A therapeutic trial of human melanomas with combined small interfering RNAs targeting adaptor molecules p130Cas and paxillin activated under expression of ganglioside GD3

We previously demonstrated that focal adhesion kinase (FAK), p130Cas and paxillin are crucially involved in the enhanced malignant properties under expression of ganglioside GD3 in melanoma cells. Therefore, molecules existing in the GD3-mediated signaling pathway could be considered as suitable targets for therapeutic intervention in malignant melanoma. The aim of this study was to determine whether blockade of p130Cas and/or paxillin by RNAi suppresses melanoma growth. We found a suitable dose (40 μM siRNA, 25 μl/tumor) of the siRNA to suppress p130Cas in the xenografts generated in nu/nu mice. Based on these results, we performed intratumoral (i.t.) treatment with anti-p130Cas and/or anti-paxillin siRNAs mixed with atelocollagen as a drug delivery system in a xenograft tumor of a human melanoma cell line, SK-MEL-28. Mixture of atelocollagen (1.75%) and an siRNA (500 or 1000 pmol/tumor) was injected into the tumors every 3 days after the first injection. An siRNA against human p130Cas markedly suppressed tumor growth of the xenograft in a dose-dependent manner, whereas siRNA against human paxillin slightly inhibited the tumor growth. A control siRNA against firefly luciferase showed no effect. To our surprise, siRNA against human p130Cas (500 or 1000 pmol/tumor) combined with siRNA against human paxillin dramatically suppressed tumor growth. In agreement with the tumor suppression effects of the anti-p130Cas siRNA, reduction in Ki-67 positive cell number as well as in p130Cas expression was demonstrated by immunohistostaining. These results suggested that blockade of GD3-mediated growth signaling pathways by siRNAs might be a novel and promising therapeutic strategy against malignant melanomas, provided signaling molecules such as p130Cas and paxillin are significantly expressed in individual cases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Glycans in personalised medicine" Guest Editor: Professor Gordan Lauc.     

R-Ras promotes focal adhesion formation through focal adhesion kinase and p130(Cas) by a novel mechanism that differs from integrins

R-Ras regulates integrin function, but its effects on integrin signaling pathways have not been well described. We demonstrate that activation of R-Ras promoted focal adhesion formation and altered localization of the alpha2beta1 integrin from cell-cell to cell-matrix adhesions in breast epithelial cells. Constitutively activated R-Ras(38V) dramatically enhanced focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and p130(Cas) phosphorylation upon collagen stimulation or clustering of the alpha2beta1 integrin, even in the absence of increased ligand binding. Signaling events downstream of R-Ras differed from integrins and K-Ras, since pharmacological inhibition of Src or disruption of actin inhibited integrin-mediated FAK and p130(Cas) phosphorylation, focal adhesion formation, and migration in control and K-Ras(12V)-expressing cells but had minimal effect in cells expressing R-Ras(38V). Therefore, signaling from R-Ras to FAK and p130(Cas) has a component that is Src independent and not through classic integrin signaling pathways and a component that is Src dependent. R-Ras effector domain mutants and pharmacological inhibition suggest a partial role for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), but not Raf, in R-Ras signaling to FAK and p130(Cas). However, PI3K cannot account for the Src-independent pathway, since simultaneous inhibition of both PI3K and Src did not completely block effects of R-Ras on FAK phosphorylation. Our results suggest that R-Ras promotes focal adhesion formation by signaling to FAK and p130(Cas) through a novel mechanism that differs from but synergizes with the alpha2beta1 integrin.     

Ganglioside GD3 Enhances Adhesion Signals and Augments Malignant Properties of Melanoma Cells by Recruiting Integrins to Glycolipid-enriched Microdomains

Ganglioside GD3 is widely expressed in human malignant melanoma cell lines and tumors. Previously, we reported that GD3+ cells show stronger tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), p130^Cas, and paxillin when treated with fetal calf serum than GD3− cells. In this study, we analyzed the changes in the signals mediated by the interaction between integrins and extracellular matrices (ECM) to clarify how GD3 enhances cell signals in the vicinity of the cell membrane. An adhesion assay with a real time cell electronic sensing system revealed that GD3+ cells had stronger adhesion to all extracellular matrices examined. In particular, GD3+ cells attached more strongly to collagen type I and type IV than controls. Correspondingly, they showed stronger tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK and paxillin during adhesion to collagen type I. In the floating pattern of detergent extracts, a high level of integrin β1 was found in glycolipid-enriched microdomain (GEM)/rafts in GD3+ cells before adhesion, whereas a smaller amount of integrin β1 was detected in the GEM/rafts of controls. Some phosphorylated forms of FAK as well as total FAK were found in GEM/rafts during cell adhesion only in GD3+ cells. Another signal consisting of integrin-linked kinase/Akt was also activated during adhesion more strongly in GD3+ cells than in controls. In double stained GD3+ cells, GD3 and integrin β1 co-localized at the focal adhesion with a punctate pattern. All these results suggested that integrins assembled and formed a cluster in GEM/rafts, leading to the enhanced signaling and malignant properties under GD3 expression.     

Functional activation of Src family kinase yes protein is essential for the enhanced malignant properties of human melanoma cells expressing ganglioside GD3

The possible roles of Src family kinases in the enhanced malignant properties of melanomas related to GD3 expression were analyzed. Among Src family kinases only Yes, not Fyn or Src, was functionally involved in the increased cell proliferation and invasion of GD3-expressing transfectant cells (GD3+). Yes was located upstream of p130Cas and paxillin and at an equivalent level to focal adhesion kinase. Yes underwent autophosphorylation even before serum treatment and showed stronger kinase activity in GD3+ cells than in GD3- cells following serum treatment. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that Yes bound to focal adhesion kinase or p130Cas more strongly in GD3+ cells than in GD3- cells. As a possible mechanism for the enhancing effects of GD3 on cellular phenotypes, it was shown that majority of Yes was localized in glycolipid-enriched microdomain/rafts in GD3+ cells even before serum treatment, whereas it was scarcely detected in glycolipid-enriched microdomain/rafts in GD3- cells. An in vitro kinase assay of Yes revealed that coexistence of GD3 with Yes in membranous environments enhances the kinase activity of GD3- cell-derived Yes toward enolase, p125, and Yes itself. Knockdown of GD3 synthase resulted in the alleviation of tumor phenotypes and reduced activation levels of Yes. Taken together, these results suggest a role of GD3 in the regulation of Src family kinases.     

Essential roles of integrin-mediated signaling for the enhancement of malignant properties of melanomas based on the expression of GD3

We reported that ganglioside GD3 enhances cell proliferation and invasion of melanomas causing stronger tyrosine-phosphorylation of p130Cas and paxillin after stimulation with fetal calf serum. Besides signals via growth factor/receptor, adhesion signals via integrin might be also enhanced by GD3. Here, roles of integrin-mediated signaling in the cell proliferation and invasion, and in the activation of adaptor molecules were examined, showing that integrin was also important for the cell growth and invasion. p130Cas and paxillin underwent stronger tyrosine-phosphorylation in GD3+ cells than in GD3− cells during the adhesion in the absence of serum. On the other hand, no proteins underwent tyrosine phosphorylation in GD3+ and GD3− cells in a suspension state when stimulated with fetal calf serum. These results suggested that integrin-mediated signaling is essential in the effects of GD3 on the malignant properties of melanomas. Co-localization of GD3 and integrin at the focal adhesion supported these results.     

Caspase-mediated cleavage of p130cas in etoposide-induced apoptotic Rat-1 cells

Apoptosis causes characteristic morphological changes in cells, including membrane blebbing, cell detachment from the extracellular matrix, and loss of cell-cell contacts. We investigated the changes in focal adhesion proteins during etoposide-induced apoptosis in Rat-1 cells and found that during apoptosis, p130cas (Crk-associated substrate [Cas]) is cleaved by caspase-3. Sequence analysis showed that Cas contains 10 DXXD consensus sites preferred by caspase-3. We identified two of these sites (DVPD(416)G and DSPD(748)G) in vitro, and point mutations substituting the Asp of DVPD(416)G and DSPD(748)G with Glu blocked caspase-3-mediated cleavage. Cleavage at DVPD(416)G generated a 74-kDa fragment, which was in turn cleaved at DSPD(748)G, yielding 47- and 31-kDa fragments. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed well-developed focal adhesion sites in control cells that dramatically declined in number in etoposide-treated cells. Cas cleavage correlated temporally with the onset of apoptosis and coincided with the loss of p125FAK (focal adhesion kinase [FAK]) from focal adhesion sites and the attenuation of Cas-paxillin interactions. Considering that Cas associates with FAK, paxillin, and other molecules involved in the integrin signaling pathway, these results suggest that caspase-mediated cleavage of Cas contributes to the disassembly of focal adhesion complexes and interrupts survival signals from the extracellular matrix.     

Introduction of p130cas signaling complex formation upon integrin-mediated cell adhesion: a role for Src family kinases.

Integrin-mediated cell adhesion triggers intracellular signaling cascades, including tyrosine phosphorylation of intracellular proteins. Among these are the focal adhesion proteins p130cas (Cas) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Here we identify the kinase(s) mediating integrin-induced Cas phosphorylation and characterize protein-protein interactions mediated by phosphorylated Cas. We found that expression of a constitutively active FAK in fibroblasts results in a consecutive tyrosine phosphorylation of Cas. This effect required the autophosphorylation site of FAK, which is a binding site for Src family kinases. Integrin-mediated phosphorylation of Cas was not, however, compromised in fibroblasts lacking FAK. In contrast, adhesion-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Cas was reduced in cells lacking Src, whereas enhanced phosphorylation of Cas was observed Csk- cells, in which Src kinases are activated. These results suggest that Src kinases are responsible for the integrin-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of Cas. FAK seems not to be necessary for phosphorylation of Cas, but when autophosphorylated, FAK may recruit Src family kinases to phosphorylate Cas. Cas was found to form complexes with Src homology 2 (SH2) domain-containing signaling molecules, such as the SH2/SH3 adapter protein Crk, following integrin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation. Guanine nucleotide exchange factors C3G and Sos were found in the Cas-Crk complex upon integrin ligand binding. These observations suggest that Cas serves as a docking protein and may transduce signals to downstream signaling pathways following integrin-mediated cell adhesion.     

Requirements for the localization of p130 Cas to Z-lines in cardiac myocytes

The vertebrate heart responds to hemodynamic load with the enlargement of postmitotic, terminally differentiated cardiac myocytes. Such hypertrophic changes are characterized by alterations in sarcomeric organization and gene expression. Previously, we established a role for a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, focal adhesion kinase, in signaling the changes in cytoskeletal organization associated with hypertrophy. Here, we report on data supporting a key role for p130Cas in this process. In neonatal cardiac myocytes FAK, Cas and paxillin are located in sarcomeric Z-lines, suggesting that the Z-line is an important signaling locus in these cells. The expression of different Cas mutants results in a nearly complete loss of sarcomeric organization in these myocytes. Moreover, expression of the C-terminal focal adhesion-targeting domain of FAK both disrupted sarcomeric organization and interfered with the localization of endogenous Cas to Z-lines. These findings suggest that the association of FAK and Cas and the preservation of multiple protein-interaction motifs of Cas are required for the correct assembly of sarcomeres in cardiac myocytes.     

JSAP1/JIP3 cooperates with focal adhesion kinase to regulate c-Jun N-terminal kinase and cell migration

c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/stress-activated protein kinase-associated protein 1 (JSAP1) (also termed JNK-interacting protein 3; JIP3) is a member of a family of scaffold factors for the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades, and it also forms a complex with focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Here we demonstrate that JSAP1 serves as a cooperative scaffold for activation of JNK and regulation of cell migration in response to fibronectin (FN) stimulation. JSAP1 mediated an association between FAK and JNK, which was induced by either co-expression of Src or attachment of cells to FN. Complex formation of FAK with JSAP1 and p130 Crk-associated substrate (p130(Cas)) resulted in augmentation of FAK activity and phosphorylation of both JSAP1 and p130(Cas), which required p130(Cas) hyperphosphorylation and was abolished by inhibition of Src. JNK activation by FN was enhanced by JSAP1, which was suppressed by disrupting the FAK/p130(Cas) pathway by expression of a dominant-negative form of p130(Cas) or by inhibiting Src. We also documented the co-localization of JSAP1 with JNK and phosphorylated FAK at the leading edge and stimulation of cell migration by JSAP1 expression, which depended on its JNK binding domain and was suppressed by inhibition of JNK. The level of JSAP1 mRNA correlated with advanced malignancy in brain tumors, unlike other JIPs. We propose that the JSAP1.FAK complex functions cooperatively as a scaffold for the JNK signaling pathway and regulator of cell migration on FN, and we suggest that JSAP1 is also associated with malignancy in brain tumors.     

Disialyl gangliosides enhance tumor phenotypes with differential modalities

Sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids, gangliosides are highly expressed in human cancer cells and regulate cell signals transduced via membrane microdomains. Generally, disialyl gangliosides enhance tumor phenotypes, while monosialyl gangliosides suppress them. In particular, gangliosides GD3 and GD2 are highly expressed in melanomas and small cell lung cancer cells, and their expression cause increased cell growth and invasion. In osteosarcomas, expression of GD3 and GD2 also enhanced cell invasion and motility, and caused increased phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase and paxillin. In addition to focal adhesion kinase, Lyn kinase was also activated by GD3/GD2 expression, leading to the phosphorylation of paxillin. In contrast with melanoma cells, osteosarcomas showed reduced cell adhesion with increased phosphorylation of paxillin. Thus, increased expression of GD3/GD2 caused enhanced activation of signaling molecules, leading to distinct phenotypes between melanomas and osteosarcomas, i.e. increased and decreased adhesion activity. Thus, whole features of glycolipid-enriched microdomain/rafts formed in the individual cancer types seem to determine the main signaling pathway and biological outcome.     

CD36 signals to the actin cytoskeleton and regulates microglial migration via a p130Cas complex

The pattern recognition receptor CD36 initiates a signaling cascade that promotes microglial activation and recruitment to beta-amyloid deposits in the brain. In the present study we identify the focal adhesion-associated proteins p130Cas, Pyk2, and paxillin as novel members of the tyrosine kinase signaling pathway downstream of CD36 and show that assembly of this complex is essential for microglial migration. In primary microglia and macrophages exposed to beta-amyloid, the scaffolding protein p130Cas is rapidly tyrosine-phosphorylated and co-localizes with CD36 to membrane ruffles contemporaneous with F-actin polymerization. These beta-amyloid-stimulated events are not detected in CD36 null cells and are dependent on CD36 activation of Src family tyrosine kinases. Fyn, a Src kinase known to interact with CD36, co-precipitates with p130Cas and is an essential upstream intermediate in the signaling pathways leading to phosphorylation of the p130Cas substrate domain. Furthermore, the p130Cas-interacting kinase Pyk2 and the cytoskeletal adapter protein paxillin also demonstrate CD36-dependent phosphorylation, identifying these focal adhesion molecules as additional members of this beta-amyloid signaling cascade. Disruption of this p130Cas complex by small interfering RNA silencing inhibits p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation and microglial migration, illustrating the importance of this pathway in microglial activation and recruitment. Together, these data are the first to identify the signaling cascade that directly links CD36 to the actin cytoskeleton and, thus, implicates it in diverse processes such as cellular migration, adhesion, and phagocytosis.     

Focal adhesion kinase and p130Cas mediate both sarcomeric organization and activation of genes associated with cardiac myocyte hypertrophy

Hypertrophic terminally differentiated cardiac myocytes show increased sarcomeric organization and altered gene expression. Previously, we established a role for the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase Src in signaling cardiac myocyte hypertrophy. Here we report evidence that p130Cas (Cas) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) regulate this process. In neonatal cardiac myocytes, tyrosine phosphorylation of Cas and FAK increased upon endothelin (ET) stimulation. FAK, Cas, and paxillin were localized in sarcomeric Z-lines, suggesting that the Z-line is an important signaling locus in these cells. Cas, alone or in cooperation with Src, modulated basal and ET-stimulated atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) gene promoter activity, a marker of cardiac hypertrophy. Expression of the C-terminal focal adhesion-targeting domain of FAK interfered with localization of endogenous FAK to Z-lines. Expression of the Cas-binding proline-rich region 1 of FAK hindered association of Cas with FAK and impaired the structural stability of sarcomeres. Collectively, these results suggest that interaction of Cas with FAK, together with their localization to Z-lines, is critical to assembly of sarcomeric units in cardiac myocytes in culture. Moreover, expression of the focal adhesion-targeting and/or the Cas-binding proline-rich regions of FAK inhibited ANP promoter activity and suppressed ET-induced ANP and brain natriuretic peptide gene expression. In summary, assembly of signaling complexes that include the focal adhesion proteins Cas, FAK, and paxillin at Z-lines in the cardiac myocyte may regulate, either directly or indirectly, both cytoskeletal organization and gene expression associated with cardiac myocyte hypertrophy.     

Optogenetic control of focal adhesion kinase signaling

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) integrates signaling from integrins, growth factor receptors and mechanical stress to control cell adhesion, motility, survival and proliferation. Here, we developed a single-component, photo-activatable FAK, termed optoFAK, by using blue light-induced oligomerization of cryptochrome 2 (CRY2) to activate FAK-CRY2 fusion proteins. OptoFAK functions uncoupled from physiological stimuli and activates downstream signaling rapidly and reversibly upon blue light exposure. OptoFAK stimulates SRC creating a positive feedback loop on FAK activation, facilitating phosphorylation of paxillin and p130Cas in adherent cells. In detached cells or in mechanically stressed adherent cells, optoFAK is autophosphorylated upon exposure to blue light, however, downstream signaling is hampered indicating that the accessibility to these substrates is disturbed. OptoFAK may prove to be a useful tool to study the biological function of FAK in growth factor and integrin signaling, tension-mediated focal adhesion maturation or anoikis and could additionally serve as test system for kinase inhibitors.     

Tyrosine phosphorylation of p125(Fak), p130(Cas), and paxillin does not require extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation in Swiss 3T3 cells stimulated by bombesin or platelet-derived growth factor

The experiments presented here were designed to examine the contribution of the extracellular signal-regulated mitogen-activated protein kinases (ERKs) to the tyrosine phosphorylation of the focal adhesion proteins p125(Fak), p130(Cas), and paxillin induced by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and tyrosine kinase receptors in Swiss 3T3 cells. Stimulation of these cells with bombesin, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), endothelin, and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) led to a marked increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of these focal adhesion proteins and in ERK activation. Exposure of the cells to two structurally unrelated mitogen-activated protein kinase or ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitors, PD98059 and U0126, completely abrogated ERK activation but did not prevent tyrosine phosphorylation of p125(Fak), p130(Cas), and paxillin. Furthermore, different dose-response relationships were obtained for tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion proteins and for ERK activation in response to PDGF. Putative upstream events in the activation of focal adhesion proteins including actin cytoskeletal reorganization and myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation were also not prevented by inhibition of ERK activation. Thus, our results demonstrate that the activation of the ERK pathway is not necessary for the increase of the tyrosine phosphorylation of p125(Fak), p130(Cas), and paxillin induced by either GPCRs or tyrosine kinase receptors in Swiss 3T3 cells.     

The activated insulin-like growth factor I receptor induces depolarization in breast epithelial cells characterized by actin filament disassembly and tyrosine dephosphorylation of FAK, Cas, and paxillin.

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) promotes the motility of different cell types. We investigated the role of IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) signaling in locomotion of MCF-7 breast cancer epithelial cells overexpressing the wild-type IGF-IR (MCF-7/IGF-IR). Stimulation of MCF-7/IGF-IR cells with 50 ng/ml IGF-I induced disruption of the polarized cell monolayer followed by morphological transition toward a mesenchymal phenotype. Immunofluorescence staining of the cells with rhodamine-phalloidin revealed rapid disassembly of actin fibers and development of a cortical actin meshwork. Activation of phosphatidylinositol (PI)3-kinase downstream of the IGF-IR was necessary for this process, as blocking PI 3-kinase activity with the specific inhibitor LY 294002 at 10 microM prevented disruption of the filamentous actin. In parallel, IGF-IR activation induced rapid and transient tyrosine dephosphorylation of focal adhesion proteins p125 focal adhesion kinase (FAK), p130 Crk-associated substrate (Cas), and paxillin. This process required phosphotyrosine phosphatase (PTP) activity, since pretreatment of the cells with 5 microM phenylarsine oxide (PAO), an inhibitor of PTPs, rescued FAK and its associated proteins Cas and paxillin from IGF-I-induced dephosphorylation. In addition, PAO-pretreated cells were refractory to IGF-I-induced morphological transition. Thus, our findings reveal a new function of the IGF-IR, the ability to depolarize epithelial cells. In MCF-7 cells, mechanisms of IGF-IR-mediated cell depolarization involve PI 3-kinase signaling and putative PTP activities.     

Integrin-regulated FAK-Src signaling in normal and cancer cells

Integrins can alter cellular behavior through the recruitment and activation of signaling proteins such as non-receptor tyrosine kinases including focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and c-Src that form a dual kinase complex. The FAK-Src complex binds to and can phosphorylate various adaptor proteins such as p130Cas and paxillin. In normal cells, multiple integrin-regulated linkages exist to activate FAK or Src. Activated FAK-Src functions to promote cell motility, cell cycle progression and cell survival. Recent studies have found that the FAK-Src complex is activated in many tumor cells and generates signals leading to tumor growth and metastasis. As both FAK and Src catalytic activities are important in promoting VEGF-associated tumor angiogenesis and protease-associated tumor metastasis, support is growing that FAK and Src may be therapeutically relevant targets in the inhibition of tumor progression.     

CAIR-1/BAG-3 modulates cell adhesion and migration by downregulating activity of focal adhesion proteins

CAIR-1/BAG-3 is a stress and survival protein that has been shown to bind SH3 domain-containing proteins through its proline-rich (PXXP) domain. Because stress and survival pathways are active during invasion and metastasis, we hypothesized that CAIR-1 is a regulator of signaling pathways that modulate cell adhesion and migration. MDA-435 human breast carcinoma cells were stably transfected with full-length CAIR-1 (FL) or a proline-rich domain deleted mutant (dPXXP). FL cells migrated poorly through collagen IV-coated filters to serum (14% of control, p=0.0004), whereas migration of dPXXP cells was more robust (228%, p=0.00001). Adhesion to collagen IV-coated surfaces was reduced in FL cells and augmented in dPXXP cells (FL 64%, p=0.03; dPXXP 138%, p=0.01). Rhodamine-phalloidin staining highlighted more stress fibers and thicker filopodial protrusions in dPXXP cells. Fewer focal adhesions were also seen in FL cells. A reduction in tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin occurred in FL cells under these conditions. In contrast, increased FAK and paxillin phosphorylation was documented in dPXXP cells. Differential FAK phosphorylation occurred at the major autophosphorylation site Y(397) and Src phosphorylation site Y(861). Concordant with these findings, there was decreased interaction between FAK and its downstream partners p(130)Cas and Crk observed in FL cells but not in dPXXP cells. These results collectively indicate that CAIR-1 may negatively regulate adhesion, focal adhesion assembly, signaling, and migration via its PXXP domain.     

Expression of integrin subunit beta1B in integrin beta1-deficient GD25 cells does not interfere with alphaVbeta3 functions

We have expressed the beta1B integrin subunit in beta1-deficient GD25 cells to examine beta1B functions without the interference of endogenous beta1A expression. As previously reported [Retta et al., 1998, Mol. Biol. Cell 9, 715-731], the beta1B integrins did not mediate cell adhesion under normal culture conditions, while the presence of 0.3 mM Mn(2+) allowed beta1B integrins to support adhesion. Mn(2+), as well as the small soluble peptide GRGDS, induced a beta1B conformation, which was recognized by the mAb 9EG7, a marker for active or ligand-bound integrins. beta1B integrins were found to localize to a subset of focal contacts in a ligand-independent manner on fibronectin, but not on vitronectin. However, clustering of beta1B did not induce tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK, p130(Cas), or paxillin, as studied by beta1B-mediated adhesion, to fibronectin in the presence of Mn(2+) or to anti-beta1 antibody in DMEM. Induction of ligand-occupied conformation by the GRGDS peptide during the adhesion to anti-beta1 antibody also failed to trigger FAK phosphorylation. Stimulation of tyrosine phosphorylation on FAK, p130(Cas), and paxillin by adhesion via integrin alphaVbeta3 to fibronectin or vitronectin was not disturbed in GD25-beta1B cells compared to the untransfected GD25 cells, nor were any negative effects of beta1B observed on alphaVbeta3-mediated cell attachment, spreading, and actin organization, or on the cell proliferation rate. These results show that the reported negative effects of beta1B on adhesive events do not apply to alphaVbeta3-dependent interactions and suggest that they may specifically act on beta1 integrins.     

A role for phosphoinositides in tyrosine phosphorylation of p125 focal adhesion kinase in rat pancreatic acini

Previous studies have shown that different agonists increase tyrosine phosphorylation of the focal adhesion related proteins p125(FAK), p130(Cas), and paxillin in different cell types and that tyrosine phosphorylation depends on the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton. Because phosphoinositides are important for the maintenance of the cytoskeleton, the role of phosphoinositides in the tyrosine phosphorylation of these proteins in response to occupancy of m3 muscarinic and CCK(A) receptors has been investigated in pancreatic acini. Addition of carbachol or CCK-8 to pancreatic acini resulted in rapid increases in the tyrosine phosphorylation of p125(FAK), p130(Cas), and paxillin. Pretreatment of pancreatic acini with LY294002 or wortmannin resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation of p125(FAK), p130(Cas), and paxillin stimulated by carbachol or CCK-8. Carbachol- or CCK-8-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of these proteins was not inhibited by rapamycin, PD 98059 or SB 203580, and thus it was dissociated from the activation of p70 S6 or MAP kinases. These results indicate that m3 muscarinic and CCK(A) receptor-mediated increase in p125(FAK), p130(Cas), and paxillin tyrosine phosphorylation in pancreatic acini depends on the ability of these cells to synthesise phosphoinositides.     

PKC-regulated myogenesis is associated with increased tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK,Cas, and paxillin,formation of Cas-CRK complex,and JNK activation

Previous reports suggest that PKC plays an important role in regulating myogenesis. However, the regulatory signaling pathways are not fully understood. We examined the effects of PKC downregulation on signaling events during skeletal muscle differentiation. We found that downregulation of PKC results in increased myogenesis in C2C12 cells as measured by creatine kinase activity and myogenin expression. We showed that, during differentiation, downregulation of PKC expression results in increased tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK, Cas, and paxillin, concomitant with enhanced Cas-CrkII complex formation, which leads to activation of JNK2. But in proliferated muscle cells, PKC inhibition results in FAK and Cas tyrosine dephosphorylation. Further, disruption of actin cytoskeleton by cytochalasin D prevents the activation of FAK and Cas as well as the formation of Cas-CrkII complex stimulated by PKC downregulation during muscle cell differentiation. Finally, we observed that PKC downregulation increases the tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion associated proteins. Based on the above data, we propose that PKC downregulation results in enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK, Cas, and paxillin, thus promoting the establishment of Cas-CrkII complex, leading to activation of JNK and that these interactions are dependent upon the integrity of actin cytoskeleton during muscle cell differentiation. Data presented here significantly contribute to elucidating the regulatory role of PKC in myogenesis possibly through integrin signaling pathway.