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Khan C, Rusan NM. Using Drosophila to uncover the role of organismal physiology and the tumor microenvironment in cancer. Trends Cancer 2024; 10:289-311. [PMID: 38350736 PMCID: PMC11008779 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2024.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Cancer metastasis causes over 90% of cancer patient fatalities. Poor prognosis is determined by tumor type, the tumor microenvironment (TME), organ-specific biology, and animal physiology. While model organisms do not fully mimic the complexity of humans, many processes can be studied efficiently owing to the ease of genetic, developmental, and cell biology studies. For decades, Drosophila has been instrumental in identifying basic mechanisms controlling tumor growth and metastasis. The ability to generate clonal populations of distinct genotypes in otherwise wild-type animals makes Drosophila a powerful system to study tumor-host interactions at the local and global scales. This review discusses advancements in tumor biology, highlighting the strength of Drosophila for modeling TMEs and systemic responses in driving tumor progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaitali Khan
- Cell and Developmental Biology Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Nasser M Rusan
- Cell and Developmental Biology Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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2
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Jagadeeshan S, Novoplansky OZ, Cohen O, Kurth I, Hess J, Rosenberg AJ, Grandis JR, Elkabets M. New insights into RAS in head and neck cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188963. [PMID: 37619805 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
RAS genes are known to be dysregulated in cancer for several decades, and substantial effort has been dedicated to develop agents that reduce RAS expression or block RAS activation. The recent introduction of RAS inhibitors for cancer patients highlights the importance of comprehending RAS alterations in head and neck cancer (HNC). In this regard, we examine the published findings on RAS alterations and pathway activations in HNC, and summarize their role in HNC initiation, progression, and metastasis. Specifically, we focus on the intrinsic role of mutated-RAS on tumor cell signaling and its extrinsic role in determining tumor-microenvironment (TME) heterogeneity, including promoting angiogenesis and enhancing immune escape. Lastly, we summarize the intrinsic and extrinsic role of RAS alterations on therapy resistance to outline the potential of targeting RAS using a single agent or in combination with other therapeutic agents for HNC patients with RAS-activated tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sankar Jagadeeshan
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel.
| | - Ofra Z Novoplansky
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel.
| | - Oded Cohen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; Department of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, Soroka Medical Center, Beersheva, Israel.
| | - Ina Kurth
- Division of Radiooncology-Radiobiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Jochen Hess
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Molecular Mechanisms of Head and Neck Tumors, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Ari J Rosenberg
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Jennifer R Grandis
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Moshe Elkabets
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel.
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3
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Ganguli S, Wyatt T, Nyga A, Lawson RH, Meyer T, Baum B, Matthews HK. Oncogenic Ras deregulates cell-substrate interactions during mitotic rounding and respreading to alter cell division orientation. Curr Biol 2023; 33:2728-2741.e3. [PMID: 37343559 PMCID: PMC7614879 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic Ras has been shown to change the way cancer cells divide by increasing the forces generated during mitotic rounding. In this way, RasV12 enables cancer cells to divide across a wider range of mechanical environments than normal cells. Here, we identify a further role for oncogenic Ras-ERK signaling in division by showing that RasV12 expression alters the shape, division orientation, and respreading dynamics of cells as they exit mitosis. Many of these effects appear to result from the impact of RasV12 signaling on actomyosin contractility, because RasV12 induces the severing of retraction fibers that normally guide spindle positioning and provide a memory of the interphase cell shape. In support of this idea, the RasV12 phenotype is reversed by inhibition of actomyosin contractility and can be mimicked by the loss of cell-substrate adhesion during mitosis. Finally, we show that RasV12 activation also perturbs division orientation in cells cultured in 2D epithelial monolayers and 3D spheroids. Thus, the induction of oncogenic Ras-ERK signaling leads to rapid changes in division orientation that, along with the effects of RasV12 on cell growth and cell-cycle progression, are likely to disrupt epithelial tissue organization and contribute to cancer dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushila Ganguli
- Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Tom Wyatt
- Laboratoirè Matiere et Systèmes Complexes, Université Paris Diderot, 10 rue Alice Domon et Léonie Duquet, Bâtiment Condorcet, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Agata Nyga
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Rachel H Lawson
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Tim Meyer
- UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, UK
| | - Buzz Baum
- Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.
| | - Helen K Matthews
- Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
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4
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The role of RAS oncogenes in controlling epithelial mechanics. Trends Cell Biol 2023; 33:60-69. [PMID: 36175301 PMCID: PMC9850021 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in RAS are key oncogenic drivers and therapeutic targets. Oncogenic Ras proteins activate a network of downstream signalling pathways, including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), promoting cell proliferation and survival. However, there is increasing evidence that RAS oncogenes also alter the mechanical properties of both individual malignant cells and transformed tissues. Here we discuss the role of oncogenic RAS in controlling mechanical cell phenotypes and how these mechanical changes promote oncogenic transformation in single cells and tissues. RAS activation alters actin organisation and actomyosin contractility. These changes alter cell rheology and impact mechanosensing through changes in substrate adhesion and YAP/TAZ-dependent mechanotransduction. We then discuss how these changes play out in cell collectives and epithelial tissues by driving large-scale tissue deformations and the expansion of malignant cells. Uncovering how RAS oncogenes alter cell mechanics will lead to a better understanding of the morphogenetic processes that underlie tumour formation in RAS-mutant cancers.
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5
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Keen AN, Payne LA, Mehta V, Rice A, Simpson LJ, Pang KL, del Rio Hernandez A, Reader JS, Tzima E. Eukaryotic initiation factor 6 regulates mechanical responses in endothelial cells. J Cell Biol 2022; 221:e202005213. [PMID: 35024764 PMCID: PMC8763864 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202005213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The repertoire of extratranslational functions of components of the protein synthesis apparatus is expanding to include control of key cell signaling networks. However, very little is known about noncanonical functions of members of the protein synthesis machinery in regulating cellular mechanics. We demonstrate that the eukaryotic initiation factor 6 (eIF6) modulates cellular mechanobiology. eIF6-depleted endothelial cells, under basal conditions, exhibit unchanged nascent protein synthesis, polysome profiles, and cytoskeleton protein expression, with minimal effects on ribosomal biogenesis. In contrast, using traction force and atomic force microscopy, we show that loss of eIF6 leads to reduced stiffness and force generation accompanied by cytoskeletal and focal adhesion defects. Mechanistically, we show that eIF6 is required for the correct spatial mechanoactivation of ERK1/2 via stabilization of an eIF6-RACK1-ERK1/2-FAK mechanocomplex, which is necessary for force-induced remodeling. These results reveal an extratranslational function for eIF6 and a novel paradigm for how mechanotransduction, the cellular cytoskeleton, and protein translation constituents are linked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam N. Keen
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Luke A. Payne
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Vedanta Mehta
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alistair Rice
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Lisa J. Simpson
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kar Lai Pang
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Armando del Rio Hernandez
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - John S. Reader
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ellie Tzima
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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6
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Trivedi DV, Nag S, Spudich A, Ruppel KM, Spudich JA. The Myosin Family of Mechanoenzymes: From Mechanisms to Therapeutic Approaches. Annu Rev Biochem 2020; 89:667-693. [PMID: 32169021 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biochem-011520-105234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Myosins are among the most fascinating enzymes in biology. As extremely allosteric chemomechanical molecular machines, myosins are involved in myriad pivotal cellular functions and are frequently sites of mutations leading to disease phenotypes. Human β-cardiac myosin has proved to be an excellent target for small-molecule therapeutics for heart muscle diseases, and, as we describe here, other myosin family members are likely to be potentially unique targets for treating other diseases as well. The first part of this review focuses on how myosins convert the chemical energy of ATP hydrolysis into mechanical movement, followed by a description of existing therapeutic approaches to target human β-cardiac myosin. The next section focuses on the possibility of targeting nonmuscle members of the human myosin family for several diseases. We end the review by describing the roles of myosin in parasites and the therapeutic potential of targeting them to block parasitic invasion of their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darshan V Trivedi
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA; , , .,Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Suman Nag
- MyoKardia Inc., Brisbane, California 94005, USA;
| | - Annamma Spudich
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560-097, India;
| | - Kathleen M Ruppel
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA; , , .,Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.,Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - James A Spudich
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA; , , .,Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
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7
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Dias KB, Flores APC, Hildebrand LC, de Oliveira MG, Lamers ML, Rados PV, Magnusson AS, Filho MS. Non-muscle myosin II as a predictive factor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal 2019; 24:e346-e353. [PMID: 31011146 PMCID: PMC6530949 DOI: 10.4317/medoral.22898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The present study attempted to provide information regarding non-muscle myosin II (MII) isoforms immunoreactivity in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and analysis of the patients’ clinical status after 5 years of monitoring. Material and Methods A semiquantitative analysis of the immunoreactivity of the MII isoforms was performed in 54 surgical specimens and its correlation with clinical and pathological variables and prognosis was verified. Data were analyzed using chi-square, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. To evaluate the survival over the total monitoring time and any connection with the proteins studied, the Kaplan-Meier analysis was used. P values ≤0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results In the advanced stages of pathological tumor-node-metastasis, the expression of MIIB in adjacent non-neoplastic epithelial tissues tended to increase (p = 0.057). In tumoral zones there was an association of high expression among the three isoforms (MIIA/MIIB p=0,001, MIIB/MIIC p=0,006 and MIIA/MIIC p=0,012). Negative clinical evolution in patients was directly correlated to increased MIIC expression in the tumoral zone of invasion in HNSCC (p = 0.017). Based on clinical evolution after the monitoring period, patients with tumors expressing MIIC had poorer prognoses (p = 0.048). Conclusions The present study suggests that MIIB expression in non-neoplastic adjacent epithelial tissues may indicate a potential for regional metastasis and that MIIC expression in the tumoral zone of invasion is predictive of negative evolution of the disease. Key words:Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, oral cancer, myosin type II, non-muscle myosin, immunohistochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- K-B Dias
- Departmentof Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av Ramiro Barcelos 2492/503, 90035-003 - Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil,
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8
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Hirata H, Gupta M, Vedula SRK, Lim CT, Ladoux B, Sokabe M. Quantifying Tensile Force and ERK Phosphorylation on Actin Stress Fibers. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1487:223-234. [PMID: 27924570 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6424-6_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
ERK associates with the actin cytoskeleton, and the actin-associated pool of ERK can be activated (phosphorylated in the activation loop) to induce specific cell responses. Increasing evidence has shown that mechanical conditions of cells significantly affect ERK activation. In particular, tension developed in the actin cytoskeleton has been implicated as a critical mechanism driving ERK signaling. However, a quantitative study of the relationship between actin tension and ERK phosphorylation is missing. In this chapter, we describe our novel methods to quantify tensile force and ERK phosphorylation on individual actin stress fibers. These methods have enabled us to show that ERK is activated on stress fibers in a tensile force-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Hirata
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117411, Singapore. .,R-Pharm Japan and Mechanobiology Laboratory, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Mukund Gupta
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117411, Singapore
| | - Sri Ram Krishna Vedula
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117411, Singapore.,L'oreal Research and Innovation, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
| | - Chwee Teck Lim
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117411, Singapore.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117575, Singapore.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117575, Singapore
| | - Benoit Ladoux
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117411, Singapore.,Institut Jacques Monod (IJM), CNRS UMR 7592, Paris, 75013, France.,Université Paris Diderot, Paris, 75013, France
| | - Masahiro Sokabe
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117411, Singapore.,Mechanobiology Laboratory, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan
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9
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Newell-Litwa KA, Horwitz R, Lamers ML. Non-muscle myosin II in disease: mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. Dis Model Mech 2015; 8:1495-515. [PMID: 26542704 PMCID: PMC4728321 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.022103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The actin motor protein non-muscle myosin II (NMII) acts as a master regulator of cell morphology, with a role in several essential cellular processes, including cell migration and post-synaptic dendritic spine plasticity in neurons. NMII also generates forces that alter biochemical signaling, by driving changes in interactions between actin-associated proteins that can ultimately regulate gene transcription. In addition to its roles in normal cellular physiology, NMII has recently emerged as a critical regulator of diverse, genetically complex diseases, including neuronal disorders, cancers and vascular disease. In the context of these disorders, NMII regulatory pathways can be directly mutated or indirectly altered by disease-causing mutations. NMII regulatory pathway genes are also increasingly found in disease-associated copy-number variants, particularly in neuronal disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. Furthermore, manipulation of NMII-mediated contractility regulates stem cell pluripotency and differentiation, thus highlighting the key role of NMII-based pharmaceuticals in the clinical success of stem cell therapies. In this Review, we discuss the emerging role of NMII activity and its regulation by kinases and microRNAs in the pathogenesis and prognosis of a diverse range of diseases, including neuronal disorders, cancer and vascular disease. We also address promising clinical applications and limitations of NMII-based inhibitors in the treatment of these diseases and the development of stem-cell-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen A Newell-Litwa
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Rick Horwitz
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Marcelo L Lamers
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Institute of Basic Health Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90610-010, Brazil
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10
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Tissue stiffness regulates serine/arginine-rich protein-mediated splicing of the extra domain B-fibronectin isoform in tumors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:8314-9. [PMID: 26106154 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1505421112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing of proteins gives rise to different isoforms that play a crucial role in regulating several cellular processes. Notably, splicing profiles are altered in several cancer types, and these profiles are believed to be involved in driving the oncogenic process. Although the importance of alternative splicing alterations occurring during cancer is increasingly appreciated, the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we use both biochemical and physical tools coupled with engineered models, patient samples, and a murine model to investigate the role of the mechanical properties of the tumor microenvironment in regulating the production of the extra domain-B (EDB) splice variant of fibronectin (FN), a hallmark of tumor angiogenesis. Specifically, we show that the amount of EDB-FN produced by endothelial cells increases with matrix stiffness both in vitro and within mouse mammary tumors. Matrix stiffness regulates splicing through the activation of serine/arginine rich (SR) proteins, the splicing factors involved in the production of FN isoforms. Activation of the SR proteins by matrix stiffness and the subsequent production of EDB-FN are dependent on intracellular contractility and PI3K-AKT signaling. Notably, matrix stiffness-mediated splicing is not limited to EDB-FN, but also affects splicing in the production of PKC βII and the VEGF 165b splice variant. Together, these results demonstrate that the mechanical properties of the microenvironment regulate alternative splicing and establish a previously unidentified mechanism by which cells can adapt to their microenvironment.
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11
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Hirata H, Sokabe M. A novel role of actomyosin bundles in ERK signaling. Commun Integr Biol 2015; 8:e1017176. [PMID: 26479219 PMCID: PMC4594555 DOI: 10.1080/19420889.2015.1017176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular and extracellular mechanical environments have a significant impact on survival and proliferation of cells. While the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) subfamily of MAP kinases plays critical roles in regulations of these cellular behaviors, activation of ERK is affected by mechanical conditions of cells. We have recently found that ERK is activated on contractile actomyosin bundles. ERK activation on actomyosin bundles depends on tension in the bundles, which is generated by either myosin II activity of external forces. In this Addendum, we discuss a novel, potential role of actomyosin bundles in ERK signaling and mechanical regulation of cell survival and proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Hirata
- Mechanobiology Institute; National University of Singapore ; Singapore
| | - Masahiro Sokabe
- Mechanobiology Institute; National University of Singapore ; Singapore ; Mechanobiology Laboratory; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine ; Nagoya, Japan
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12
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Hirata H, Gupta M, Vedula SRK, Lim CT, Ladoux B, Sokabe M. Actomyosin bundles serve as a tension sensor and a platform for ERK activation. EMBO Rep 2014; 16:250-7. [PMID: 25550404 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201439140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tensile forces generated by stress fibers drive signal transduction events at focal adhesions. Here, we report that stress fibers per se act as a platform for tension-induced activation of biochemical signals. The MAP kinase, ERK is activated on stress fibers in a myosin II-dependent manner. In myosin II-inhibited cells, uniaxial stretching of cell adhesion substrates restores ERK activation on stress fibers. By quantifying myosin II- or mechanical stretch-mediated tensile forces in individual stress fibers, we show that ERK activation on stress fibers correlates positively with tensile forces acting on the fibers, indicating stress fibers as a tension sensor in ERK activation. Myosin II-dependent ERK activation is also observed on actomyosin bundles connecting E-cadherin clusters, thus suggesting that actomyosin bundles, in general, work as a platform for tension-dependent ERK activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Hirata
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mukund Gupta
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Chwee Teck Lim
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Benoit Ladoux
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore Institut Jacques Monod (IJM), CNRS UMR 7592 Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Masahiro Sokabe
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore Mechanobiology Laboratory, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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13
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Zeng Z, Inoue K, Sun H, Leng T, Feng X, Zhu L, Xiong ZG. TRPM7 regulates vascular endothelial cell adhesion and tube formation. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2014; 308:C308-18. [PMID: 25472964 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00275.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) is a nonselective cation channel with an α-kinase domain in its COOH terminal, known to play a role in diverse physiological and pathological processes such as Mg2+ homeostasis, cell proliferation, and hypoxic neuronal injury. Increasing evidence suggests that TRPM7 contributes to the physiology/pathology of vascular systems. For example, we recently demonstrated that silencing TRPM7 promotes growth and proliferation and protects against hyperglycemia-induced injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Here we investigated the potential effects of TRPM7 on morphology, adhesion, migration, and tube formation of vascular endothelial cells and the potential underlying mechanism. We showed that inhibition of TRPM7 function in HUVECs by silencing TRPM7 decreases the density of TRPM7-like current and cell surface area and inhibits cell adhesion to Matrigel. Silencing TRPM7 also promotes cell migration, wound healing, and tube formation. Further studies showed that the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is involved in the change of cell morphology and the increase in HUVEC migration induced by TRPM7 silencing. We also demonstrated that silencing TRPM7 enhances the phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) in HUVECs, which might be involved in the enhancement of cell contractility and motility. Collectively, our data suggest that the TRPM7 channel negatively regulates the function of vascular endothelial cells. Further studies on the underlying mechanism may facilitate the development of the TRPM7 channel as a target for the therapeutic intervention of vascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Zeng
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, China; and Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Koichi Inoue
- Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Huawei Sun
- Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Tiandong Leng
- Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Xuechao Feng
- Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Li Zhu
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ministry of Health Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, China; and
| | - Zhi-Gang Xiong
- Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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14
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Khoo P, Allan K, Willoughby L, Brumby AM, Richardson HE. In Drosophila, RhoGEF2 cooperates with activated Ras in tumorigenesis through a pathway involving Rho1-Rok-Myosin-II and JNK signalling. Dis Model Mech 2013; 6:661-78. [PMID: 23324326 PMCID: PMC3634650 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.010066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ras oncogene contributes to ≈ 30% of human cancers, but alone is not sufficient for tumorigenesis. In a Drosophila screen for oncogenes that cooperate with an activated allele of Ras (Ras(ACT)) to promote tissue overgrowth and invasion, we identified the GTP exchange factor RhoGEF2, an activator of Rho-family signalling. Here, we show that RhoGEF2 also cooperates with an activated allele of a downstream effector of Ras, Raf (Raf(GOF)). We dissect the downstream pathways through which RhoGEF2 cooperates with Ras(ACT) (and Raf(GOF)), and show that RhoGEF2 requires Rho1, but not Rac, for tumorigenesis. Furthermore, of the Rho1 effectors, we show that RhoGEF2 + Ras (Raf)-mediated tumorigenesis requires the Rho kinase (Rok)-Myosin-II pathway, but not Diaphanous, Lim kinase or protein kinase N. The Rho1-Rok-Myosin-II pathway leads to the activation of Jun kinase (JNK), in cooperation with Ras(ACT). Moreover, we show that activation of Rok or Myosin II, using constitutively active transgenes, is sufficient for cooperative tumorigenesis with Ras(ACT), and together with Ras(ACT) leads to strong activation of JNK. Our results show that Rok-Myosin-II activity is necessary and sufficient for Ras-mediated tumorigenesis. Our observation that activation of Myosin II, which regulates Filamentous actin (F-actin) contractility without affecting F-actin levels, cooperates with Ras(ACT) to promote JNK activation and tumorigenesis, suggests that increased cell contractility is a key factor in tumorigenesis. Furthermore, we show that signalling via the Tumour necrosis factor (TNF; also known as Egr)-ligand-JNK pathway is most likely the predominant pathway that activates JNK upon Rok activation. Overall, our analysis highlights the need for further analysis of the Rok-Myosin-II pathway in cooperation with Ras in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peytee Khoo
- Cell Cycle and Development Laboratory, Research Division, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Carey SP, D'Alfonso TM, Shin SJ, Reinhart-King CA. Mechanobiology of tumor invasion: engineering meets oncology. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2011; 83:170-83. [PMID: 22178415 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2011.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2011] [Revised: 11/14/2011] [Accepted: 11/16/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The physical sciences and engineering have introduced novel perspectives into the study of cancer through model systems, tools, and metrics that enable integration of basic science observations with clinical data. These methods have contributed to the identification of several overarching mechanisms that drive processes during cancer progression including tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis. During tumor cell invasion - the first clinically observable step of metastasis - cells demonstrate diverse and evolving physical phenotypes that cannot typically be defined by any single molecular mechanism, and mechanobiology has been used to study the physical cell behaviors that comprise the "invasive phenotype". In this review, we discuss the continually evolving pathological characterization and in vitro mechanobiological characterization of tumor invasion, with emphasis on emerging physical biology and mechanobiology strategies that have contributed to a more robust mechanistic understanding of tumor cell invasion. These physical approaches may ultimately help to better predict and identify tumor metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn P Carey
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Helfman DM, Pawlak G. Erratum: “Myosin light chain kinase and acto-myosin contractility modulate activation of the ERK cascade downstream of oncogenic Ras”. D.M. Helfman, G. Pawlak. J Cell Biochem 2011. [DOI: 10.1002/jcb.23260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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17
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Helfman DM, Flynn P, Khan P, Saeed A. Tropomyosin as a regulator of cancer cell transformation. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2009; 644:124-31. [PMID: 19209818 DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-85766-4_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Tropomyosins (Tms) are among the most studied structural proteins of the actin cytoskeleton that are implicated in neoplastic-specific alterations in actin filament organization. Decreased expression of specific nonmuscle Tm isoforms is commonly associated with the transformed phenotype. These changes in Tm expression appear to contribute to the rearrangement of microfilament bundles and morphological alterations, increased cell motility and oncogenic signaling properties of transformed cells. Below we review aspects of Tm biology as it specifically relates to transformation and cancer including its expression in culture models of transformed cells and human tumors, mechanisms that regulate Tm expression and the role of Tm in oncogenic signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Helfman
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, Papanicolaou Building, Room 317, 1550 NW 10th Avenue (M-877), Miami, Florida 33136, USA.
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18
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Tolg C, Hamilton SR, Nakrieko KA, Kooshesh F, Walton P, McCarthy JB, Bissell MJ, Turley EA. Rhamm-/- fibroblasts are defective in CD44-mediated ERK1,2 motogenic signaling, leading to defective skin wound repair. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006; 175:1017-28. [PMID: 17158951 PMCID: PMC2064710 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.200511027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Rhamm (receptor for hyaluronan-mediated motility) is an hyaluronan binding protein with limited expression in normal tissues and high expression in advanced cancers. To understand its physiological functions and identify the molecular mechanisms underlying these functions, we created mice with a genetic deletion of Rhamm. We show that Rhamm−/− fibroblasts fail to resurface scratch wounds >3 mm or invade hyaluronan-supplemented collagen gels in culture. We identify a requirement for Rhamm in the localization of CD44 to the cell surface, formation of CD44–ERK1,2 (extracellular-regulated kinase 1,2) complexes, and activation/subcellular targeting of ERK1,2 to the cell nucleus. We also show that cell surface Rhamm, restricted to the extracellular compartment by linking recombinant protein to beads, and expression of mutant active mitogen-activated kinase kinase 1 (Mek1) are sufficient to rescue aberrant signaling through CD44–ERK1,2 complexes in Rh−/− fibroblasts. ERK1,2 activation and fibroblast migration/differentiation is also defective during repair of Rh−/− excisional skin wounds and results in aberrant granulation tissue in vivo. These results identify Rhamm as an essential regulator of CD44–ERK1,2 fibroblast motogenic signaling required for wound repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Tolg
- London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario N6A 4L6, Canada
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Deschesnes RG, Patenaude A, Rousseau JLC, Fortin JS, Ricard C, Côté MF, Huot J, C-Gaudreault R, Petitclerc E. Microtubule-Destabilizing Agents Induce Focal Adhesion Structure Disorganization and Anoikis in Cancer Cells. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2006; 320:853-64. [PMID: 17099073 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.106.110957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubule disruption provokes cytoskeleton and cell adhesion changes whose importance for apoptosis induction remains unclear. The present study focuses on the functional and the molecular adhesion kinetics that are induced by microtubule disruption-mediated apoptosis. We showed that antimicrotubules induce a biphasic sequence of adhesion response that precedes the onset of apoptosis and focal adhesion kinase hydrolysis. Antimicrotubules first induced an increase of the cellular adhesion paralleled by the raise of focal adhesion sites and actin contractility, which was followed by a sharp decrease of cell adhesion and disorganization of focal adhesion and actin stress fibers. The latter sequence of events ends by cell rounding, detachment from the extracellular matrix, and cell death. Microtubule-disrupting agents induced a sustained paxillin phosphorylation, before the activation of apoptosis, that requires the prior activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 but not c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase. Interestingly, integrin-linked kinase overexpression rescued the antimicrotubule-mediated loss of cell viability. Altogether, these results propound that antimicrotubule agents induce anoikis through the loss of focal adhesion structure integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Réna G Deschesnes
- Centre de Recherche, Unité des Biotechnologies et de Bioingénierie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Hôpital Saint-François d'Assise, 10 rue de l'Espinay, Québec, Québec, Canada G1L 3L5
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Connell LE, Helfman DM. Myosin light chain kinase plays a role in the regulation of epithelial cell survival. J Cell Sci 2006; 119:2269-81. [PMID: 16723733 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.02926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Myosin II activation is essential for stress fiber and focal adhesion formation, and is implicated in integrin-mediated signaling events. In this study we investigated the role of acto-myosin contractility, and its main regulators, i.e. myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and Rho-kinase (ROCK) in cell survival in normal and Ras-transformed MCF-10A epithelial cells. Treatment of cells with pharmacological inhibitors of MLCK (ML-7 and ML-9), or expression of dominant-negative MLCK, led to apoptosis in normal and transformed MCF-10A cells. By contrast, treatment of cells with a ROCK inhibitor (Y-27632) did not induce apoptosis in these cells. Apoptosis following inhibition of myosin II activation by MLCK is probably meditated through the death receptor pathway because expression of dominant-negative FADD blocked apoptosis. The apoptosis observed after MLCK inhibition is rescued by pre-treatment of cells with integrin-activating antibodies. In addition, this rescue of apoptosis is dependent on FAK activity, suggesting the participation of an integrin-dependent signaling pathway. These studies demonstrate a newly discovered role for MLCK in the generation of pro-survival signals in both untransformed and transformed epithelial cells and supports previous work suggesting distinct cellular roles for Rho-kinase- and MLCK-dependent regulation of myosin II.
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