Expression of the human beta3 integrin subunit in mouse smooth muscle cells enhances IGF-I-stimulated signaling and proliferation

Not Just an Adhesion Molecule: LFA-1 Contact Tunes the T Lymphocyte Program

The α_Lβ₂ integrin LFA-1 is known to play a key role in T lymphocyte migration, which is necessary to mount a local immune response, and is also the main driver of autoimmune diseases. This migration-triggering signaling process in T cells is tightly regulated to permit an immune response that is appropriate to the local trigger, as well as to prevent deleterious tissue-damaging bystander effects. Emerging evidence shows that, in addition to prompting a diverse range of downstream signaling cascades, LFA-1 stimulation in T lymphocytes modulates gene-transcription programs, including genetic signatures of TGF-β and Notch pathways, with multifactorial biological outcomes. This review highlights recent findings and discusses molecular mechanisms by which LFA-1 signaling influence T lymphocyte differentiation into the effector subsets Th1, Th17, and induced regulatory T cells. We argue that LFA-1 contact with a cognate ligand, such as ICAM-1, independent of the immune synapse activates a late divergence in T cells' effector phenotypes, hence fine-tuning their functioning.

MiR-145 suppresses embryo-epithelial juxtacrine communication at implantation by modulating maternal IGF1R

Successful implantation requires the synchronization of viable embryonic development with endometrial receptivity. The mechanisms allowing for the initiation of crosstalk between the embryo and the endometrium remain elusive; however, recent studies have revealed that there are alterations in endometrial microRNAs (miRs) in women suffering repeated implantation failure and that one of the altered miRs is miR-145. We assessed the role of miR-145 and its target IGF1R, in early implantation. miR-145 overexpression and IGF1R knockdown were achieved in Ishikawa endometrial cells. Quantitative PCR, western blotting and 3'UTR luciferase reporter assays confirmed that IGF1R is a direct target of miR-145 in the endometrium. Attachment of mouse embryos or IGF1-coated beads to endometrial epithelial cells was used to study the effects of altered miR-145 and/or IGF1R expression on early implantation events. miR-145 overexpression or specific reduction of IGF1R impaired attachment in both cases. An IGF1R target protector prevented the miR-145-mediated reduction in IGF1R and reversed the effect of miR-145 overexpression on attachment. The data demonstrate that miR-145 influences embryo attachment by reducing the level of IGF1R in endometrium.

Integrin αvβ3 mediates the synergetic regulation of core-binding factor α1 transcriptional activity by gravity and insulin-like growth factor-1 through phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling

Mechanical stimulation and biological factors coordinately regulate bone development and regeneration; however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Microgravity induces bone loss, which may be partly related to the development of resistance to local cytokines, including insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Here, we report the involvement of integrin αvβ3 in microgravity-associated bone loss. An established OSE-3T3 cell model was stably transfected with a 6OSE2 (Osteoblast-Specific Element 2)-luciferase reporter and cultured under simulated microgravity (SMG) and hypergravity (HG) conditions in the presence or absence of IGF-1, the disintegrin echistatin, the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002, or combinations of these agents. Activity of core-binding factor α1 (Cbfa1), an essential transcription factor for osteoblastic differentiation and osteogenesis, was reflected by luciferase activity. Different gravity conditions affected the induction of IGF-1 and subsequent effects on Cbfa1 transcription activity. SMG and HG influenced the expression and activity of integrin αvβ3 and phosphorylation level of p85. LY294002 inhibited the effects of HG or IGF-1 on Cbfa1 activity, indicating that HG and IGF-1 could increase Cbfa1 activity via PI3K signaling. Inhibition of integrin αvβ3 by echistatin attenuated the induction of IGF-1 and thus its effect on Cbfa1 activity under normal and HG conditions. Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrated that integrin β3 interacted with insulin receptor substrate 1, and that this interaction was decreased under SMG and increased under HG conditions. These results suggest that integrin αvβ3 mediates the synergetic regulation of Cbfa1 transcription activity by gravity and IGF-1 via PI3K signaling.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling requires αvβ3-IGF1-IGF type 1 receptor (IGF1R) ternary complex formation in anchorage independence, and the complex formation does not require IGF1R and Src activation

Integrin αvβ3 plays a role in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) signaling (integrin-IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) cross-talk) in non-transformed cells in anchorage-dependent conditions. We reported previously that IGF1 directly binds to αvβ3 and induces αvβ3-IGF1-IGF1R ternary complex formation in these conditions. The integrin-binding defective IGF1 mutant (R36E/R37E) is defective in inducing ternary complex formation and IGF signaling, whereas it still binds to IGF1R. We studied if IGF1 can induce signaling in anchorage-independent conditions in transformed Chinese hamster ovary cells that express αvβ3 (β3-CHO) cells. Here we describe that IGF1 signals were more clearly detectable in anchorage-independent conditions (polyHEMA-coated plates) than in anchorage-dependent conditions. This suggests that IGF signaling is masked by signals from cell-matrix interaction in anchorage-dependent conditions. IGF signaling required αvβ3 expression, and R36E/R37E was defective in inducing signals in polyHEMA-coated plates. These results suggest that αvβ3-IGF1 interaction, not αvβ3-extracellular matrix interaction, is essential for IGF signaling. Inhibitors of IGF1R, Src, AKT, and ERK1/2 did not suppress αvβ3-IGF-IGF1R ternary complex formation, suggesting that activation of these kinases are not required for ternary complex formation. Also, mutations of the β3 cytoplasmic tail (Y747F and Y759F) that block β3 tyrosine phosphorylation did not affect IGF1R phosphorylation or AKT activation. We propose a model in which IGF1 binding to IGF1R induces recruitment of integrin αvβ3 to the IGF-IGF1R complex and then β3 and IGF1R are phosphorylated. It is likely that αvβ3 should be together with the IGF1-IGF1R complex for triggering IGF signaling.

Syndecan-1 couples the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor to inside-out integrin activation

Syndecan-1 (Sdc1) engages and activates the αvβ3 (and/or αvβ5) integrin when clustered in human carcinoma and endothelial cells. Although the engagement is extracellular, the activation mechanism is cytoplasmic. This talin-dependent, inside-out signaling pathway is activated downstream of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R), whose kinase activity is triggered by Sdc1 clustering. In vitro binding assays using purified receptors suggest that association of the Sdc1 ectodomain with the integrin provides a 'docking face' for IGF1R. IGF1R docking and activation of the associated integrin is blocked by synstatin (SSTN(92-119)), a peptide derived from the integrin engagement site in Sdc1. IGF1R colocalizes with αvβ3 integrin and Sdc1 in focal contacts, but fails to associate with or activate the integrin in cells either lacking Sdc1 or expressing Sdc1(Δ67-121), a mutant that is unable to form the Sdc1-integrin-IGF1R ternary complex. Integrin activation is also blocked by IGF1R inhibitors or by silencing IGF1R or talin expression with small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs). In both cases, expression of the constitutively active talin F23 head domain rescues integrin activation. We recently reported that SSTN(92-119) blocks angiogenesis and impairs tumor growth in mice, therefore this Sdc1-mediated integrin regulatory mechanism might be a crucial regulator of disease processes known to rely on these integrins, including tumor cell metastasis and tumor-induced angiogenesis.

Aldosterone enhances IGF-I-mediated signaling and biological function in vascular smooth muscle cells

The IGF-I pathway and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis are both involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension and atherosclerosis, but no information is available about IGF-I and aldosterone interaction or their potential synergistic effects in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The aims of this study were to investigate whether aldosterone influences IGF-I signaling and to determine the mechanism(s) by which aldosterone affects IGF-I function. Aldosterone resulted in significant increases in the Akt (1.87 ± 0.24, P < 0.001), MAPK (1.78 ± 0.13, P < 0.001), p70S6kinase (1.92 ± 0.15, P < 0.001), IGF-I receptor (1.69 ± 0.05, P < 0.01), and insulin receptor substrate-1 (1.7 ± 0.04, P < 0.01) (fold increase, mean ± SEM, n = 3) phosphorylation responses to IGF-I compared with IGF-I treatment alone. There were also significant increases in VSMC proliferation, migration, and protein synthesis (1.63 ± 0.03-, 1.56 ± 0.08-, and 1.51 ± 0.04-fold increases compared with IGF-I alone, respectively, n = 3, P < 0.001). Aldosterone induced osteopontin (OPN) mRNA expression and activation of αVβ3-integrin as well as an increase in the synthesis of IGF-I receptor. The enhancing effects of aldosterone were inhibited by eplerenone (10 μmol/liter), actinomycin-D (20 nmol/liter), and an anti-αVβ3-integrin antibody that blocks OPN binding. The antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (2 mmol/liter) completely inhibited the ability of aldosterone to induce any of these changes. In conclusion, our results show that aldosterone enhances IGF-I signaling and biological actions in VSMCs through induction of OPN followed by its subsequent activation of the αVβ3-integrin and by increasing IGF-I receptor. These changes are mediated in part through increased oxidative stress. The findings suggest a new mechanism by which aldosterone could accelerate the development of atherosclerosis.

Cross-talk between the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis and membrane integrins to regulate cell physiology

The biology of cross-talk between activated growth factor receptors and cell-surface integrins is an area which has attracted much interest in recent years (Schwartz and Ginsberg, 2002). This review discusses the relationship between the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis and cell-surface integrin receptors in the regulation of various aspects of cell physiology. Key to these interactions are signals transmitted between integrins and the IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) when either or both are bound to their cognate ligands and we will review the current state of knowledge in this area. The IGF axis comprises many molecular components and we will also discuss the potential role of these species in cross-talk with the integrin receptor. With respect to integrin ligands, we will mainly focus on the well-characterized interactions of the two extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoproteins fibronectin (FN) and vitronectin (VN) with cell-surface ligands, and, how this affects activity through the IGF axis. However, we will also highlight the importance of other integrin activation mechanisms and their impact on IGF activity.

Genetic and cell biological analysis of integrin outside-in signaling

Integrins are cell surface transmembrane receptors that recognize and bind to extracellular matrix proteins and counter receptors. Binding of activated integrins to their ligands induces a vast number of structural and signaling changes within the cell. Large, multimolecular complexes assemble onto the cytoplasmic tails of activated integrins to engage and organize the cytoskeleton, and activate signaling pathways that ultimately lead to changes in gene expression. Additionally, integrin-mediated signaling intersects with growth factor-mediated signaling through various levels of cross-talk. This review discusses recent work that has tremendously broadened our understanding of the complexity of integrin-mediated signaling.