Live dynamics of GFP-calponin: isoform-specific modulation of the actin cytoskeleton and autoregulation by C-terminal sequences

2000 ◽  
Vol 113 (21) ◽  
pp. 3725-3736 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Danninger ◽  
M. Gimona

The calponin family of F-actin-, tropomyosin- and calmodulin-binding proteins currently comprises three genetic variants. Their functional roles implicated from in vitro studies include the regulation of actomyosin interactions in smooth muscle cells (h1 calponin), cytoskeletal organisation in non-muscle cells (h2 calponin) and the control of neurite outgrowth (acidic calponin). We have now investigated the effects of calponin (CaP) isoforms and their C-terminal deletion mutants on the actin cytoskeleton by time lapse video microscopy of GFP fusion proteins in living smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. It is shown that h1 CaP associates with the actin stress fibers in the more central part of the cell, whereas h2 CaP localizes to the ends of stress fibres and in the motile lamellipodial protrusions of spreading cells. Cells expressing h2 CaP spread more efficiently than those expressing h1 CaP and expression of GFP h1 CaP resulted in reduced cell motility in wound healing experiments. Notably, expression of GFP h1 CaP, but not GFP h2 CaP, conferred increased resistance of the actin cytoskeleton to the actin polymerization antagonists cytochalasin B and latrunculin B, as well as to the protein kinase inhibitors H7-dihydrochloride and rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632. These data point towards a dual role of CaP in the stabilization and regulation of the actin cytoskeleton in vivo. Deletion studies further identify an autoregulatory role for the unique C-terminal tail sequences in the respective CaP isoforms.

2006 ◽  
Vol 290 (2) ◽  
pp. C463-C471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shutang Zhou ◽  
Bradley A. Webb ◽  
Robert Eves ◽  
Alan S. Mak

Cortactin, a predominant substrate of Src family kinases, plays an important role in Arp2/3-dependent actin polymerization in lamellipodia and membrane ruffles and was recently shown to be enriched in podosomes induced by either c-Src or phorbol ester. However, the mechanisms by which cortactin regulates podosome formation have not been determined. In this study, we showed that cortactin is required for podosome formation, using siRNA knockdown of cortactin expression in smooth muscle A7r5 cells. Treatment with phorbol ester or expression of constitutively active c-Src induced genesis of cortactin-containing podosomes as well as increase in phosphorylation of cortactin at Y421 and Y466, the Src phosphorylation sites on cortactin. The Src kinase inhibitor SU-6656 significantly inhibited formation of podosomes induced by phorbol ester and phosphorylation of cortactin, whereas PKCα inhibitor did not affect podosome formation in c-Src-transfected cells. Unexpectedly, expression of cortactin mutants containing Y421F, Y421D, Y466F, or Y466D mutated sites did not affect podosome formation or cortactin translocation to podosomes, although endogenous tyrosine-phosphorylated cortactin at Y421 and Y466 was present in podosomes. Our data indicate that 1) PKCα acts upstream of Src in phosphorylation of cortactin and podosome formation in smooth muscle cells; 2) expression of cortactin is essential for genesis of podosomes; 3) phosphorylation at Y421 and Y466 is not required for translocation of cortactin to podosomes, although phosphorylation at these sites appears to be enriched in podosomes; and 4) tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin may be involved in regulation of stability and turnover of podosomes, rather than targeting this protein to the site of podosome formation.


1994 ◽  
Vol 269 (11) ◽  
pp. 8504-8509
Author(s):  
K.A. Pritchard ◽  
M.K. O'Banion ◽  
J.M. Miano ◽  
N. Vlasic ◽  
U.G. Bhatia ◽  
...  

2005 ◽  
Vol 108 (6) ◽  
pp. 523-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanna CASTOLDI ◽  
Serena REDAELLI ◽  
Willy M. M. van de GREEF ◽  
Cira R. T. di GIOIA ◽  
Giuseppe BUSCA ◽  
...  

Ang II (angiotensin II) has multiple effects on vascular smooth muscle cells through the modulation of different classes of genes. Using the mRNA differential-display method to investigate gene expression in rat aortic smooth muscle cells in culture in response to 3 h of Ang II stimulation, we observed that Ang II down-regulated the expression of a member of the family of transmembrane receptors for Wnt proteins that was identified as Fzd2 [Fzd (frizzled)-2 receptor]. Fzds are a class of highly conserved genes playing a fundamental role in the developmental processes. In vitro, time course experiments demonstrated that Ang II induced a significant increase (P<0.05) in Fzd2 expression after 30 min, whereas it caused a significant decrease (P<0.05) in Fzd2 expression at 3 h. A similar rapid up-regulation after Ang II stimulation for 30 min was evident for TGFβ1 (transforming growth factor β1; P<0.05). To investigate whether Ang II also modulated Fzd2 expression in vivo, exogenous Ang II was administered to Sprague–Dawley rats (200 ng·kg−1 of body weight·min−1; subcutaneously) for 1 and 4 weeks. Control rats received normal saline. After treatment, systolic blood pressure was significantly higher (P<0.01), whereas plasma renin activity was suppressed (P<0.01) in Ang II- compared with the saline-treated rats. Ang II administration for 1 week did not modify Fzd2 expression in aorta of Ang II-treated rats, whereas Ang II administration for 4 weeks increased Fzd2 mRNA expression (P<0.05) in the tunica media of the aorta, resulting in a positive immunostaining for fibronectin at this time point. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that Ang II modulates Fzd2 expression in aortic smooth muscle cells both in vitro and in vivo.


2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 1817-1829 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Huang ◽  
Zhi-Qiang Yan ◽  
Dan Zhao ◽  
Si-Guo Chen ◽  
Li-Zhi Gao ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Physiological mechanical stretch in vivo helps to maintain the quiescent contractile differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of SIRT1 in VSMC differentiation in response to mechanical cyclic stretch. Methods and Results: Rat VSMCs were subjected to 10%-1.25Hz-cyclic stretch in vitro using a FX-4000T system. The data indicated that the expression of contractile markers, including α-actin, calponin and SM22α, was significantly enhanced in VSMCs that were subjected to cyclic stretch compared to the static controls. The expression of SIRT1 and FOXO3a was increased by the stretch, but the expression of FOXO4 was decreased. Decreasing SIRT1 by siRNA transfection attenuated the stretch-induced expression of contractile VSMC markers and FOXO3a. Furthermore, increasing SIRT1 by either treatment with activator resveratrol or transfection with a plasmid to induce overexpression increased the expression of FOXO3a and contractile markers, and decreased the expression of FOXO4 in VSMCs. Similar trends were observed in VSMCs of SIRT1 (+/-) knockout mice. The overexpression of FOXO3a promoted the expression of contractile markers in VSMCs, while the overexpression of FOXO4 demonstrated the opposite effect. Conclusion: Our results indicated that physiological cyclic stretch promotes the contractile differentiation of VSMCs via the SIRT1/FOXO pathways and thus contributes to maintaining vascular homeostasis.


2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 579-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel G. Sedding ◽  
Matthias Homann ◽  
Ulrike Seay ◽  
Harald Tillmanns ◽  
Klaus T. Preissner ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 224 ◽  
pp. 40-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joaquim Bobi ◽  
Manel Garabito ◽  
NÚria Solanes ◽  
Pilar Cidad ◽  
Víctor Ramos-Pérez ◽  
...  

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