CORTACTIN

In immature dendritic cells (DCs) podosomes form and turn over behind the leading edge of migrating cells. The Arp2/3 complex activator Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein (WASP) localises to the actin core of forming podosomes together with WASP-Interacting Protein (WIP). A second weaker Arp2/3 activator, cortactin, is also found at podosomes where it has been proposed to participate in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) secretion. We have previously shown that WIP−/− DCs are unable to make podosomes. WIP binds to cortactin and in this report we address whether WIP regulates cortactin-mediated MMP activity. Using DCs derived from splenic murine precursors, we found that wild-type cells were able to localise MMPs at podosomes where matrix degradation takes place. In contrast, WIP−/− DCs remain able to synthesise MMPs but do not degrade the extracellular matrix. Infection of WIP KO DCs with lentivirus expressing WIP restored both podosome formation and their ability to degrade the extracellular matrix, implicating WIP-induced podosomes as foci of functional MMP location. When WIP KO DCs were infected with a mutant form of WIP lacking the cortactin-binding domain (WIPΔ110-170) DCs were only able to elaborate disorganised podosomes that were unable to support MMP-mediated matrix degradation. Taken together, these results suggest a role for WIP not only in WASP-mediated actin polymerisation and podosome formation, but also in cortactin-mediated extracellular matrix degradation by MMPs.

Cortactin, an actin filament-binding protein and target of multiple kinases, has emerged as a central element connecting signaling pathways with cytoskeleton restructuring. It is involved in a perplexingly diverse array of cellular processes, including cell motility, invasiveness, synaptogenesis, endocytosis, intercellular contact assembly, and host-pathogen interactions, where the common denominator appears to be a role in the coordination of membrane dynamics with cytoskeletal remodeling. Although in recent years our knowledge about cortactin has increased exponentially, the exact mechanisms underlying its fundamental roles remain to be defined.

Cortactin regulates the strength of nascent N-cadherin-mediated intercellular adhesions through a tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent mechanism. Currently, the functional significance of cortactin phosphorylation and the kinases responsible for the regulation of adhesion strength are not defined. We show that the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase Fer phosphorylates cadherin-associated cortactin and that this process is involved in mediating intercellular adhesion strength. In wild-type fibroblasts N-cadherin ligation-induced transient phosphorylation of Fer, indicating that junction formation activates Fer kinase. Tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin after N-cadherin ligation was strongly reduced in fibroblasts expressing only catalytically inactive Fer (D743R), compared with wild-type cells. In wild-type cells, N-cadherin-coated bead pull-off assays induced fourfold greater endogenous N-cadherin association than in D743R cells. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching showed that GFP-N...

β1 integrin has been shown to promote metastasis in a number of tumor models, including breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and skin cancer; however, the mechanism by which it does so is poorly understood. Invasive membrane protrusions called invadopodia are believed to facilitate extracellular matrix degradation and intravasation during metastasis. Previous work showed that β1 integrin localizes to invadopodia, but its role in regulating invadopodial function has not been well characterized. We find that β1 integrin is required for the formation of mature, degradation-competent invadopodia in both two- and three-dimensional matrices but is dispensable for invadopodium precursor formation in metastatic human breast cancer cells. β1 integrin is activated during invadopodium precursor maturation, and forced β1 integrin activation enhances the rate of invadopodial matrix proteolysis. Furthermore, β1 integrin interacts with the tyrosine kinase Arg and stimulates Arg-dependent phosphorylation o...

HPV-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) patients have superior outcomes relative to HPV-negative patients, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. We conducted a proteomic investigation of HPV-positive (n = 27) and HPV-negative (n = 26) formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded OPC biopsies to acquire insights into the biological pathways that correlate with clinical behavior. Among the 2,633 proteins identified, 174 were differentially abundant. These were enriched for proteins related to cell cycle, DNA replication, apoptosis, and immune response. The differential abundances of cortactin and methylthioadenosine phosphorylase were validated by immunohistochemistry in an independent cohort of 29 OPC samples (p = 0.023 and p = 0.009, respectively). An additional 1,124 proteins were independently corroborated through comparison to a published proteomic dataset of OPC. Furthermore, utilizing the Cancer Genome Atlas, we conducted an integrated investigation of OPC, attributing...

Cortactin is an F-actin binding protein that activates actin-related protein 2/3 complex and is localized within lamellipodia. Cortactin is a substrate for Src and other protein tyrosine kinases involved in cell motility, where its phosphorylation on tyrosines 421, 466, and 482 in the carboxy terminus is required for cell movement and metastasis. In spite of the importance of cortactin tyrosine phosphorylation in cell motility, little is known regarding the structural, spatial, or signaling requirements regulating cortactin tyrosine phosphorylation. Herein, we report that phosphorylation of cortactin tyrosine residues in the carboxy terminus requires the aminoterminal domain and Rac1-mediated localization to the cell periphery. Phosphorylation-specific antibodies directed against tyrosine 421 and 466 were produced to study the regulation and localization of tyrosine phosphorylated cortactin. Phosphorylation of cortactin tyrosine 421 and 466 was elevated in response to Src, epidermal...

Candida albicans is a major cause of oropharyngeal, vulvovaginal and haematogenously disseminated candidiasis. Endocytosis of C. albicans hyphae by host cells is a prerequisite for tissue invasion. This internalization involves interactions between the fungal invasin Als3 and host E- or N-cadherin. Als3 shares some structural similarity with InlA, a major invasion protein of the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. InlA mediates entry of L. monocytogenes into host cells through binding to E-cadherin. A role in internalization, for a non-classical stimulation of the clathrin-dependent endocytosis machinery, was recently highlighted. Based on the similarities between the C. albicans and L. monocytogenes invasion proteins, we studied the role of clathrin in the internalization of C. albicans. Using live-cell imaging and indirect immunofluorescence of epithelial cells infected with C. albicans, we observed that host E-cadherin, clathrin, dynamin and cortactin accumulated at sites of C. albicans internalization. Similarly, in endothelial cells, host N-cadherin, clathrin and cortactin accumulated at sites of fungal endocytosis. Furthermore, clathrin, dynamin or cortactin depletion strongly inhibited C. albicans internalization by epithelial cells. Finally, beads coated with Als3 were internalized in a clathrin-dependent manner. These data indicate that C. albicans, like L. monocytogenes, hijacks the clathrin-dependent endocytic machinery to invade host cells.

Classical cadherin adhesion molecules are key determinants of cell–cell recognition during development and in post-embryonic life. A decisive step in productive cadherin-based recognition is the conversion of nascent adhesions into stable zones of contact. It is increasingly clear that such contact zone extension entails active cooperation between cadherin adhesion and the force-generating capacity of the actin cytoskeleton. Cortactin has recently emerged as an important regulator of actin dynamics in several forms of cell motility. We now report that cortactin is recruited to cell–cell adhesive contacts in response to homophilic cadherin ligation. Notably, cortactin accumulates preferentially, with Arp2/3, at cell margins where adhesive contacts are being extended. Recruitment of cortactin is accompanied by a ligation-dependent biochemical interaction between cortactin and the cadherin adhesive complex. Inhibition of cortactin activity in cells blocked Arp2/3-dependent actin assemb...

Cortactin (CTTN) is a substrate of the Src kinase Lyn that is known to play an actin cytoskeletal regulatory role involved in cell migration and cancer progression following its phosphorylation at Y421. We recently demonstrated that Cortactin is overexpressed in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). This work was aimed at defining the functional role of Cortactin in these patients. We found that Cortactin is variably expressed in CLL patients both in the peripheral blood and lymph nodes and that its expression correlates with the release of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and the motility of neoplastic cells. Cortactin knockdown, by siRNA, induced a reduction in MMP-9 release as well as a decrease of migration capability of leukaemic B cells in vitro, also after chemotactic stimulus. Furthermore, Cortactin phosphorylation was lowered by the Src kinase-inhibitor PP2 with a consequent decrease of MMP-9 release in culture medium. An impaired migration, as compared to co...

Cortactin is an F-actin binding protein that activates actin-related protein 2/3 complex and is localized within lamellipodia. Cortactin is a substrate for Src and other protein tyrosine kinases involved in cell motility, where its phosphorylation on tyrosines 421, 466, and 482 in the carboxy ...

Invasion across tissue boundaries by metastatic tumor cells depends on the proteolytic degradation of the extracellular matrix, initiated by the formation of invadopodia, actin-driven membrane protrusions with matrix-degradative activity. Yet, mechanisms underlying invadopodia formation remain largely unknown. In this report, we examined the role of the histone deacetylase HDAC6 in invadopodia formation and invasion by breast cancer cells. Using small interfering RNA silencing of protein expression in highly invasive MDA-MB-231 breast adenocarcinoma cells, we show that HDAC6 is required for two-dimensional matrix proteolysis. In addition, we demonstrate that HDAC6 acts as a tubulin and cortactin deacetylase. We also report that the inhibition of HDAC6 by siRNA or treatment with HDAC inhibitor TSA results in a decreased invasion capacity of a three-dimensional type I collagen matrix by MDA-MB-231 cells. These data identify HDAC6 as a critical component of the invasive apparatus of tumor cells, in both two- and three-dimensional matrices.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive sphingolipid that mediates cellular functions by ligation via G protein-coupled S1P receptors. In addition to its extracellular action, S1P also has intracellular effects; however, the signaling pathways modulated by intracellular S1P remain poorly defined. We have previously demonstrated a novel pathway of intracellular S1P generation in human lung endothelial cells (ECs). In the present study, we examined the role of intracellular S1P generated by photolysis of caged S1P on EC barrier regulation and signal transduction. Intracellular S1P released from caged S1P caused mobilization of intracellular calcium, induced activation of MAPKs, redistributed cortactin, vascular endothelial cadherin, and β-catenin to cell periphery, and tightened endothelial barrier in human pulmonary artery ECs. Treatment of cells with pertussis toxin (PTx) had no effect on caged S1P-mediated effects on Ca2+ mobilization, reorganization of cytoskeleton, cell adhe...

The Arp2/3 complex can be independently activated to initiate actin polymerization by the VCA domain of WASP family members and by the acidic N-terminal and F-actin-binding repeat region of cortactin, which possesses a C-terminal SH3 domain. Cortactin is a target for phosphorylation by Src tyrosine kinases and by serine/threonine kinases that include Erk. Here we demonstrate that cortactin binds N-WASP and WASP via its SH3 domain, induces in vitro N-WASP-mediated actin polymerization, and colocalizes with N-WASP and WASP at sites of active actin polymerization. Erk phosphorylation and a mimicking S405,418D double mutation enhanced cortactin binding and activation of N-WASP. In contrast, Src phosphorylation inhibited the ability of cortactin previously phosphorylated by Erk, and that of S405,418D double mutant cortactin, to bind and activate N-WASP. Furthermore, Y→D mutation of three tyrosine residues targeted by Src (Y421, Y466, and Y482) inhibited the ability of S405,418D cortactin...