Fibronectin expression determines skin cell motile behavior

Characterization of Pseudogymnoascus destructans conidial adherence to extracellular matrix: Association with fungal secreted proteases and identification of candidate extracellular matrix binding proteins

Pseudogymnoascus destructans is the etiological agent of white-nose syndrome (WNS), a fungal skin infection of hibernating bats. Pathophysiology of the disease involves disruption of bat metabolism and hibernation patterns, which subsequently causes premature emergence and mortality. However, information on the mechanism(s) and virulence factors of P. destructans infection is minimally known. Typically, fungal adherence to host cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) is the critical first step of the infection. It allows pathogenic fungi to establish colonization and provides an entry for invasion in host tissues. In this study, we characterized P. destructans conidial adherence to laminin and fibronectin. We found that P. destructans conidia adhered to laminin and fibronectin in a dose-dependent, time-dependent and saturable manner. We also observed changes in the gene expression of secreted proteases, in response to ECM exposure. However, the interaction between fungal conidia and ECM was not specific, nor was it facilitated by enzymatic activity of secreted proteases. We therefore further investigated other P. destructans proteins that recognized ECM and found glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and elongation factor 1-alpha among the candidate proteins. Our results demonstrate that P. destructans may use conidial surface proteins to recognize laminin and fibronectin and facilitate conidial adhesion to ECM. In addition, other non-specific interactions may contribute to the conidial adherence to ECM. However, the ECM binding protein candidates identified in this study highlight additional potential fungal virulence factors worth investigating in the P. destructans mechanism of infection in future studies.

Laminin N-terminus α31 is upregulated in invasive ductal breast cancer and changes the mode of tumour invasion

Laminin N-terminus α31 (LaNt α31) is an alternative splice isoform derived from the laminin α3 gene. The LaNt α31 protein is enriched around the terminal duct lobular units in normal breast tissue. In the skin and cornea the protein influences epithelial cell migration and tissue remodelling. However, LaNt α31 has never been investigated in a tumour environment. Here we analysed LaNt α31 in invasive ductal carcinoma and determined its contribution to breast carcinoma invasion. LaNt α31 expression and distribution were analysed by immunohistochemistry in human breast tissue biopsy sections and tissue microarrays covering 232 breast cancer samples. This analysis revealed LaNt α31 to be upregulated in 56% of invasive ductal carcinoma specimens compared with matched normal tissue, and further increased in nodal metastasis compared with the tumour mass in 45% of samples. 65.8% of triple negative cases displayed medium to high LaNt α31 expression. To study LaNt α31 function, an adenoviral system was used to induce expression in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. 2D cell migration and invasion into collagen hydrogels were not significantly different between LaNt α31 overexpressing cells and control treated cells. However, LaNt α31 overexpression reduced the proliferation rate of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, LaNt α31 overexpressing MDA-MB-231 cells displayed a striking change in their mode of invasion into laminin-containing Matrigel; changing from multicellular streaming to individual cellular-invasion. In agreement with these results, 66.7% of the tumours with the highest LaNt α31 expression were non-cohesive. Together these findings indicate that breast cancer-associated changes in LaNt α31 expression could contribute to the processes involved in tumour invasion and may represent a new therapeutic target.

Mass Spectrometry Reveals α-2-HS-Glycoprotein as a Key Early Extracellular Matrix Protein for Conjunctival Cells

Purpose

To determine the composition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins secreted by a conjunctival epithelial cell line and to identify components that aid conjunctival epithelial cell culture.

Methods

Human conjunctival epithelial cell line (HCjE-Gi) cells were cultured in serum-free media and their ECM isolated using ammonium hydroxide. Growth characteristics were evaluated for fresh HCjE-Gi cells plated onto ECMs obtained from 3- to 28-day cell cultures. Mass spectrometry was used to characterize the ECM composition over 42 culture days. Cell adhesion and growth on pre-adsorbed fibronectin and α-2-HS-glycoprotein (α-2-HS-GP) were investigated.

Results

Day 3 ECM provided the best substrate for cell growth compared to ECM obtained from 5- to 28-day cell cultures. Mass spectrometry identified a predominantly laminin 332 matrix throughout the time course, with progressive changes to matrix composition over time: proportional decreases in matrix-bound growth factors and increases in proteases. Fibronectin and α-2-HS-GP were 5- and 200-fold enriched as a proportion of the early ECM relative to the late ECM, respectively. Experiments on these proteins in isolation demonstrated that fibronectin supported rapid cell adhesion, whereas fibronectin and α-2-HS-GP both supported enhanced cell growth compared to tissue culture polystyrene.

Conclusions

These data reveal α-2-HS-GP as a candidate protein to enhance the growth of conjunctival epithelial cells and raise the possibility of exploiting these findings for targeted improvement to synthetic tissue engineered conjunctival substrates.

Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein Negatively Influences Keratinocyte Proliferation via α5β1-Integrin: Potential Relevance of Altered Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein Expression in Psoriasis

In psoriasis, nonlesional skin shows alterations at the dermal-epidermal junction compared with healthy skin. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is part of the papillary dermis of healthy skin, and its expression has not yet been studied in psoriatic skin. In this study, we found that COMP localization extended deeper into the dermis and formed a more continuous layer in psoriatic nonlesional skin compared with healthy skin, whereas in psoriatic lesions, COMP showed a partially discontinuous deposition at the dermal-epidermal junction. COMP and β1-integrin showed strong colocalization in nonlesional skin, where the laminin layer within the basement membrane is discontinuous. In in vitro models, the presence of exogenous COMP decreased the proliferation rate of keratinocytes, and this proliferation-suppressing effect was diminished by blocking α5β1-integrin. Our results suggest that COMP can interact with α5β1-integrin of basal keratinocytes through the disrupted basement membrane, and this interaction might stabilize the epidermis in the nonlesional state by contributing to the suppression of keratinocyte proliferation. The antiproliferative effect of COMP is likely to be relevant to other skin diseases in which chronic nonhealing wounds are coupled with massive COMP accumulation.

Nesprin-2G knockout fibroblasts exhibit reduced migration, changes in focal adhesion composition, and reduced ability to generate traction forces

The nuclear envelope protein nesprin-2G is a component of the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex and is responsible for mechanical and signaling crosstalk between the nucleus and cytoskeleton. A prior study has demonstrated that nesprin-2G knockout mice show delayed wound healing. The goal was to elucidate the mechanism underlying the delayed wound closure in this mouse model. Primary fibroblasts from wild-type and knockout neonatal mice were isolated. Knockout cells exhibited decreased focal adhesion (FA) size, number, and intensity. Consistent with this result, FA protein expression levels were decreased in knockout cells. Additionally, knockout fibroblasts displayed an abnormal actin cytoskeleton, as evidenced by loss of TAN line formation and both cytoplasmic and peri-nuclear actin staining. Using collective and single cell motility assays, it was found that knockout cells exhibited a reduction in both speed and directed migration. Traction force microscopy revealed that knockout fibroblasts generated fewer traction forces compared with WT fibroblasts. In summary, the data indicated that changes in actin organization and defects in FAs result in a reduced ability of knockout fibroblasts to generate traction forces needed for efficient motility.

Constitutional absence of epithelial integrin α3 impacts the composition of the cellular microenvironment of ILNEB keratinocytes

Integrin α3β1, a major epidermal adhesion receptor is critical for organization of the basement membrane during development and wound healing. Integrin α3 deficiency leads to interstitial lung disease, nephrotic syndrome and epidermolysis bullosa (ILNEB), an autosomal recessive multiorgan disease characterized by basement membrane abnormalities in skin, lung and kidney. The pathogenetic chains from ITGA3 mutation to tissue abnormalities are still unclear. Although integrin α3 was reported to regulate multiple extracellular proteins, the composition of the extracellular compartment of integrin α3-negative keratinocytes has not been resolved so far. In a comprehensive approach, quantitative proteomics of deposited extracellular matrix, conditioned cultured media as well as of the intracellular compartment of keratinocytes isolated from an ILNEB patient and from normal skin were performed. By mass spectrometry-based proteomics, 167 proteins corresponding to the GO terms "extracellular" and "cell adhesion", or included in the "human matrisome" were identified in the deposited extracellular matrix, and 217 in the conditioned media of normal human keratinocytes. In the absence of integrin α3, 33% and 26% respectively were dysregulated. Dysregulated proteins were functionally related to integrin α3 or were known interaction partners. The results show that in the absence of integrin α3 ILNEB keratinocytes produce a fibronectin-rich microenvironment and make use of fibronectin-binding integrin subunits αv and α5. The most important results were validated in monolayer and organotypic coculture models. Finally, the in vivo relevance of the most dysregulated components was demonstrated by immunostainings of skin, kidney and lung samples of three ILNEB patients.

Probing the Role of Integrins in Keratinocyte Migration Using Bioengineered Extracellular Matrix Mimics

Bioengineered extracellular matrix (ECM) mimetic materials have tunable properties and can be engineered to elicit desirable cellular responses for wound repair and tissue regeneration. By incorporating relevant cell-instructive domains, bioengineered ECM mimics can be designed to provide well-defined ECM-specific cues to influence cell motility and differentiation. More importantly, bioengineered ECM surfaces are ideal platforms for studying cell-material interactions without the need to genetically alter the cells. Here, we showed that bioengineered ECM mimics can be employed to clarify the role of integrins in keratinocyte migration. Particularly, the roles of α5β1 and α3β1 in keratinocytes were examined, given their known importance in keratinocyte motility. Two recombinant proteins were constructed; each protein contains a functional domain taken from fibronectin (FN-mimic) and laminin-332 (LN-mimic), designed to bind α5β1 and α3β1, respectively. We examined how patient-derived primary human keratinocytes migrate when sparsely seeded as well as when allowed to move collectively. We found, consistently, that FN-mimic promoted cell migration while the LN-mimic did not support cell motility. We showed that, when keratinocytes utilize α5β1 integrins on FN-mimics, they were able to form stable focal adhesion plaques and stabilized lamellipodia. On the other hand, keratinocytes on LN-mimic utilized primarily α3β1 integrins for migration and, strikingly, cells were unable to activate Rac1 and form stable focal adhesion plaques. Taken together, employment of our bioengineered mimics has allowed us to clarify the roles of α5β1 and α3β1 integrins in keratinocyte migration, as well as further provided a mechanistic explanation for their differences.

The formation of a functional retinal pigment epithelium occurs on porous polytetrafluoroethylene substrates independently of the surface chemistry

Subretinal transplantation of functioning retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells may have the potential to preserve or restore vision in patients affected by blinding diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). One of the critical steps in achieving this is the ability to grow a functioning retinal pigment epithelium, which may need a substrate on which to grow and to aid transplantation. Tailoring the physical and chemical properties of the substrate should help the engineered tissue to function in the long term. The purpose of the study was to determine whether a functioning monolayer of RPE cells could be produced on expanded polytetrafluoroethylene substrates modified by either an ammonia plasma treatment or an n-Heptylamine coating, and whether the difference in surface chemistries altered the extracellular matrix the cells produced. Primary human RPE cells were able to form a functional, cobblestone monolayer on both substrates, but the formation of an extracellular matrix to exhibit a network structure took months, whereas on non-porous substrates with the same surface chemistry, a similar appearance was observed after a few weeks. This study suggests that the surface chemistry of these materials may not be the most critical factor in the development of growth of a functional monolayer of RPE cells as long as the cells can attach and proliferate on the surface. This has important implications in the design of strategies to optimise the clinical outcomes of subretinal transplant procedures.

Integrin-mediated regulation of epidermal wound functions

During cutaneous wound healing, keratinocyte proliferation and migration are critical for re-epithelialization. In addition the epidermis secretes growth factors, cytokines, proteases, and matricellular proteins into the wound microenvironment that modify the extracellular matrix and stimulate other wound cells that control the inflammatory response, promote angiogenesis and facilitate tissue contraction and remodeling. Wound keratinocytes express at least seven different integrins-the major cell adhesion receptors for the extracellular matrix-that collectively control essential cell-autonomous functions to ensure proper re-epithelialization, including migration, proliferation, survival and basement membrane assembly. Moreover, it has become evident in recent years that some integrins can regulate paracrine signals from wound epidermis that stimulate other wound cells involved in angiogenesis, contraction and inflammation. Importantly, it is likely that abnormal integrin expression or function in the epidermis contributes to wound pathologies such as over-exuberant healing (e.g., hypertrophic scar formation) or diminished healing (e.g., chronic wounds). In this review, we discuss current knowledge of integrin function in the epidermis, which implicates them as attractive therapeutic targets to promote wound healing or treat wound pathologies. We also discuss challenges that arise from the complex roles that multiple integrins play in wound epidermis, which may be regulated through extracellular matrix remodeling that determines ligand availability. Indeed, understanding how different integrin functions are temporally coordinated in wound epidermis and which integrin functions go awry in pathological wounds, will be important to determine how best to target them clinically to achieve maximum therapeutic benefit. Graphical abstract In addition to their well-characterized roles in keratinocyte adhesion, migration and wound re-epithelialization, epidermal integrins play important roles in modifying the wound microenvironment by regulating the expression and secretion of growth factors, extracellular proteases, and matricellular proteins that stimulate other wound cells, including vascular endothelial cells and fibroblasts/myofibroblasts.

High levels of type VII collagen expression in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma keratinocytes increases PI3K and MAPK signalling, cell migration and invasion

BACKGROUND

Epidermolysis bullosa is a group of inherited skin fragility diseases varying in severity from mild scarring to infant mortality. Great efforts are being undertaken to develop therapeutic strategies to treat the more pernicious forms of this disease, particularly those associated with recessive, loss-of-function mutations. In such cases significant effort is directed toward delivering recombinant protein at levels sufficient to demonstrate clinical benefit. Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) predisposes patients to a high incidence of life-threatening cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Mutations in the gene encoding type VII collagen, COL7A1, are the sole cause of this disease and conflicting reports concerning type VII collagen and COL7A1 in carcinogenesis exist.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate potential oncogenic effects of expressing recombinant type VII collagen in patient cells.

METHODS

We used retroviral transduction to introduce type VII collagen into keratinocytes derived from patients with and without RDEB.

RESULTS

Retroviral expression of type VII collagen in cSCC keratinocytes established from patients with RDEB resulted in increased cell adhesion, migration and invasion coupled with a concurrent increase in PI3K and MAPK signalling.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest caution when formulating strategies where delivery of type VII collagen is likely to exceed levels seen under normal physiological conditions in a patient group with a higher inherent risk of developing skin cancer.

Coassembled nanostructured bioscaffold reduces the expression of proinflammatory cytokines to induce apoptosis in epithelial cancer cells

The local inflammatory environment of the cell promotes the growth of epithelial cancers. Therefore, controlling inflammation locally using a material in a sustained, non-steroidal fashion can effectively kill malignant cells without significant damage to surrounding healthy cells. A promising class of materials for such applications is the nanostructured scaffolds formed by epitope presenting minimalist self-assembled peptides; these are bioactive on a cellular length scale, while presenting as an easily handled hydrogel. Here, we show that the assembly process can distribute an anti-inflammatory polysaccharide, fucoidan, localized to the nanofibers within the scaffold to create a biomaterial for cancer therapy. We show that it supports healthy cells, while inducing apoptosis in cancerous epithelial cells, as demonstrated by the significant down-regulation of gene and protein expression pathways associated with epithelial cancer progression. Our findings highlight an innovative material approach with potential applications in local epithelial cancer immunotherapy and drug delivery.

Alpha actinin-1 regulates cell-matrix adhesion organization in keratinocytes: consequences for skin cell motility

The migration of keratinocytes in wound healing requires coordinated activities of the motility machinery of a cell, the cytoskeleton and matrix adhesions. In this study we assessed the role of alpha actinin-1 (ACTN1), one of the two alpha actinin isoforms expressed in keratinocytes, in skin cell migration via an shRNA-mediated knockdown approach. Keratinocytes deficient in ACTN1 exhibit changes in their actin cytoskeleton organization, a loss in front-rear polarity and impaired lamellipodial dynamics. They also display aberrant directed motility and move slower than their wild-type counterparts. Moreover, they have abnormally arranged matrix adhesion sites. Specifically, the focal adhesions in ACTN1 knockdown keratinocytes are not organized as distinct entities. Rather, focal adhesion proteins are arranged in a circle subjacent to cortical fibers of actin. In the same cells, hemidesmosome proteins arrange in cat paw patterns, more typical of confluent, stationary cells and β4 integrin dynamics are reduced in knockdown cells compared with control keratinocytes. In summary, our data suggest a mechanism by which ACTN1 determines the motility of keratinocytes by regulating the organization of the actin cytoskeleton, focal adhesion and hemidesmosome proteins complexes, thereby modulating cell speed, lamellipodial dynamics and directed migration.

Propolis modulates fibronectin expression in the matrix of thermal injury

The aim of the study was to assess the propolis effect on fibronectin metabolism in the course of burn wounds healing process. A model of burn wound healing of pig skin was applied. The amount of the released glycoprotein was assessed by a surface plasmon resonance. The profile of extracted fibronectin components was also assessed by an electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel, with a subsequent immunodetection by Western Blotting. Propolis burn treatment decreased the release of fibronectin components from healing wounds in relation to damages treated with silver sulfadiazine. The main reason of decreased extraction of fibronectin components from wounds treated with propolis was a substantial decrease of degradation product release of the mentioned glycoprotein, which was observed particularly from the 3rd to 5th day of the repair. Wounds treatment with propolis demonstrated, especially in relation to damages treated with silver sulfadiazine, the decreased release of synthesized fibronectin molecules. The obtained results suggest that propolis modifies fibronectin metabolism in the course of wound healing process. The influence of propolis is reflected in prevention of fibronectin biosynthesis as well as its degradation in the wound area. The above-mentioned metabolic changes may decrease the risk of complications in the repair wounds process.

Focal Contact and Hemidesmosomal Proteins in Keratinocyte Migration and Wound Repair

Significance: During wound healing of the skin, keratinocytes should move over while still adhering to their underlying matrix. Thus, mechanistic insights into the wound-healing process require an understanding of the forms and functions of keratinocyte matrix adhesions, specifically focal contacts and hemidesmosomes, and their components. Recent Advances: Although the structure and composition of focal contacts and hemidesmosomes are relatively well defined, the functions of their components are only now being delineated using mouse genetic models and knockdown approaches in cell culture systems. Remarkably, both focal contact and hemidesmosomal proteins appear involved in determining the speed and directional migration of epidermal cells by modulating several signal transduction pathways. Critical Issues: Although many publications are centered on focal contacts, their existence in tissues such as the skin is controversial. Nonetheless, focal contact proteins are central to mechanisms that regulate skin cell motility. Conversely, hemidesmosomes have been identified in intact skin but whether hemidesmosomal components play a positive regulatory function in keratinocyte motility remains debated in the field. Future Directions: Defective wound healing is a developing problem in the aged, hospitalized and diabetic populations. Hence, deriving new insights into the molecular roles of matrix adhesion proteins in wound healing is a prerequisite to the development of novel therapeutics to enhance tissue repair and regeneration.

Integrin Regulation of Epidermal Functions in Wounds

Significance: Integrins are bidirectional signaling receptors for extracellular matrix that regulate both inside-out signaling that controls keratinocyte-mediated changes to the wound microenvironment and outside-in signaling that controls keratinocyte responses to microenvironmental changes. As such, integrins represent attractive therapeutic targets for treatment of chronic wounds or general promotion of wound healing. Advances in wound management are particularly important as the elderly and diabetic populations within the United States continue to grow. Recent Advances: Although integrins are best known for mediating cell adhesion and migration, integrins in wound epidermis also control cell survival, proliferation, matrix remodeling, and paracrine crosstalk to other cellular compartments of the wound. Importantly, the concept of targeting integrins in the clinic has been established for treatment of certain cancers and other diseases, laying the groundwork for similar exploitation of integrins as targets to treat chronic wounds. Critical Issues: Despite their attractiveness as therapeutic targets, integrins have complex roles in wound healing that are impacted by both their own expression and a highly dynamic wound microenvironment that determines ligand availability. Therefore, identifying relevant integrin ligands in the wound and understanding both distinct and overlapping functions that different integrins play in the epidermis will be critical to determine their precise roles in wound healing. Future Directions: Future research should focus on gaining a thorough understanding of the highly coordinated functions of different integrins in wound epidermis, and on determining which of these functions go awry in pathological wounds. This focus should facilitate development of integrin-targeting therapeutics for treating chronic wounds.

Ganglioside GM3 depletion reverses impaired wound healing in diabetic mice by activating IGF-1 and insulin receptors

Background

Ganglioside GM3 mediates adipocyte insulin resistance, but the role of GM3 in diabetic wound healing, a major cause of morbidity, is unclear.

Purpose

Determine whether GM3 depletion promotes diabetic wound healing and directly activates keratinocyte insulin pathway signaling.

Results

GM3 synthase (GM3S) expression is increased in human diabetic foot skin, ob/ob and diet-induced obese diabetic mouse skin, and mouse keratinocytes exposed to increased glucose. GM3S knockout in diet-induced obese mice prevents the diabetic wound healing defect. Keratinocyte proliferation, migration, and activation of insulin receptor (IR) and insulin growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) are suppressed by excess glucose in wild type cells, but increased in GM3S ^−/− keratinocytes with supplemental glucose. Co-immunoprecipitation of IR, IR substrate-1 (IRS-1), and IGF-1R, and increased IRS-1 and Akt phosphorylation accompany receptor activation. GM3 supplementation or inhibition of IGF-1R or PI3K reverses the increased migration of GM3S^−/− keratinocytes, whereas IR knockdown only partially suppresses migration.

Conclusions

Cutaneous GM3 accumulation may participate in the impaired wound healing of diet-induced diabetes by suppressing keratinocyte insulin/IGF-1 axis signaling. Strategies to deplete GM3S/GM3 may improve diabetic wound healing.

Laminin-332 and α3β1 integrin-supported migration of bronchial epithelial cells is modulated by fibronectin

The repair of the bronchiolar epithelium damaged by cell-mediated, physical, or chemical insult requires epithelial cell migration over a provisional matrix composed of complexes of extracellular matrix molecules, including fibronectin and laminin. These matrix molecules support migration and enhance cell adhesion. When cells adhere too tightly to their matrix they fail to move; but if they adhere too little, they are unable to develop the traction force necessary for motility. Thus, we investigated the relative contributions of laminin and fibronectin to bronchiolar cell adhesion and migration using the immortalized bronchial lung epithelial cell line (BEP2D) and normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells, both of which assemble a laminin α3β3γ2 (LM332)/fibronectin-rich matrix. Intriguingly, BEP2D and NHBE cells migrate significantly faster on an LM332-rich matrix than on fibronectin. Moreover, addition of fibronectin to LM332 matrix suppresses motility of both cell types. Finally, fibronectin enhances the adhesion of both BEP2D and NHBE cells to LM332-coated surfaces. These results suggest that fibronectin fine tunes LM332-mediated migration by boosting bronchiolar cell adhesion to substrate. We suggest that, during epithelial wound healing of the injured airway, fibronectin plays an important adhesive role for laminin-driven epithelial cell motility by promoting a stable cellular interaction with the provisional matrix.

Microarray analysis of port wine stains before and after pulsed dye laser treatment

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Neither the pathogenesis of port wine stain (PWS) birthmarks nor tissue effects of pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatment of these lesions is fully understood. There are few published reports utilizing gene expression analysis in human PWS skin. We aim to compare gene expression in PWS before and after PDL, using DNA microarrays that represent most, if not all, human genes to obtain comprehensive molecular profiles of PWS lesions and PDL-associated tissue effects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Five human subjects had PDL treatment of their PWS. One week later, three biopsies were taken from each subject: normal skin (N); untreated PWS (PWS); PWS post-PDL (PWS + PDL). Samples included two lower extremity lesions, two facial lesions, and one facial nodule. High-quality total RNA isolated from skin biopsies was processed and applied to Affymetrix Human gene 1.0ST microarrays for gene expression analysis. We performed a 16 pair-wise comparison identifying either up- or down-regulated genes between N versus PWS and PWS versus PWS + PDL for four of the donor samples. The PWS nodule (nPWS) was analyzed separately.

RESULTS

There was significant variation in gene expression profiles between individuals. By doing pair-wise comparisons between samples taken from the same donor, we were able to identify genes that may participate in the formation of PWS lesions and PDL tissue effects. Genes associated with immune, epidermal, and lipid metabolism were up-regulated in PWS skin. The nPWS exhibited more profound differences in gene expression than the rest of the samples, with significant differential expression of genes associated with angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, and inflammation.

CONCLUSION

In summary, gene expression profiles from N, PWS, and PWS + PDL demonstrated significant variation within samples from the same donor and between donors. By doing pair-wise comparisons between samples taken from the same donor and comparing these results between donors, we were able to identify genes that may participate in formation of PWS and PDL effects. Our preliminary results indicate changes in gene expression of angiogenesis-related genes, suggesting that dysregulation of angiogenic signals and/or components may contribute to PWS pathology.

Plakophilin 2 affects cell migration by modulating focal adhesion dynamics and integrin protein expression

Plakophilin 2 (PKP2), a desmosome component, modulates the activity and localization of the small GTPase RhoA at sites of cell-cell contact. PKP2 regulates cortical actin rearrangement during junction formation, and its loss is accompanied by an increase in actin stress fibers. We hypothesized that PKP2 may regulate focal adhesion dynamics and cell migration. Here we show that PKP2-deficient cells bind efficiently to the extracellular matrix, but upon spreading display total cell areas ≈ 30% smaller than control cells. Focal adhesions in PKP2-deficient cells are ≈ 2 × larger and more stable than in control cells, and vinculin displays an increased time for fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Furthermore, β4 and β1 integrin protein and mRNA expression is elevated in PKP2-silenced cells. Normal focal adhesion phenotypes can be restored in PKP2-null cells by dampening the RhoA pathway or silencing β1 integrin. However, integrin expression levels are not restored by RhoA signaling inhibition. These data uncover a potential role for PKP2 upstream of β1 integrin and RhoA in integrating cell-cell and cell-substrate contact signaling in basal keratinocytes necessary for the morphogenesis, homeostasis, and reepithelialization of the stratified epidermis.

Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed N'-nitrosonornicotine-induced down-regulation of nonmuscle myosin II and reduced cell migration in cultured human skin fibroblast cells

The association of tobacco smoke with decreased cell motility and wound healing is well documented; however, the cellular mechanisms and specific toxic tobacco constituents responsible for this effect are not well understood. Tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNAs) are among the most important classes of carcinogens found in tobacco products. The TSNA N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) is present at relatively high levels in tobacco and its smoke, as well as second- and third-hand smoke. To investigate the cellular pathways that are perturbed upon NNN exposure, we employed a quantitative proteomic approach, utilizing stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture and mass spectrometry, to assess the NNN-induced alteration of protein expression in GM00637 human skin fibroblast cells. With this approach, we were able to quantify 2599 proteins, 191 of which displayed significantly changed expression following NNN exposure. One of the main findings from our proteomic analysis was the down-regulation of six different subunits of myosin, particularly nonmuscle myosin II heavy chain, isoforms A, B, and C. In addition, we found the altered expression of several extracellular matrix proteins and proteins involved in cellular adhesion. Together, our quantitative proteomic results suggested that NNN exposure may interfere with fibroblast motility. An in vitro scratch wound assay result supported that NNN exposure reduced the ability of dermal fibroblast to migrate into the scratched area. The results from the present study offer novel insights into the cellular mechanisms of NNN toxicity and identify NNN as a specific tobacco constituent that contributes to decreased fibroblast migration.

α6β4 integrin, a master regulator of expression of integrins in human keratinocytes

Three major laminin and collagen-binding integrins in skin (α6β4, α3β1, and α2β1) are involved in keratinocyte adhesion to the dermis and dissemination of skin cells during wound healing and/or tumorigenesis. Knockdown of α6 integrin in keratinocytes not only results in motility defects but also leads to decreased surface expression of the α2, α3, and β4 integrin subunits. Whereas α2 integrin mRNA levels are decreased in α6 integrin knockdown cells, α3 and β4 integrin mRNAs levels are unaffected. Expression of either α6 or α3 integrin in α6 integrin knockdown cells restores α2 integrin mRNA levels. Moreover, re-expression of α6 integrin increases β4 integrin protein at the cell surface, which results in an increase in α3 integrin expression via activation of initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1. Our data indicate that the α6β4 integrin is a master regulator of transcription and translation of other integrin subunits and underscore its pivotal role in wound healing and cancer.