Cell migration and cell–cell communication involve the protrusion of actin-rich cell surface projections such as lamellipodia and filopodia. Lamellipodia are networks of actin filaments generated and turned over by filament branching through the Arp2/3 complex. Inhibition of branching is commonly agreed to eliminate formation and maintenance of lamellipodial actin networks, but the regulation of nucleation or elongation of Arp2/3-independent filament populations within the network by, for example, formins or Ena/VASP family members and its influence on the effectiveness of protrusion have been unclear. Here we analyzed the effects of a set of distinct formin fragments and VASP on site-specific, lamellipodial versus cytosolic actin assembly and resulting consequences on protrusion. Surprisingly, expression of formin variants but not VASP reduced lamellipodial protrusion in B16-F1 cells, albeit to variable extents. The rates of actin network polymerization followed a similar trend. Unexpectedly, the degree of inhibition of both parameters depended on the extent of cytosolic but not lamellipodial actin assembly. Indeed, excess cytosolic actin assembly prevented actin monomer from rapid translocation to and efficient incorporation into lamellipodia. Thus, as opposed to sole regulation by actin polymerases operating at their tips, the protrusion efficiency of lamellipodia is determined by a finely tuned balance between lamellipodial and cytosolic actin assembly.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Xue ◽  
Deanna M. Janzen ◽  
David A. Knecht

Numerous F-actin containing structures are involved in regulating protrusion of membrane at the leading edge of motile cells. We have investigated the structure and dynamics of filopodia as they relate to events at the leading edge and the function of the trailing actin networks. We have found that although filopodia contain parallel bundles of actin, they contain a surprisingly nonuniform spatial and temporal distribution of actin binding proteins. Along the length of the actin filaments in a single filopodium, the most distal portion contains primarily T-plastin, while the proximal portion is primarily bound byα-actinin and coronin. Some filopodia are stationary, but lateral filopodia move with respect to the leading edge. They appear to form a mechanical link between the actin polymerization network at the front of the cell and the myosin motor activity in the cell body. The direction of lateral filopodial movement is associated with the direction of cell migration. When lateral filopodia initiate from and move toward only one side of a cell, the cell will turn opposite to the direction of filopodial flow. Therefore, this filopodia-myosin II system allows actin polymerization driven protrusion forces and myosin II mediated contractile force to be mechanically coordinated.


1996 ◽  
Vol 134 (2) ◽  
pp. 389-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Barkalow ◽  
W Witke ◽  
D J Kwiatkowski ◽  
J H Hartwig

Exposure of cryptic actin filament fast growing ends (barbed ends) initiates actin polymerization in stimulated human and mouse platelets. Gelsolin amplifies platelet actin assembly by severing F-actin and increasing the number of barbed ends. Actin filaments in stimulated platelets from transgenic gelsolin-null mice elongate their actin without severing. F-actin barbed end capping activity persists in human platelet extracts, depleted of gelsolin, and the heterodimeric capping protein (CP) accounts for this residual activity. 35% of the approximately 5 microM CP is associated with the insoluble actin cytoskeleton of the resting platelet. Since resting platelets have an F-actin barbed end concentration of approximately 0.5 microM, sufficient CP is bound to cap these ends. CP is released from OG-permeabilized platelets by treatment with phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate or through activation of the thrombin receptor. However, the fraction of CP bound to the actin cytoskeleton of thrombin-stimulated mouse and human platelets increases rapidly to approximately 60% within 30 s. In resting platelets from transgenic mice lacking gelsolin, which have 33% more F-actin than gelsolin-positive cells, there is a corresponding increase in the amount of CP associated with the resting cytoskeleton but no change with stimulation. These findings demonstrate an interaction between the two major F-actin barbed end capping proteins of the platelet: gelsolin-dependent severing produces barbed ends that are capped by CP. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate release of gelsolin and CP from platelet cytoskeleton provides a mechanism for mediating barbed end exposure. After actin assembly, CP reassociates with the new actin cytoskeleton.


2005 ◽  
Vol 168 (4) ◽  
pp. 619-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie L. Gupton ◽  
Karen L. Anderson ◽  
Thomas P. Kole ◽  
Robert S. Fischer ◽  
Aaron Ponti ◽  
...  

The actin cytoskeleton is locally regulated for functional specializations for cell motility. Using quantitative fluorescent speckle microscopy (qFSM) of migrating epithelial cells, we previously defined two distinct F-actin networks based on their F-actin–binding proteins and distinct patterns of F-actin turnover and movement. The lamellipodium consists of a treadmilling F-actin array with rapid polymerization-dependent retrograde flow and contains high concentrations of Arp2/3 and ADF/cofilin, whereas the lamella exhibits spatially random punctae of F-actin assembly and disassembly with slow myosin-mediated retrograde flow and contains myosin II and tropomyosin (TM). In this paper, we microinjected skeletal muscle αTM into epithelial cells, and using qFSM, electron microscopy, and immunolocalization show that this inhibits functional lamellipodium formation. Cells with inhibited lamellipodia exhibit persistent leading edge protrusion and rapid cell migration. Inhibition of endogenous long TM isoforms alters protrusion persistence. Thus, cells can migrate with inhibited lamellipodia, and we suggest that TM is a major regulator of F-actin functional specialization in migrating cells.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frieda Kage ◽  
Hermann Doering ◽  
Magdalena Mietkowska ◽  
Matthias Schaks ◽  
Franziska Gruener ◽  
...  

Cell migration frequently involves the formation of lamellipodia induced by Rac GTPases mediating activation of WAVE Regulatory Complex (WRC) driving Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin assembly. Previous genome editing studies solidified the view of an essential, linear pathway employing aforementioned components. Using disruption of the WRC subunit Nap1 and its paralogue Hem1 followed by serum and growth factor stimulation or expression of active GTPases now revealed a pathway to formation of Arp2/3 complex-dependent, lamellipodia-like structures (LLS) that require both Rac and Cdc42, but not WRC. These observations were independent of WRC subunit eliminated and coincided with the lack of recruitment of Ena/VASP family actin polymerases. Moreover, aside from the latter, induced LLS contained all common lamellipodial regulators tested, including cortactin, the Ena/VASP ligand lamellipodin or FMNL subfamily formins. Our studies thus establish the existence of a signaling axis to Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin remodeling at the cell periphery operating without WRC and Ena/VASP.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. e54810918396
Author(s):  
Arthur Silva Rezende ◽  
Anna Cecília Dias Maciel Carneiro ◽  
Bruna Raphaela Oliveira Silva ◽  
Simone de Sales Costa Moreira Carboni ◽  
Virginia Oliveira Crema

One way of trying to control oral squamous cell carcinoma is to invest in new therapies focused on the molecular biology of receptors and their intracellular signaling pathways. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of LY2109761 (an inhibitor of TGF-β receptors) on cell migration in oral squamous cell carcinoma in vitro. Actin cytoskeleton of SCC-4 cells control and LY2109761 (1, 5 and 10 μM) treated on three-dimensional Matrigel were analysed by using confocal laser microscopy. Control and LY2109761 (1, 5 and 10 μM) treated cells that migrated through the membrane of three-dimensional cell migration assays were counted, significance was p<0.05. Control cells were seen with voluminous cytoplasm, cell cortex preserved and actin cytoskeleton well developed with well distributed actin filaments. Regardless of concentration, cells treated showed: rounded morphology and small size, scanty cytoplasm, cortical F-actin less clear that the control cells, and disruption of actin filaments. The migratory cells were inhibited by treatment with LY2109761 [F (3, 11) = 3742, p<0.0001], in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that LY2109761 exerts an inhibitory effect on the actin cytoskeleton and cell migration on SCC-4 cells, therefore, it is a promising therapeutic option for oral squamous cell carcinoma.


eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Damiano-Guercio ◽  
Laëtitia Kurzawa ◽  
Jan Mueller ◽  
Georgi Dimchev ◽  
Matthias Schaks ◽  
...  

Cell migration entails networks and bundles of actin filaments termed lamellipodia and microspikes or filopodia, respectively, as well as focal adhesions, all of which recruit Ena/VASP family members hitherto thought to antagonize efficient cell motility. However, we find these proteins to act as positive regulators of migration in different murine cell lines. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated loss of Ena/VASP proteins reduced lamellipodial actin assembly and perturbed lamellipodial architecture, as evidenced by changed network geometry as well as reduction of filament length and number that was accompanied by abnormal Arp2/3 complex and heterodimeric capping protein accumulation. Loss of Ena/VASP function also abolished the formation of microspikes normally embedded in lamellipodia, but not of filopodia capable of emanating without lamellipodia. Ena/VASP-deficiency also impaired integrin-mediated adhesion accompanied by reduced traction forces exerted through these structures. Our data thus uncover novel Ena/VASP functions of these actin polymerases that are fully consistent with their promotion of cell migration.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soyeon Kim ◽  
Joseph M. Kalappurakkal ◽  
Satyajit Mayor ◽  
Michael K. Rosen

AbstractThe plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells is organized into lipid and protein microdomains, whose assembly mechanisms and functions are incompletely understood. We demonstrate that proteins in the Nephrin/Nck/N-WASP actin-regulatory pathway cluster into micron-scale domains at the basal plasma membrane upon triggered phosphorylation of transmembrane Nephrin. The domains are persistent but readily exchange components with their surroundings, and their formation is dependent on the number of Nck SH3 domains, suggesting they are phase separated polymers assembled through multivalent interactions among the three proteins. The domains form independent of the actin cytoskeleton, but acto-myosin contractility induces their rapid lateral movement. Nephrin phosphorylation induces larger clusters at the cell periphery, which are associated with extensive actin assembly and dense filopodia. Our studies illustrate how multivalent interactions between proteins at the plasma membrane can produce micron-scale organization of signaling molecules, and how the resulting clusters can both respond to and control the actin cytoskeleton.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (24) ◽  
pp. 2996-3012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soyeon Kim ◽  
Joseph M. Kalappurakkal ◽  
Satyajit Mayor ◽  
Michael K. Rosen

The plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells is organized into lipid and protein microdomains, whose assembly mechanisms and functions are incompletely understood. We demonstrate that proteins in the nephrin/Nck/N-WASP actin-regulatory pathway cluster into micron-scale domains at the basal plasma membrane upon triggered phosphorylation of transmembrane protein nephrin. The domains are persistent but readily exchange components with their surroundings, and their formation is dependent on the number of Nck SH3 domains, suggesting they are phase separated polymers assembled through multivalent interactions among the three proteins. The domains form independent of the actin cytoskeleton, but acto-myosin contractility induces their rapid lateral movement. Nephrin phosphorylation induces larger clusters at the cell periphery, which are associated with extensive actin assembly and dense filopodia. Our studies illustrate how multivalent interactions between proteins at the plasma membrane can produce micron-scale organization of signaling molecules, and how the resulting clusters can both respond to and control the actin cytoskeleton.


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 351-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Victor Small ◽  
Kurt Anderson ◽  
Klemens Rottner

To crawl over a substrate a cell must first protrude in front, establish new attachments to the substrate and then retract its rear. Protrusion and retraction utilise different subcompartments of the actin cytoskeleton and operate by different mechanisms, one involving actin polymerization and the other myosin-based contraction. Using as examples the rapidly locomoting keratocyte and the slowly moving fibroblast we illustrate how over expression of one or the other actin subcompartments leads to the observed differences in motility. We also propose, that despite these differences there is a common coordination mechanism underlying the genesis of the actin cytoskeleton that involves the nucleation of actin filaments at the protruding cell front, in the lamellipodium, and the relocation of these filaments, via polymerization and flow, to the more posterior actin filament compartments.


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