scholarly journals TTL-Expression Modulates Epithelial Morphogenesis

Author(s):  
Manuel Müller ◽  
Karina Ringer ◽  
Florian Hub ◽  
Natalia Kamm ◽  
Thomas Worzfeld ◽  
...  

Epithelial monolayer formation depends on the architecture and composition of the microtubule cytoskeleton. Microtubules control bidirectional trafficking and determine the positioning of structural cellular proteins. We studied the role of tubulin tyrosination in epithelial cell shape and motility. Tubulin tyrosine ligase (TTL), the enzyme that adds tyrosine to the carboxy terminus of detyrosinated α-tubulin, was depleted or overexpressed in 2D epithelial monolayers as well as in 3D intestinal organoids. We demonstrate qualitatively and quantitatively that in the absence of TTL the cells comprise high levels of detyrosinated tubulin, change their shape into an initial flat morphology and retardedly acquire a differentiated columnar epithelial cell shape. Enhanced adhesion and accelerated migration patterns of TTL-knockout cells combined with reverse effects in TTL-overexpressing cells indicate that the loss of TTL affects the organization of cell adhesion foci. Precipitation of detyrosinated tubulin with focal adhesion scaffold components coincides with increased quantities and persistence of focal adhesion plaques. Our results indicate that the equilibrium between microtubules enriched in detyrosinated or tyrosinated tubulin modulates epithelial tissue formation, cell morphology, and adhesion.

2015 ◽  
Vol 208 (4) ◽  
pp. 443-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heath E. Johnson ◽  
Samantha J. King ◽  
Sreeja B. Asokan ◽  
Jeremy D. Rotty ◽  
James E. Bear ◽  
...  

Mesenchymal cells such as fibroblasts are weakly polarized and reorient directionality by a lamellipodial branching mechanism that is stabilized by phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling. However, the mechanisms by which new lamellipodia are initiated and directed are unknown. Using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to monitor cytoskeletal and signaling dynamics in migrating cells, we show that peripheral F-actin bundles/filopodia containing fascin-1 serve as templates for formation and orientation of lamellipodia. Accordingly, modulation of fascin-1 expression tunes cell shape, quantified as the number of morphological extensions. Ratiometric imaging reveals that F-actin bundles/filopodia play both structural and signaling roles, as they prime the activation of PI3K signaling mediated by integrins and focal adhesion kinase. Depletion of fascin-1 ablated fibroblast haptotaxis on fibronectin but not platelet-derived growth factor chemotaxis. Based on these findings, we conceptualize haptotactic sensing as an exploration, with F-actin bundles directing and lamellipodia propagating the process and with signaling mediated by adhesions playing the role of integrator.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cécile Gaston ◽  
Simon De Beco ◽  
Bryant Doss ◽  
Meng Pan ◽  
Estelle Gauquelin ◽  
...  

AbstractAt the basis of cell shape and behavior, the organization of actomyosin and its ability to generate forces are widely studied. However, the precise regulation of this contractile network in space and time is unclear. Here, we study the role of the epithelial-specific protein EpCAM, a contractility modulator, in cell shape and motility. We show that EpCAM is required for stress fiber generation and front-rear polarity acquisition at the single cell level. In fact, EpCAM participates in the remodeling of a transient zone of active RhoA at the cortex of spreading epithelial cells. EpCAM and RhoA route together through the Rab35/EHD1 fast recycling pathway. This endosomal pathway spatially organizes GTP-RhoA to fine tune the activity of actomyosin resulting in polarized cell shape and development of intracellular stiffness and traction forces. Impairment of GTP-RhoA endosomal trafficking either by silencing EpCAM or by expressing Rab35/EHD1 mutants prevents proper myosin-II activity, stress fiber formation and ultimately cell polarization. Collectively, this work shows that the coupling between co-trafficking of EpCAM and RhoA, and actomyosin rearrangement is pivotal for cell spreading, and advances our understanding of how biochemical and mechanical properties promote cell plasticity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. 2951
Author(s):  
Maria Baldovin ◽  
Diego Cazzador ◽  
Claudia Zanotti ◽  
Giuliana Frasson ◽  
Athanasios Saratziotis ◽  
...  

Bilateral choanal atresia (CA) is a rare congenital malformation frequently associated with other anomalies. CHARGE association is closely linked to bilateral CA. The aim of this study was to describe the outcomes of the endoscopic repair in bilateral CA, and to assess the role of postoperative nasal stenting in two cohorts of CHARGE-associated and non-syndromic CA. Thirty-nine children were retrospectively analyzed (16 patients had CHARGE-associated CA). The rate of postoperative neochoanal restenosis was 31.3% in the CHARGE population, and 47.8% in the non-syndromic CA cohort. Data on postoperative synechiae and granulation tissue formation, need for endonasal toilette and dilation procedures, and number of procedures per patient were presented. Stent positioning led to a higher number of postoperative dilation procedures per patient in the non-syndromic cohort (p = 0.018), and to a higher rate of restenosis both in the CHARGE-associated, and non-syndromic CA populations. Children with CHARGE-associated and non-syndromic bilateral CA benefitted from endonasal endoscopic CA correction. The postoperative application of an endonasal stent should be carefully evaluated.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Dongjie Zhou ◽  
Zheng-Wen Nie ◽  
Xiang-Shun Cui

The cytoskeleton plays an orchestrating role in polarized cell growth. Microtubules (MTs) not only play critical roles in chromosome alignment and segregation but also control cell shape, division, and motility. A member of the plus-end tracking proteins, end-binding protein 1 (EB1), regulates MT dynamics and plays vital roles in maintaining spindle symmetry and chromosome alignment during mitosis. However, the role of EB1 in mouse oocyte meiosis remains unknown. Here, we examined the localization patterns and expression levels of EB1 at different stages. EB1 protein level was found to be stable during meiosis. EB1 mainly localized along the spindle and had a similar localization pattern as that of α-tubulin. The EB1 protein was degraded with a Trim-Away method, and the results were further confirmed with western blotting and immunofluorescence. At 12 h of culture after EB1 knockdown (KD), a reduced number of mature MII oocytes were observed. EB1 KD led to spindle disorganization, chromosome misalignment, and missegregation; β-catenin protein binds to actin via the adherens junctional complex, which was significantly reduced in the EB1 KD oocytes. Collectively, we propose that the impairment of EB1 function manipulates spindle formation, thereby promoting chromosomal loss, which is expected to fuel aneuploidy and possibly fertilization failure.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen Hadley ◽  
Isin Cakir ◽  
Roger D Cone

Abstract Overweight and obesity are global concerns affecting nearly one third of the world population. These conditions are characterized by increased adiposity and are accompanied by a proportional increase in circulating leptin, an anorexigenic adipokine. Leptin is responsible for signaling peripheral energy status to the central nervous system to modulate food intake and energy expenditure. As such, neurons within the hypothalamus expressing the long isoform of leptin receptor (LepRb), a type I cytokine receptor, are primarily responsible for mediating the effects of leptin, which signal predominantly through the JAK2-STAT3 transduction mechanism. STAT3 is a latent transcription factor activated upon phosphorylation, which triggers its homodimerization and nuclear translocation. Evidence, however, for JAK2-independent, STAT3-dependent leptin receptor signaling mechanisms exist. FAK (focal adhesion kinase, Ptk2) and Pyk2 (protein tyrosine kinase 2b, Ptk2b) are a subset of nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases and comprise the focal adhesion kinase family. FAK and Pyk2 are implicated in the regulation of cytokine receptor signaling. Furthermore, Pyk2 knockout mice have an obesity prone phenotype. Here, we studied the role of the focal adhesion kinases in leptin receptor signaling using genetic and pharmacological approaches. We found that overexpression of Pyk2 or FAK increased STAT3 phosphorylation (activation). Overexpression of a FAK or Pyk2 construct with impaired kinase activity, however, attenuated STAT3 phosphorylation, suggesting the increase in STAT3 phosphorylation is largely dependent upon kinase activity of FAK/Pyk2. Treatment of cells with a small molecule dual inhibitor of FAK and Pyk2 (PF431396) attenuated leptin-induced STAT3 phosphorylation in a mouse hypothalamic cell line. Importantly, this effect is independent of JAK2, as PF treatment of two independent JAK2-deficient cell lines exhibited similar attenuation of leptin-induced STAT3 phosphorylation. To assess the physiological relevance of FAK/Pyk2 in leptin receptor signaling in vivo, we administered PF compound to the lateral ventricle of 24-hour fasted lean wild-type mice followed by peripheral leptin administration. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of PF suppressed the anorectic effect of leptin as evidenced by impaired inhibition of food intake upon refeeding. Accordingly, analysis of total hypothalamic lysates from these mice showed ICV PF impaired leptin-induced STAT3 phosphorylation. Taken together, these data suggest that Pyk2 and/or FAK play a role in leptin signal transduction.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonghwa Kim ◽  
Wonseok Kang ◽  
So Hee Kang ◽  
Su Hyun Park ◽  
Ji Young Kim ◽  
...  

AbstractHepatic fibrogenesis is characterized by activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). The impact of ECM on TGF-β-mediated fibrogenic signaling pathway in HSCs has remained obscure. We studied the role of non-receptor tyrosine kinase focal adhesion kinase (FAK) family members in TGF-β-signaling in HSCs. We used a CCl4-induced liver fibrosis mice model to evaluate the effect of FAK family kinase inhibitors on liver fibrosis. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to measure the expression of its target genes; α-SMA, collagen, Nox4, TGF-β1, Smad7, and CTGF. Pharmacological inhibitors, siRNA-mediated knock-down, and plasmid-based overexpression were adopted to modulate the function and the expression level of proteins. Association of PYK2 activation with liver fibrosis was confirmed in liver samples from CCl4-treated mice and patients with significant fibrosis or cirrhosis. TGF-β treatment up-regulated expression of α-SMA, type I collagen, NOX4, CTGF, TGF-β1, and Smad7 in LX-2 cells. Inhibition of FAK family members suppressed TGF-β-mediated fibrogenic signaling. SiRNA experiments demonstrated that TGF-β1 and Smad7 were upregulated via Smad-dependent pathway through FAK activation. In addition, CTGF induction was Smad-independent and PYK2-dependent. Furthermore, RhoA activation was essential for TGF-β-mediated CTGF induction, evidenced by using ROCK inhibitor and dominant negative RhoA expression. We identified that TGF-β1-induced activation of PYK2-Src-RhoA triad leads to YAP/TAZ activation for CTGF induction in liver fibrosis. These findings provide new insights into the role of focal adhesion molecules in liver fibrogenesis, and targeting PYK2 may be an attractive target for developing novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of liver fibrosis.


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