S100A11 is required for efficient plasma membrane repair and survival of invasive cancer cells

Mechanisms protecting host cells against bacterial pore-forming toxins

Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are key virulence determinants produced and secreted by a variety of human bacterial pathogens. They disrupt the plasma membrane (PM) by generating stable protein pores, which allow uncontrolled exchanges between the extracellular and intracellular milieus, dramatically disturbing cellular homeostasis. In recent years, many advances were made regarding the characterization of conserved repair mechanisms that allow eukaryotic cells to recover from mechanical disruption of the PM membrane. However, the specificities of the cell recovery pathways that protect host cells against PFT-induced damage remain remarkably elusive. During bacterial infections, the coordinated action of such cell recovery processes defines the outcome of infected cells and is, thus, critical for our understanding of bacterial pathogenesis. Here, we review the cellular pathways reported to be involved in the response to bacterial PFTs and discuss their impact in single-cell recovery and infection.

S100A6 activates EGFR and its downstream signaling in HaCaT keratinocytes

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a central transmitter of mitogenic signals in epithelial cells; enhanced EGFR activity is observed in many tumors of epithelial origin. S100A6 is a small calcium-binding protein, characteristic mainly of epithelial cells and fibroblasts, strongly implicated in cell proliferation and upregulated in tumors. In this study, using biochemical assays along with immunohistochemical and immunocytochemical analysis of organotypic and standard cultures of HaCaT keratinocytes with S100A6 overexpression or knock-down, we have examined the effect of S100A6 on EGFR activity and downstream signaling. We found that HaCaT cells overexpressing S100A6 had enhanced EGFR, phospho EGFR, and phospho extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (pERK1/2) staining intensity and level coupled to higher signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activity. Conversely, S100A6 knockdown cells had impaired EGFR signaling that could be enhanced by addition of recombinant S100A6 to the culture media. Altogether the results show that S100A6 may exert its proproliferative effects through activating EGFR.

Regulation and Assembly of Actomyosin Contractile Rings in Cytokinesis and Cell Repair

Cytokinesis and single-cell wound repair both involve contractile assemblies of filamentous actin (F-actin) and myosin II organized into characteristic ring-like arrays. The assembly of these actomyosin contractile rings (CRs) is specified spatially and temporally by small Rho GTPases, which trigger local actin polymerization and myosin II contractility via a variety of downstream effectors. We now have a much clearer view of the Rho GTPase signaling cascade that leads to the formation of CRs, but some factors involved in CR positioning, assembly, and function remain poorly understood. Recent studies show that this regulation is multifactorial and goes beyond the long-established Ca²⁺ -dependent processes. There is substantial evidence that the Ca²⁺ -independent changes in cell shape, tension, and plasma membrane composition that characterize cytokinesis and single-cell wound repair also regulate CR formation. Elucidating the regulation and mechanistic properties of CRs is important to our understanding of basic cell biology and holds potential for therapeutic applications in human disease. In this review, we present a primer on the factors influencing and regulating CR positioning, assembly, and contraction as they occur in a variety of cytokinetic and single-cell wound repair models. Anat Rec, 301:2051-2066, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

HGF-mediated S100A11 overexpression enhances proliferation and invasion of gastric cancer

S100 proteins are a group of low molecular weight (10-12 kDa) acidic proteins belonging to the largest family of EFhand calciumbinding proteins. S100A11, also known as S100C or calgizzarin, is an important member of the S100 family. S100A11 overexpression has been reported in a number of cancers including papillary thyroid carcinoma, colon, pancreatic, and breast cancer. One other study demonstrated that increased S100A11 expression is correlated with gastric cancer metastasis and poor overall disease prognosis. This study aimed to identify the function of S100A11 associated with cell proliferation and invasion in gastric cancer. We used cell culture, western blotting, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and S100A11 knock-down with short hairpin ribonucleic acid (shRNA). First, we confirmed that the S100A11 expression was upregulated by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). The role of S100A11 was determined via knock down of S100A11. S100A11-shRNA cells showed decreased levels of metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). We also examined and confirmed the role of HGF-mediated S100A11 expression. HGF-mediated cell proliferation and in vitro invasion increased, and HGF-mediated apoptosis decreased in S100A11 knockdown cells. We identified the putative binding site of NF-κB in the MMP9 promoter region and confirmed its function via chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP) assay. Our results showed that S100A11 is upregulated by HGF through the NF-κB pathway in gastric cancer and plays a role in cell proliferation and invasion in gastric cancer. It may thus be a possible target for gastric cancer therapy.

Into the breach: how cells cope with wounds

Repair of wounds to individual cells is crucial for organisms to survive daily physiological or environmental stresses, as well as pathogen assaults, which disrupt the plasma membrane. Sensing wounds, resealing membranes, closing wounds and remodelling plasma membrane/cortical cytoskeleton are four major steps that are essential to return cells to their pre-wounded states. This process relies on dynamic changes of the membrane/cytoskeleton that are indispensable for carrying out the repairs within tens of minutes. Studies from different cell wound repair models over the last two decades have revealed that the molecular mechanisms of single cell wound repair are very diverse and dependent on wound type, size, and/or species. Interestingly, different repair models have been shown to use similar proteins to achieve the same end result, albeit sometimes by distinctive mechanisms. Recent studies using cutting edge microscopy and molecular techniques are shedding new light on the molecular mechanisms during cellular wound repair. Here, we describe what is currently known about the mechanisms underlying this repair process. In addition, we discuss how the study of cellular wound repair—a powerful and inducible model—can contribute to our understanding of other fundamental biological processes such as cytokinesis, cell migration, cancer metastasis and human diseases.

Bridging of membrane surfaces by annexin A2

The protein-mediated formation of membrane contacts is a crucial event in many cellular processes ranging from the establishment of organelle contacts to the docking of vesicles to a target membrane. Annexins are Ca²⁺ regulated membrane-binding proteins implicated in providing such membrane contacts; however, the molecular basis of membrane bridging by annexins is not fully understood. We addressed this central question using annexin A2 (AnxA2) that functions in secretory vesicle exocytosis possibly by providing membrane bridges. By quantitatively analyzing membrane contact formation using a novel assay based on quartz crystal microbalance recordings, we show that monomeric AnxA2 can bridge membrane surfaces Ca²⁺ dependently. However, this activity depends on an oxidative crosslink involving a cysteine residue in the N-terminal domain and thus formation of disulfide-linked dimers. Alkylated AnxA2 in which this cysteine residue has been modified and AnxA2 mutants lacking the N-terminal domain are not capable of bridging membrane surfaces. In contrast, a heterotetrameric complex comprising two membrane binding AnxA2 subunits linked by a S100A10 dimer can provide membrane contacts irrespective of oxidation status. Thus, monomeric AnxA2 only contains one lipid binding site and AnxA2-mediated linking of membrane surfaces under non-oxidative intracellular conditions most likely requires AnxA2-S100 complex formation.

Cellular mechanisms and signals that coordinate plasma membrane repair

Plasma membrane forms the barrier between the cytoplasm and the environment. Cells constantly and selectively transport molecules across their plasma membrane without disrupting it. Any disruption in the plasma membrane compromises its selective permeability and is lethal, if not rapidly repaired. There is a growing understanding of the organelles, proteins, lipids, and small molecules that help cells signal and efficiently coordinate plasma membrane repair. This review aims to summarize how these subcellular responses are coordinated and how cellular signals generated due to plasma membrane injury interact with each other to spatially and temporally coordinate repair. With the involvement of calcium and redox signaling in single cell and tissue repair, we will discuss how these and other related signals extend from single cell repair to tissue level repair. These signals link repair processes that are activated immediately after plasma membrane injury with longer term processes regulating repair and regeneration of the damaged tissue. We propose that investigating cell and tissue repair as part of a continuum of wound repair mechanisms would be of value in treating degenerative diseases.

ALG-2 participates in recovery of cells after plasma membrane damage by electroporation and digitonin treatment

The calcium binding protein ALG-2 is upregulated in several types of cancerous tissues and cancer cell death may be a consequence of ALG-2 downregulation. Novel research suggests that ALG-2 is involved in membrane repair mechanisms, in line with several published studies linking ALG-2 to processes of membrane remodeling and transport, which may contribute to the fitness of cells or protect them from damage. To investigate the involvement of ALG-2 in cell recovery after membrane damage we disrupted the PDCD6 gene encoding the ALG-2 protein in DT-40 cells and exposed them to electroporation. ALG-2 knock-out cells were more sensitive to electroporation as compared to wild type cells. This phenotype could be reversed by reestablishing ALG-2 expression confirming that ALG-2 plays an important role in cell recovery after plasma membrane damage. We found that overexpression of wild type ALG-2 but not a mutated form unable to bind Ca²⁺ partially protected HeLa cells from digitonin-induced cell death. Further, we were able to inhibit the cell protective function of ALG-2 after digitonin treatment by adding a peptide with the ALG-2 binding sequence of ALIX, which has been proposed to serve as the ALG-2 downstream target in a number of processes including cell membrane repair. Our results suggest that ALG-2 may serve as a novel therapeutic target in combination with membrane damaging interventions.

Imaging Membrane Repair in Single Cells Using Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy

Many cells possess the ability to repair plasma membrane disruption in physiological conditions. Growing evidence indicates a correlation between membrane repair and many human diseases. For example, a negative correlation is observed in muscle where failure to reseal sarcolemma may contribute to the development of muscular dystrophies. Instead, a positive correlation is observed in cancer cells where membrane repair may be exacerbated during metastasis. Here we describe a protocol that combines laser technology for membrane damage, immunostaining with gold nanoparticles and imaging by fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which allows the characterization of the molecular machinery involved in membrane repair. Fluorescence microscopy enables to determine the subcellular localization of candidate proteins in damaged cells while TEM offers high-resolution ultrastructural analysis of the µm²-disruption site, which enables to decipher the membrane repair mechanism. Here we focus on the study of human skeletal muscle cells, for obvious clinical interest, but this protocol is also suitable for other cell types. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Annexins induce curvature on free-edge membranes displaying distinct morphologies

Annexins are a family of proteins characterized by their ability to bind anionic membranes in response to Ca²⁺-activation. They are involved in a multitude of cellular functions including vesiculation and membrane repair. Here, we investigate the effect of nine annexins (ANXA1-ANXA7, ANXA11, ANXA13) on negatively charged double supported membrane patches with free edges. We find that annexin members can be classified according to the membrane morphology they induce and matching a dendrogam of the annexin family based on full amino acid sequences. ANXA1 and ANXA2 induce membrane folding and blebbing initiated from membrane structural defects inside patches while ANXA6 induces membrane folding originating both from defects and from the membrane edges. ANXA4 and ANXA5 induce cooperative roll-up of the membrane starting from free edges, producing large rolls. In contrast, ANXA3 and ANXA13 roll the membrane in a fragmented manner producing multiple thin rolls. In addition to rolling, ANXA7 and ANXA11 are characterized by their ability to form fluid lenses localized between the membrane leaflets. A shared feature necessary for generating these morphologies is the ability to induce membrane curvature on free edged anionic membranes. Consequently, induction of membrane curvature may be a significant property of the annexin protein family that is important for their function.

Correlation between S100A11 and the TGF-β1/SMAD4 pathway and its effects on the proliferation and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1

S100A11 as a S100 protein family member has been documented to play dual-direction regulation over cancer cell proliferation. We explored the role of S100A11 in the proliferation and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1 and the potential mechanisms involving the TGF-β₁/SMAD4/p21 pathway. S100A11 and TGF-β₁ protein expressions in 30 paraffin-embedded specimens were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. S100A11 and TGF-β₁ expression in PANC-1 cell line was suppressed using small interfering RNA (siRNA), respectively. Subsequently, pancreatic cancer cell apoptosis was measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry, and S100A11 and TGF-β1/SMAD4/p21 pathway proteins and genes were detected with Western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). S100A11 cytoplasmic/nuclear protein translocation was examined using NE-PER® cytoplasm/nuclear protein extraction in cells interfered with TGF-β1 siRNA. Our results showed that S100A11 expression was positively correlated with TGF-β₁ expression in pancreatic cancerous tissue. Silencing TGF-β₁ down-regulated intracellular P21^WAF1 expression by 90%, blocked S100A11 from cytoplasm entering nucleus, and enhanced cell proliferation. Silencing S100A11 down-regulated intracellular P21 expression and promoted cell apoptosis without significantly changing TGF-β₁ and SMAD4 expression. Our findings revealed that S100A11 and TGF-β₁/SMAD4 signaling pathway were related but mutually independent in regulating PANC-1 cells proliferation and apoptosis. Other independent mechanisms might be involved in S100A11's regulation of pancreatic cell growth. S100A11 could be a potential gene therapy target for pancreatic cancer.

Regulation of von-Willebrand Factor Secretion from Endothelial Cells by the Annexin A2-S100A10 Complex

Endothelial cells serve as gatekeepers of vascular hemostasis and local inflammatory reactions. They can rapidly respond to changes in the environment, caused, for example, by blood vessel injury, tissue damage or infection, by secreting in a strictly regulated manner factors regulating these processes. These factors include adhesion receptors for circulating leukocytes and platelets, P-selectin and von-Willebrand factor (VWF) that are stored in specialized secretory granules of endothelial cells, the Weibel-Palade bodies (WPB). Acute exposure of these adhesion molecules converts the endothelial cell surface from an anti-adhesive state enabling unrestricted flow of circulating blood cells to an adhesive one capable of capturing leukocytes (through P-selectin) and platelets (through VWF). While these are important (patho)physiological responses, compromised or dysregulated WPB secretion can cause pathologies such as excessive bleeding or vascular occlusion. Several factors are involved in regulating the exocytosis of WPB and thus represent potential targets for therapeutic interventions in these pathologies. Among them, the annexin A2 (AnxA2)-S100A10 complex has been shown to participate in the tethering/docking of secretion-competent WPB at the plasma membrane, and interference with AnxA2/S100A10 expression or complex formation significantly reduces acute WPB exocytosis and VWF release. Thus, developing specific means to efficiently block AnxA2-S100A10 complex formation in endothelial cells could lead to novel avenues towards interfering with acute vascular thrombosis.

Muscle Cells Fix Breaches by Orchestrating a Membrane Repair Ballet

Skeletal muscle undergoes many micro-membrane lesions at physiological state. Based on their sizes and magnitude these lesions are repaired via different complexes on a specific spatio-temporal manner. One of the major repair complex is a dysferlin-dependent mechanism. Accordingly, mutations in the DYSF gene encoding dysferlin results in the development of several muscle pathologies called dysferlinopathies, where abnormalities of the membrane repair process have been characterized in patients and animal models. Recent efforts have been deployed to decipher the function of dysferlin, they shed light on its direct implication in sarcolemma resealing after injuries. These discoveries served as a strong ground to design therapeutic approaches for dysferlin-deficient patients. This review detailed the different partners and function of dysferlin and positions the sarcolemma repair in normal and pathological conditions.

S100A11 protects against neuronal cell apoptosis induced by cerebral ischemia via inhibiting the nuclear translocation of annexin A1

The subcellular location of annexin A1 (ANXA1) determines the ultimate fate of neurons after ischemic stroke. ANXA1 nuclear translocation is involved in neuronal apoptosis after cerebral ischemia, and extracellular ANXA1 is also associated with regulation of inflammatory responses. As the factors and mechanism that influence ANXA1 subcellular translocation remain unclear, studies aiming to determine and clarify the role of ANXA1 as a cell fate ‘regulator’ within cells are critically needed. In this study, we found that intracerebroventricular injection of the recombinant adenovirus vector Ad-S100A11 (carrying S100A11) strongly improved cognitive function and induced robust neuroprotective effects after ischemic stroke in vivo. Furthermore, upregulation of S100A11 protected against neuronal apoptosis induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) in vitro. Surprisingly, S100A11 overexpression markedly decreased ANXA1 nuclear translocation and subsequently alleviated OGD/R-induced neuronal apoptosis. Notably, S100A11 exerted its neuroprotective effect by directly binding ANXA1. Importantly, S100A11 directly interacted with ANXA1 through the nuclear translocation signal (NTS) of ANXA1, which is essential for ANXA1 to import into the nucleus. Consistent with our previous studies, ANXA1 nuclear translocation after OGD/R promoted p53 transcriptional activity, induced mRNA expression of the pro-apoptotic Bid gene, and activated the caspase-3 apoptotic pathway, which was almost completely reversed by S100A11 overexpression. Thus, S100A11 protects against cell apoptosis by inhibiting OGD/R-induced ANXA1 nuclear translocation. This study provides a novel mechanism whereby S100A11 protects against neuronal cells apoptosis, suggesting the potential for a previously unidentified treatment strategy in minimizing apoptosis after ischemic stroke.

A study of wound repair in Dictyostelium cells by using novel laserporation

We examined the mechanism of cell membrane repair in Dictyostelium cells by using a novel laser-based cell poration method. The dynamics of wound pores opening and closing were characterized by live imaging of fluorescent cell membrane proteins, influx of fluorescent dye, and Ca²⁺ imaging. The wound closed within 2-4 sec, depending on the wound size. Cells could tolerate a wound size of less than 2.0 µm. In the absence of Ca²⁺ in the external medium, the wound pore did not close and cells ruptured. The release of Ca²⁺ from intracellular stores also contributed to the elevation of cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ but not to wound repair. Annexin C1 immediately accumulated at the wound site depending on the external Ca²⁺ concentration, and annexin C1 knockout cells had a defect in wound repair, but it was not essential. Dictyostelium cells were able to respond to multiple repeated wounds with the same time courses, in contrast to previous reports showing that the first wound accelerates the second wound repair in fibroblasts.

MicroRNA‑22 inhibits the proliferation and migration, and increases the cisplatin sensitivity, of osteosarcoma cells

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the major type of primary bone tumor and is associated with a poor prognosis due to chemotherapy resistance. Accumulating evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) may influence the tumor progression of OS and cell sensitivity to chemotherapy. In the present study, a total of 7 patients with OS and 7 healthy volunteers were recruited. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and ELISA were performed to determine the expression of miRNAs and mRNAs in the serum of participants. Furthermore, the biological function of miR-22 and S100A11 was examined in MG-63 cells using Cell Counting Kit-8 assays, Transwell migration assays and western blot analysis to determine the effects on cell proliferation, migration and protein expression, respectively, while MG-63 cell sensitivity to cisplatin was assessed by measuring cell viability following cisplatin treatment and calculating the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀). Additionally, the association between miR-22 and S100 calcium-binding protein A11 (S100A11) was validated using a luciferase reporter assay. The results demonstrated that miR-22 expression was significantly reduced in patients with OS and the MG-63 OS cell line, compared with healthy volunteers and the normal osteoblast hFOB 1.19 cell line, respectively, while the expression of S100A11 was negatively associated with miR-22 levels in the MG-63 cell line. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-22 inhibited the proliferation and migratory ability of MG-63 cells, and increased the sensitivity of MG-63 cells to cisplatin treatment; however, overexpression of S100A11 partially attenuated the alterations in proliferation, migratory ability and chemosensitivity that were induced by miR-22 overexpression. In addition, it was confirmed that S100A11 is a direct target gene of miR-22 in MG-63 cells. In conclusion, to the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to demonstrate that miR-22 may be a promising therapeutic target and may have potential as part of a combination treatment alongside chemotherapeutic agents for OS.

Therapeutic potential of targeting S100A11 in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive tumor with an unfavorable prognosis. The standard therapeutic approaches are limited to surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Because the consequent clinical outcome is often unsatisfactory, a different approach in MPM treatment is required. S100A11, a Ca²⁺-binding small protein with two EF-hands, is frequently upregulated in various human cancers. Interestingly, it has been found that intracellular and extracellular S100A11 have different functions in cell viability. In this study, we focused on the impact of extracellular S100A11 in MPM and explored the therapeutic potential of an S100A11-targeting strategy. We examined the secretion level of S100A11 in various kinds of cell lines by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Among them, six out of seven MPM cell lines actively secreted S100A11, whereas normal mesothelial cell lines did not secrete it. To investigate the role of secreted S100A11 in MPM, we inhibited its function by neutralizing S100A11 with an anti-S100A11 antibody. Interestingly, the antibody significantly inhibited the proliferation of S100A11-secreting MPM cells in vitro and in vivo. Microarray analysis revealed that several pathways including genes involved in cell proliferation were negatively enriched in the antibody-treated cell lines. In addition, we examined the secretion level of S100A11 in various types of pleural effusions. We found that the secretion of S100A11 was significantly higher in MPM pleural effusions, compared to others, suggesting the possibility for the use of S100A11 as a biomarker. In conclusion, our results indicate that extracellular S100A11 plays important roles in MPM and may be a therapeutic target in S100A11-secreting MPM.

Bistability theorem in a cancer model

In this paper, I continue the study of the mathematical models presented in [J. C. Larsen, Models of cancer growth, J. Appl. Math. Comput. 53(1–2) (2015) 613–645] and [J. C. Larsen, The bistability theorem in a model of metastatic cancer, to appear in Appl. Math.]. I shall prove the bistability theorem for the ODE model from [Larsen, 2015]. It is a mass action kinetic system in the variables [Formula: see text] cancer, GF growth factor and GI growth inhibitor. This theorem says that for some values of the parameters, there exist two positive singular points [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] of the vector field. Here [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is stable and [Formula: see text] is unstable, see Sec. 2. There is also a discrete model in [Larsen, 2015], it is a linear map ([Formula: see text]) on three-dimensional Euclidean vector space with variables [Formula: see text] where these variables have the same meaning as in the ODE model above. In [Larsen, 2015], I showed that one can sometimes find affine vector fields on three-dimensional Euclidean vector space whose time one map is [Formula: see text]. I shall also show this in the present paper in a more general setting than in [Larsen, 2015]. This enables me to find an expression for the rate of change of cancer growth on the coordinate hyperplane [Formula: see text] in Euclidean vector space. I also present an ODE model of cancer metastasis with variables [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is primary cancer and [Formula: see text] is metastatic cancer and GF, GI are growth factors and growth inhibitors, respectively.

Altered membrane integrity in the progression of muscle diseases

Sarcolemmal integrity is orchestrated through the interplay of preserving membrane strength and fast tracking the membrane repair process during an event of compromised membrane fragility. Several molecular players have been identified that act in a concerted fashion to maintain the barrier function of the muscle membrane. Substantial research findings in the field of muscle biology point out the importance of maintaining membrane integrity as a key contributory factor to cellular homeostasis. Innumerable data on the progression of membrane pathology associated with compromised muscle membrane integrity support targeting sarcolemmal integrity in skeletal and cardiac muscle as a model therapeutic strategy to alleviate some of the pathologic conditions. This review will discuss strategies that researchers have undertaken to compensate for an imbalance in sarcolemma membrane fragility and membrane repair to maintain muscle membrane integrity.

Annexin A4 and A6 induce membrane curvature and constriction during cell membrane repair

Efficient cell membrane repair mechanisms are essential for maintaining membrane integrity and thus for cell life. Here we show that the Ca²⁺- and phospholipid-binding proteins annexin A4 and A6 are involved in plasma membrane repair and needed for rapid closure of micron-size holes. We demonstrate that annexin A4 binds to artificial membranes and generates curvature force initiated from free edges, whereas annexin A6 induces constriction force. In cells, plasma membrane injury and Ca²⁺ influx recruit annexin A4 to the vicinity of membrane wound edges where its homo-trimerization leads to membrane curvature near the edges. We propose that curvature force is utilized together with annexin A6-mediated constriction force to pull the wound edges together for eventual fusion. We show that annexin A4 can counteract various plasma membrane disruptions including holes of several micrometers indicating that induction of curvature force around wound edges is an early key event in cell membrane repair.

The role of annexins in cell membrane repair is largely undefined. Here the authors use a model lipid bilayer to show that annexin A4 induces curvature at the membrane free edge and annexin A6 induces constriction force, and find that both annexins are recruited to wound edges in cells and are required for repair.

Liprotides kill cancer cells by disrupting the plasma membrane

HAMLET (human α-lactalbumin made lethal to tumour cells) is a complex of α-lactalbumin (aLA) and oleic acid (OA) which kills transformed cells, while leaving fully differentiated cells largely unaffected. Other protein-lipid complexes show similar anti-cancer potential. We call such complexes liprotides. The cellular impact of liprotides, while intensely investigated, remains unresolved. To address this, we report on the cell-killing mechanisms of liprotides prepared by incubating aLA with OA for 1 h at 20 or 80 °C (lip20 and lip80, respectively). The liprotides showed similar cytotoxicity against MCF7 cells, though lip80 acts more slowly, possibly due to intermolecular disulphide bonds formed during preparation. Liprotides are known to increase the fluidity of a membrane and transfer OA to vesicles, prompting us to focus on the effect of liprotides on the cell membrane. Extracellular Ca²⁺ influx is important for activation of the plasma membrane repair system, and we found that removal of Ca²⁺ from the medium enhanced the liprotides’ killing effect. Liprotide cytotoxicity was also increased by knockdown of Annexin A6 (ANXA6), a protein involved in plasma membrane repair. We conclude that MCF7 cells counteract liprotide-induced membrane permeabilization by activating their plasma membrane repair system, which is triggered by extracellular Ca²⁺ and involves ANXA6.

Annexin A2 links poor myofiber repair with inflammation and adipogenic replacement of the injured muscle

Repair of skeletal muscle after sarcolemmal damage involves dysferlin and dysferlin-interacting proteins such as annexins. Mice and patient lacking dysferlin exhibit chronic muscle inflammation and adipogenic replacement of the myofibers. Here, we show that similar to dysferlin, lack of annexin A2 (AnxA2) also results in poor myofiber repair and progressive muscle weakening with age. By longitudinal analysis of AnxA2-deficient muscle we find that poor myofiber repair due to the lack of AnxA2 does not result in chronic inflammation or adipogenic replacement of the myofibers. Further, deletion of AnxA2 in dysferlin deficient mice reduced muscle inflammation, adipogenic replacement of myofibers, and improved muscle function. These results identify multiple roles of AnxA2 in muscle repair, which includes facilitating myofiber repair, chronic muscle inflammation and adipogenic replacement of dysferlinopathic muscle. It also identifies inhibition of AnxA2-mediated inflammation as a novel therapeutic avenue for treating muscle loss in dysferlinopathy.

The identification of molecular target of (20S) ginsenoside Rh2 for its anti-cancer activity

The 20S ginsenoside Rh2 (G-Rh2) effectively inhibits cancer cell growth and survival in both animal models and cell lines. However, its molecular targets and mechanism of action remain largely unknown. By screening for molecules that interact with (20S)G-Rh2 in a phage display assay, we have identified Annexin A2 as a potential target that mediates its anti-cancer activity. Isothermal titration calorimetry and a cellular thermal shift assay demonstrated that (20S)G-Rh2 directly bound to either recombinant or intracellular Annexin A2. This binding inhibited the interaction between Annexin A2 and the NF-кB p50 subunit, which attenuated the nuclear translocations of NF-кB p50 subunit and reduced the transactivation activity of NF-кB. Correspond to this result, (20S)G-Rh2 treatment significantly down-regulated the expression of IAPs (inhibitors of apoptosis), the well-established NF-кB targets that promote cell survival. Moreover, (20S)G-Rh2 synergized with Annexin A2 inactivation to promote apoptosis. Taken together, this study for the first time suggests a cellular target and a molecular pathway by which (20S)G-Rh2 inhibits cancer cell growth. As over-expression of Annexin A2 was evident in human hepatoma, (20S)G-Rh2 might be a promising natural compound for targeted liver cancer therapy.

Mitochondrial redox signaling enables repair of injured skeletal muscle cells

Strain and physical trauma to mechanically active cells, such as skeletal muscle myofibers, injures their plasma membranes, and mitochondrial function is required for their repair. We found that mitochondrial function was also needed for plasma membrane repair in myoblasts as well as nonmuscle cells, which depended on mitochondrial uptake of calcium through the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU). Calcium uptake transiently increased the mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which locally activated the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) RhoA, triggering F-actin accumulation at the site of injury and facilitating membrane repair. Blocking mitochondrial calcium uptake or ROS production prevented injury-triggered RhoA activation, actin polymerization, and plasma membrane repair. This repair mechanism was shared between myoblasts, nonmuscle cells, and mature skeletal myofibers. Quenching mitochondrial ROS in myofibers during eccentric exercise ex vivo caused increased damage to myofibers, resulting in a greater loss of muscle force. These results suggest a physiological role for mitochondria in plasma membrane repair in injured cells, a role that highlights a beneficial effect of ROS.

Calcium-Mediated Control of S100 Proteins: Allosteric Communication via an Agitator/Signal Blocking Mechanism

Allosteric proteins possess dynamically coupled residues for the propagation of input signals to distant target binding sites. The input signals usually correspond to "effector is present" or "effector is not present". Many aspects of allosteric regulation remain incompletely understood. This work focused on S100A11, a dimeric EF-hand protein with two hydrophobic target binding sites. An annexin peptide (Ax) served as the target. Target binding is allosterically controlled by Ca²⁺ over a distance of ∼26 Å. Ca²⁺ promotes formation of a [Ca₄ S100 Ax₂] complex, where the Ax peptides are accommodated between helices III/IV and III'/IV'. Without Ca²⁺ these binding sites are closed, precluding interactions with Ax. The allosteric mechanism was probed by microsecond MD simulations in explicit water, complemented by hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry (HDX/MS). Consistent with experimental data, MD runs in the absence of Ca²⁺ and Ax culminated in target binding site closure. In simulations on [Ca₄ S100] the target binding sites remained open. These results capture the essence of allosteric control, revealing how Ca²⁺ prevents binding site closure. Both HDX/MS and MD data showed that the metalation sites become more dynamic after Ca²⁺ loss. However, these enhanced dynamics do not represent the primary trigger of the allosteric cascade. Instead, a labile salt bridge acts as an incessantly active "agitator" that destabilizes the packing of adjacent residues, causing a domino chain of events that culminates in target binding site closure. This agitator represents the starting point of the allosteric signal propagation pathway. Ca²⁺ binding rigidifies elements along this pathway, thereby blocking signal transmission. This blocking mechanism does not conform to the commonly held view that allosteric communication pathways generally originate at the sites where effectors interact with the protein.

Expression of S100A11 is a Prognostic Factor for Disease-free Survival and Overall Survival in Patients With High-grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

S100A11 is a calcium-binding protein implicated in a variety of biological functions and is overexpressed in many human cancers. However, S100A11 expression level in ovarian cancer has not been well characterized. High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is the most common and lethal type of ovarian cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate S100A11 expression and its clinical significance in HGSC. S100A11 expression was evaluated by Western blot in 45 snap-frozen specimens (15 normal ovarian epithelia, 15 normal fallopian tube epithelia, and 15 HGSCs) and by immunohistochemistry in 211 paraffin-embedded specimens (40 normal fallopian tube epithelia, 54 normal ovarian epithelia, and 117 HGSCs). S100A11 expression was extremely elevated in HGSC compared with normal epithelial tissues and was positively correlated with FIGO stage (P=0.014), ascitic fluid volume (P=0.009), and residual disease (P=0.004) of HGSC patients. Higher S100A11 expression was associated with poorer disease-free (P=0.004) and overall (P=0.006) survival, whereas multivariate analysis revealed S100A11 to be an independent prognostic factor for disease-free (P=0.019) and overall (P=0.027) survival in patients with HGSC. In conclusion, S100A11 overexpression correlates with an aggressive malignant phenotype and may constitute a novel prognostic factor for HGSC.

Knockdown of BC200 RNA expression reduces cell migration and invasion by destabilizing mRNA for calcium-binding protein S100A11

Although BC200 RNA is best known as a neuron-specific non-coding RNA, it is overexpressed in various cancer cells. BC200 RNA was recently shown to contribute to metastasis in several cancer cell lines, but the underlying mechanism was not understood in detail. To examine this mechanism, we knocked down BC200 RNA in cancer cells, which overexpress the RNA, and examined cell motility, profiling of ribosome footprints, and the correlation between cell motility changes and genes exhibiting altered ribosome profiles. We found that BC200 RNA knockdown reduced cell migration and invasion, suggesting that BC200 RNA promotes cell motility. Our ribosome profiling analysis identified 29 genes whose ribosomal occupations were altered more than 2-fold by BC200 RNA knockdown. Many (> 30%) of them were directly or indirectly related to cancer progression. Among them, we focused on S100A11 (which showed a reduced ribosome footprint) because its expression was previously shown to increase cellular motility. S100A11 was decreased at both the mRNA and protein levels following knockdown of BC200 RNA. An actinomycin-chase experiment showed that BC200 RNA knockdown significantly decreased the stability of the S100A11 mRNA without changing its transcription rate, suggesting that the downregulation of S100A11 was mainly caused by destabilization of its mRNA. Finally, we showed that the BC200 RNA-knockdown-induced decrease in cell motility was mainly mediated by S100A11. Together, our results show that BC200 RNA promotes cell motility by stabilizing S100A11 transcripts.

Annexin/S100A Protein Family Regulation through p14ARF-p53 Activation: A Role in Cell Survival and Predicting Treatment Outcomes in Breast Cancer

The annexin family and S100A associated proteins are important regulators of diverse calcium-dependent cellular processes including cell division, growth regulation and apoptosis. Dysfunction of individual annexin and S100A proteins is associated with cancer progression, metastasis and cancer drug resistance. This manuscript describes the novel finding of differential regulation of the annexin and S100A family of proteins by activation of p53 in breast cancer cells. Additionally, the observed differential regulation is found to be beneficial to the survival of breast cancer cells and to influence treatment efficacy. We have used unbiased, quantitative proteomics to determine the proteomic changes occurring post p14ARF-p53 activation in estrogen receptor (ER) breast cancer cells. In this report we identified differential regulation of the annexin/S100A family, through unique peptide recognition at the N-terminal regions, demonstrating p14ARF-p53 is a central orchestrator of the annexin/S100A family of calcium regulators in favor of pro-survival functions in the breast cancer cell. This regulation was found to be cell-type specific. Retrospective human breast cancer studies have demonstrated that tumors with functional wild type p53 (p53wt) respond poorly to some chemotherapy agents compared to tumors with a non-functional p53. Given that modulation of calcium signaling has been demonstrated to change sensitivity of chemotherapeutic agents to apoptotic signals, in principle, we explored the paradigm of how p53 modulation of calcium regulators in ER+ breast cancer patients impacts and influences therapeutic outcomes.

Annexins: Ca2+ Effectors Determining Membrane Trafficking in the Late Endocytic Compartment

Despite the discovery of annexins 40 years ago, we are just beginning to understand some of the functions of these still enigmatic proteins. Defined and characterized by their ability to bind anionic membrane lipids in a Ca²⁺-dependent manner, each annexin has to be considered a multifunctional protein, with a multitude of cellular locations and diverse activities. Underlying causes for this considerable functional diversity include their capability to associate with multiple cytosolic and membrane proteins. In recent years, the increasingly recognized establishment of membrane contact sites between subcellular compartments opens a new scenario for annexins as instrumental players to link Ca²⁺ signalling with the integration of membrane trafficking in many facets of cell physiology. In this chapter, we review and discuss current knowledge on the contribution of annexins in the biogenesis and functioning of the late endocytic compartment, affecting endo- and exocytic pathways in a variety of physiological consequences ranging from membrane repair, lysosomal exocytosis, to cell migration.

Annexin A2 is involved in Ca2+-dependent plasma membrane repair in primary human endothelial cells

Many cells in an organism are exposed to constant and acute mechanical stress that can induce plasma membrane injuries. These plasma membrane wounds have to be resealed rapidly to guarantee cell survival. Plasma membrane resealing in response to mechanical strain has been studied in some detail in muscle, where it is required for efficient recovery after insult. However, less is known about the capacity of other cell types and tissues to perform membrane repair and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here we show that vascular endothelial cells, which are subject to profound mechanical burden, can reseal plasma membrane holes inflicted by laser ablation. Resealing in endothelial cells is a Ca²⁺-dependent process, as it is inhibited when cells are wounded in Ca²⁺-free medium. We also show that annexin A1 (AnxA1), AnxA2 and AnxA6, Ca²⁺-regulated membrane binding proteins previously implicated in membrane resealing in other cell types, are rapidly recruited to the site of plasma membrane injury. S100A11, a known protein ligand of AnxA1, is also recruited to endothelial plasma membrane wounds, albeit with a different kinetic. Mutant expression experiments reveal that Ca²⁺ binding to AnxA2, the most abundant endothelial annexin, is required for translocation of the protein to the wound site. Furthermore, we show by knock-down and rescue experiments that AnxA2 is a positive regulator of plasma membrane resealing. Thus, vascular endothelial cells are capable of active, Ca²⁺-dependent plasma membrane resealing and this process requires the activity of AnxA2.

Annexins in plasma membrane repair

Disruption of the plasma membrane poses deadly threat to eukaryotic cells and survival requires a rapid membrane repair system. Recent evidence reveal various plasma membrane repair mechanisms, which are required for cells to cope with membrane lesions including membrane fusion and replacement strategies, remodeling of cortical actin cytoskeleton and vesicle wound patching. Members of the annexin protein family, which are Ca2+-triggered phospholipid-binding proteins emerge as important components of the plasma membrane repair system. Here, we discuss the mechanisms of plasma membrane repair involving annexins spanning from yeast to human cancer cells.

S100A11 plays a role in homologous recombination and genome maintenance by influencing the persistence of RAD51 in DNA repair foci

The repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by homologous recombination (HR) is an essential process in maintenance of chromosomal stability. A key player of HR is the strand exchange factor RAD51 whose assembly at sites of DNA damage is tightly regulated. We detected an endogenous complex of RAD51 with the calcium-binding protein S100A11, which is localized at sites of DNA repair in HaCaT cells as well as in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) synchronized in S phase. In biochemical assays, we revealed that S100A11 enhanced the RAD51 strand exchange activity. When cells expressing a S100A11 mutant lacking the ability to bind Ca(2+), a prolonged persistence of RAD51 in repair sites and nuclear γH2AX foci was observed suggesting an incomplete DNA repair. The same phenotype became apparent when S100A11 was depleted by RNA interference. Furthermore, down-regulation of S100A11 resulted in both reduced sister chromatid exchange confirming the restriction of the recombination capacity of the cells, and in an increase of chromosomal aberrations reflecting the functional requirement of S100A11 for the maintenance of genomic stability. Our data indicate that S100A11 is involved in homologous recombination by regulating the appearance of RAD51 in DSB repair sites. This function requires the calcium-binding activity of S100A11.

Imaging mass spectrometry for accessing molecular changes during burn wound healing

The spatiotemporal analysis of the proteomic profile during human wound healing is a critical investigative step that can establish the complex interplay of molecular events that comprise the local response to burn injury. Partial-thickness wound samples with adjacent "normal" skin were collected from twenty-one patients with burn wounds and examined across a time spectrum ranging from the acute injury period at 3, 6, 11 days to the later hypertrophic scar period at 7 and 15 months. The techniques used for histology-directed tissue analyses highlighted inflammatory protein markers at the early time points after injury with diminished expression as burn wounds progressed into the proliferative phase. The datasets show the usefulness of MALDI MS and imaging mass spectrometry as discovery approaches to identify and map the cutaneous molecular sequence that is activated in response to the unique systemic inflammatory response following burn trauma. This information has the potential to define the unique factors that predispose human burn victims to disfiguring hypertrophic scar formation.

Active Secretion of Dimerized S100A11 Induced by the Peroxisome in Mesothelioma Cells

S100A11, a small Ca²⁺ binding protein, acts extracellularly as a mediator of cancer progression. That raises the question of how a protein that lacks the classical secretory signal is able to be secreted outside cells without being damaged. Some insights into this question have been obtained, and there has been accumulating evidence indicating a pivotal role of a non-classical vesicle-mediated pathway using lysosomes or peroxisomes for the protein secretion. To obtain a more precise insight into the secretory mechanism of S100A11, we first screened representative cancer cells exhibiting significantly active secretion of S100A11. From the results of profiling, we turned our attention to aggressive cancer mesothelioma cells. In mesothelioma cells, we found that abundant dimeric S100A11 was produced selectively in the peroxisome after transportation of monomeric S100A11 through an interaction with PEX14, a peroxisome membrane protein, resulting in peroxisomal secretion of dimerized S100A11. In an extracellular environment in vitro, dimerized S100A11 promoted mesothelial cell invasion indirectly with the help of fibroblast cells. Overall, the results indicate that the peroxisome functions as an essential vesicle for the production of dimerized S100A11 and the subsequent secretion of the protein from mesothelioma cells and that peroxisome-mediated secretion of dimerized S100A11 might play a critical role in mesothelioma progression in a tumor microenvironment.

Difference in Membrane Repair Capacity Between Cancer Cell Lines and a Normal Cell Line

Electroporation-based treatments and other therapies that permeabilize the plasma membrane have been shown to be more devastating to malignant cells than to normal cells. In this study, we asked if a difference in repair capacity could explain this observed difference in sensitivity. Membrane repair was investigated by disrupting the plasma membrane using laser followed by monitoring fluorescent dye entry over time in seven cancer cell lines, an immortalized cell line, and a normal primary cell line. The kinetics of repair in living cells can be directly recorded using this technique, providing a sensitive index of repair capacity. The normal primary cell line of all tested cell lines exhibited the slowest rate of dye entry after laser disruption and lowest level of dye uptake. Significantly, more rapid dye uptake and a higher total level of dye uptake occurred in six of the seven tested cancer cell lines (p < 0.05) as well as the immortalized cell line (p < 0.001). This difference in sensitivity was also observed when a viability assay was performed one day after plasma membrane permeabilization by electroporation. Viability in the primary normal cell line (98 % viable cells) was higher than in the three tested cancer cell lines (81–88 % viable cells). These data suggest more effective membrane repair in normal, primary cells and supplement previous explanations why electroporation-based therapies and other therapies permeabilizing the plasma membrane are more effective on malignant cells compared to normal cells in cancer treatment.

An actin-dependent annexin complex mediates plasma membrane repair in muscle

Disruption of the plasma membrane often accompanies cellular injury, and in muscle, plasma membrane resealing is essential for efficient recovery from injury. Muscle contraction, especially of lengthened muscle, disrupts the sarcolemma. To define the molecular machinery that directs repair, we applied laser wounding to live mammalian myofibers and assessed translocation of fluorescently tagged proteins using high-resolution microscopy. Within seconds of membrane disruption, annexins A1, A2, A5, and A6 formed a tight repair "cap." Actin was recruited to the site of damage, and annexin A6 cap formation was both actin dependent and Ca(2+) regulated. Repair proteins, including dysferlin, EHD1, EHD2, MG53, and BIN1, localized adjacent to the repair cap in a "shoulder" region enriched with phosphatidlyserine. Dye influx into muscle fibers lacking both dysferlin and the related protein myoferlin was substantially greater than control or individual null muscle fibers, underscoring the importance of shoulder-localized proteins. These data define the cap and shoulder as subdomains within the repair complex accumulating distinct and nonoverlapping components.

Tudor staphylococcal nuclease drives chemoresistance of non-small cell lung carcinoma cells by regulating S100A11

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the major lung cancer subtype, is characterized by high resistance to chemotherapy. Here we demonstrate that Tudor staphylococcal nuclease (SND1 or TSN) is overexpressed in NSCLC cell lines and tissues, and is important for maintaining NSCLC chemoresistance. Downregulation of TSN by RNAi in NSCLC cells led to strong potentiation of cell death in response to cisplatin. Silencing of TSN was accompanied by a significant decrease in S100A11 expression at both mRNA and protein level. Downregulation of S100A11 by RNAi resulted in enhanced sensitivity of NSCLC cells to cisplatin, oxaliplatin and 5-fluouracil. AACOCF₃, a phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) inhibitor, strongly abrogated chemosensitization upon silencing of S100A11 suggesting that PLA₂ inhibition by S100A11 governs the chemoresistance of NSCLC. Moreover, silencing of S100A11 stimulated mitochondrial superoxide production, which was decreased by AACOCF₃, as well as N-acetyl-L-cysteine, which also mimicked the effect of PLA₂ inhibitor on NSCLC chemosensitization upon S100A11 silencing. Thus, we present the novel TSN-S100A11-PLA₂ axis regulating superoxide-dependent apoptosis, triggered by platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents in NSCLC that may be targeted by innovative cancer therapies.

Bacterial Control of Pores Induced by the Type III Secretion System: Mind the Gap

Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are specialized secretion apparatus involved in the virulence of many Gram-negative pathogens, enabling the injection of bacterial type III effectors into host cells. The T3SS-dependent injection of effectors requires the insertion into host cell membranes of a pore-forming "translocon," whose effects on cell responses remain ill-defined. As opposed to pore-forming toxins that damage host cell plasma membranes and induce cell survival mechanisms, T3SS-dependent pore formation is transient, being regulated by cell membrane repair mechanisms or bacterial effectors. Here, we review host cell responses to pore formation induced by T3SSs associated with the loss of plasma membrane integrity and regulation of innate immunity. We will particularly focus on recent advances in mechanisms controlling pore formation and the activity of the T3SS linked to type III effectors or bacterial proteases. The implications of the regulation of the T3SS translocon activity during the infectious process will be discussed.

Single-cell triple omics sequencing reveals genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic heterogeneity in hepatocellular carcinomas

Single-cell genome, DNA methylome, and transcriptome sequencing methods have been separately developed. However, to accurately analyze the mechanism by which transcriptome, genome and DNA methylome regulate each other, these omic methods need to be performed in the same single cell. Here we demonstrate a single-cell triple omics sequencing technique, scTrio-seq, that can be used to simultaneously analyze the genomic copy-number variations (CNVs), DNA methylome, and transcriptome of an individual mammalian cell. We show that large-scale CNVs cause proportional changes in RNA expression of genes within the gained or lost genomic regions, whereas these CNVs generally do not affect DNA methylation in these regions. Furthermore, we applied scTrio-seq to 25 single cancer cells derived from a human hepatocellular carcinoma tissue sample. We identified two subpopulations within these cells based on CNVs, DNA methylome, or transcriptome of individual cells. Our work offers a new avenue of dissecting the complex contribution of genomic and epigenomic heterogeneities to the transcriptomic heterogeneity within a population of cells.

Annexin A1 Deficiency does not Affect Myofiber Repair but Delays Regeneration of Injured Muscles

Repair and regeneration of the injured skeletal myofiber involves fusion of intracellular vesicles with sarcolemma and fusion of the muscle progenitor cells respectively. In vitro experiments have identified involvement of Annexin A1 (Anx A1) in both these fusion processes. To determine if Anx A1 contributes to these processes during muscle repair in vivo, we have assessed muscle growth and repair in Anx A1-deficient mouse (AnxA1-/-). We found that the lack of Anx A1 does not affect the muscle size and repair of myofibers following focal sarcolemmal injury and lengthening contraction injury. However, the lack of Anx A1 delayed muscle regeneration after notexin-induced injury. This delay in muscle regeneration was not caused by a slowdown in proliferation and differentiation of satellite cells. Instead, lack of Anx A1 lowered the proportion of differentiating myoblasts that managed to fuse with the injured myofibers by days 5 and 7 after notexin injury as compared to the wild type (w.t.) mice. Despite this early slowdown in fusion of Anx A1-/- myoblasts, regeneration caught up at later times post injury. These results establish in vivo role of Anx A1 in cell fusion required for myofiber regeneration and not in intracellular vesicle fusion needed for repair of myofiber sarcolemma.

S100 and annexin proteins identify cell membrane damage as the Achilles heel of metastatic cancer cells

Mechanical activity of cells and the stress imposed on them by extracellular environment is a constant source of injury to the plasma membrane (PM). In invasive tumor cells, increased motility together with the harsh environment of the tumor stroma further increases the risk of PM injury. The impact of these stresses on tumor cell plasma membrane and mechanism by which tumor cells repair the PM damage are poorly understood. Ca(2+) entry through the injured PM initiates repair of the PM. Depending on the cell type, different organelles and proteins respond to this Ca(2+) entry and facilitate repair of the damaged plasma membrane. We recently identified that proteins expressed in various metastatic cancers including Ca(2+)-binding EF hand protein S100A11 and its binding partner annexin A2 are used by tumor cells for plasma membrane repair (PMR). Here we will discuss the involvement of S100, annexin proteins and their regulation of actin cytoskeleton, leading to PMR. Additionally, we will show that another S100 member--S100A4 accumulates at the injured PM. These findings reveal a new role for the S100 and annexin protein up regulation in metastatic cancers and identify these proteins and PMR as targets for treating metastatic cancers.

Plasma Membrane Repair in Health and Disease

Since an intact membrane is required for normal cellular homeostasis, membrane repair is essential for cell survival. Human genetic studies, combined with the development of novel animal models and refinement of techniques to study cellular injury, have now uncovered series of repair proteins highly relevant for human health. Many of the deficient repair pathways manifest in skeletal muscle, where defective repair processes result in myopathies or other forms of muscle disease. Dysferlin is a membrane-associated protein implicated in sarcolemmal repair and also linked to other membrane functions including the maintenance of transverse tubules in muscle. MG53, annexins, and Eps15 homology domain-containing proteins interact with dysferlin to form a membrane repair complex and similarly have roles in membrane trafficking in muscle. These molecular features of membrane repair are not unique to skeletal muscle, but rather skeletal muscle, due to its high demands, is more dependent on an efficient repair process. Phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, as well as Ca(2+), are central regulators of membrane organization during repair. Given the importance of muscle health in disease and in aging, these pathways are targets to enhance muscle function and recovery from injury.

Cell healing: Calcium, repair and regeneration

Cell repair is attracting increasing attention due to its conservation, its importance to health, and its utility as a model for cell signaling and cell polarization. However, some of the most fundamental questions concerning cell repair have yet to be answered. Here we consider three such questions: (1) How are wound holes stopped? (2) How is cell regeneration achieved after wounding? (3) How is calcium inrush linked to wound stoppage and cell regeneration?

Above the fray: Surface remodeling by secreted lysosomal enzymes leads to endocytosis-mediated plasma membrane repair

The study of plasma membrane repair is coming of age. Mirroring human adolescence, the field shows at the same time signs of maturity and significant uncertainty, confusion and skepticism. Here we discuss concepts that emerged from experimental data over the years, some of which are solidly established while others are still subject to different interpretations. The firmly established concepts include the critical requirement for Ca(2+) in wound repair, and the role of rapid exocytosis of intracellular vesicles. Lysosomes are being increasingly recognized as the major vesicles involved in injury-induced exocytosis in many cell types, as a growing number of laboratories detect markers for these organelles on the cell surface and lysosomal hydrolases in the supernatant of wounded cells. The more recent observation of massive endocytosis following Ca(2+)-triggered exocytosis initially came as a surprise, but this finding is also being increasingly reported by different groups, shifting the discussion to the mechanisms by which endocytosis promotes repair, and whether it operates or not in parallel with the shedding of membrane blebs. We discuss how the abundant intracellular vesicles that undergo homotypic fusion close to wound sites, previously interpreted as exocytic membrane patches, actually acquire extracellular tracers demonstrating their endocytic origin. We also suggest that an initial, temporary patch that prevents cytosol loss until the bilayer is restored might result not from vesicular fusion, but from rapid Ca(2+)-dependent crosslinking and aggregation of cytosolic proteins. Finally, we propose that cell surface remodeling, orchestrated by the extracellular release of lysosomal hydrolases and perhaps also cytosolic molecules, may represent a key aspect of the plasma membrane repair mechanism that has received little attention so far.

Metabolic reprogramming and dysregulated metabolism: cause, consequence and/or enabler of environmental carcinogenesis?

Environmental contributions to cancer development are widely accepted, but only a fraction of all pertinent exposures have probably been identified. Traditional toxicological approaches to the problem have largely focused on the effects of individual agents at singular endpoints. As such, they have incompletely addressed both the pro-carcinogenic contributions of environmentally relevant low-dose chemical mixtures and the fact that exposures can influence multiple cancer-associated endpoints over varying timescales. Of these endpoints, dysregulated metabolism is one of the most common and recognizable features of cancer, but its specific roles in exposure-associated cancer development remain poorly understood. Most studies have focused on discrete aspects of cancer metabolism and have incompletely considered both its dynamic integrated nature and the complex controlling influences of substrate availability, external trophic signals and environmental conditions. Emerging high throughput approaches to environmental risk assessment also do not directly address the metabolic causes or consequences of changes in gene expression. As such, there is a compelling need to establish common or complementary frameworks for further exploration that experimentally and conceptually consider the gestalt of cancer metabolism and its causal relationships to both carcinogenesis and the development of other cancer hallmarks. A literature review to identify environmentally relevant exposures unambiguously linked to both cancer development and dysregulated metabolism suggests major gaps in our understanding of exposure-associated carcinogenesis and metabolic reprogramming. Although limited evidence exists to support primary causal roles for metabolism in carcinogenesis, the universality of altered cancer metabolism underscores its fundamental biological importance, and multiple pleiomorphic, even dichotomous, roles for metabolism in promoting, antagonizing or otherwise enabling the development and selection of cancer are suggested.

S100A14 is a novel independent prognostic biomarker in the triple-negative breast cancer subtype

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents a heterogeneous subgroup with generally poor outcome and lack of an effective targeted therapy. Prognostic or predictive biomarkers to guide treatment decisions for this group of patients are needed. To evaluate the potential of S100A14 protein as a novel biomarker in TNBC, the protein expression of S100A14 was correlated with clinical outcomes in a Pilot Sample set and a Danish cohort of predominantly TNBC patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis identified a prognostic impact of S100A14 on disease-free survival and overall survival, showing that tumors with high S100A14 protein expression levels were significantly correlated with poor outcome in TNBC patients (p = 0.017; p = 0.038), particularly those in the basal-like subgroup (p = 0.006; p = 0.037). Importantly, TNBC patients with high S100A14 expression, but tumor-negative axillary lymph nodes (N-), had equally poor outcomes as those with tumor-positive axillary lymph nodes (N+), while TNBC/N- patients with low S100A14 expression had a significantly better disease free survival (p = 0.013). Multivariate analysis revealed that S100A14 is an independent prognostic factor for TNBC patients (p = 0.024; p = 0.05). At the cellular level, S100A14 was found to be expressed in epithelial-like, but not in mesenchymal-like, TNBC cells in vitro. S100A14 is an independent prognostic factor in TNBC and a novel potential therapeutic target in TNBC.