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Biology subjects

Paatero, I.

Publications and source records attributed to Paatero, I..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

GGA2 and RAB13 regulate activity-dependent β1-integrin recycling

{beta}1-integrins mediate cell-matrix interactions and their trafficking is important in the dynamic regulation of cell adhesion, migration and malignant processes like cancer cell invasion. Here we employ an RNAi screen to characterize regulators of integrin traffic and identify the association of Golgi-localized gamma ear-containing Arf-binding protein 2 (GGA2) with {beta}1-integrin and its role in recycling of the active but not inactive {beta}1-integrin receptors. Silencing of GGA2 limits active {beta}1-integrin levels in focal adhesions and decreases cancer cell migration and invasion congruent with its ability to regulate the dynamics of active integrins. Using the proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) method, we identify two RAB family small GTPases, RAB13 and RAB10, associating with GGA2 and {beta}1-integrin. Functionally, RAB13 silencing triggers the intracellular accumulation of active {beta}1-integrin, reduces integrin activity, in focal adhesions, and cell migration, similarly to GGA2 depletion, indicating that both facilitate active {beta}1-integrin recycling the plasma membrane. Thus, GGA2 and RAB13 are important specificity determinants for integrin activity-dependent traffic.

cell biology

SORLA-driven endosomal trafficking regulates the oncogenic fitness of HER2

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is an oncogene targeted by several kinase inhibitors and therapeutic antibodies. Endosomal trafficking of many other receptor tyrosine kinases regulates their oncogenic signaling, but the prevailing view is that HER2 is retained on the cell surface. Here we reveal that in cancer cells Sortilin related receptor 1 (SORLA; SORL1) forms a complex with HER2 and regulates its subcellular distribution by promoting recycling of endosomal HER2 back to plasma membrane. Expression of SORLA in cancer cell lines and bladder cancers correlates with HER2 levels. Depletion of SORLA targets HER2 to late endosomal/lysosomal compartments, impairs HER2-driven signaling and in vivo tumor growth. SORLA silencing also disrupts normal lysosome function and sensitizes anti-HER2 therapy sensitive and resistant cancer cells to lysosome-targeting cationic amphiphilic drugs. These findings reveal potentially important SORLA-dependent endosomal trafficking-linked vulnerabilities in HER2-driven cancers.

cell biology

Junction-based lamellipodia drive endothelial cell rearrangements in vivo via a VE-cadherin/F-actin based oscillatory ratchet mechanism

Angiogenesis and vascular remodeling are driven by a wide range of endothelial cell behaviors, such as cell divisions, cell movements, cell shape and polarity changes. To decipher the cellular and molecular mechanism of cell movements, we have analyzed the dynamics of different junctional components during blood vessel anastomosis in vivo. We show that endothelial cell movements are associated with oscillating lamellipodia-like structures, which are orientated in the direction of these movements. These structures emerge from endothelial cell junctions and we thus call them junction-based lamellipodia (JBL). High-resolution time-lapse imaging shows that JBL are formed by F-actin based protrusions at the front end of moving cells. These protrusions also contain diffusely distributed VE-cadherin, whereas the junctional protein ZO-1 (Zona occludens 1) remains at the junction. Subsequently, a new junction is formed at the front of the JBL and the proximal junction is pulled towards the newly established distal junction. JBL function is highly dependent on F-actin dynamics. Inhibition of F-actin polymerization prevents JBL formation, whereas Rac-1 inhibition interferes with JBL oscillations. Both interventions disrupt endothelial junction formation and cell elongation. To examine the role of VE-cadherin (encoded by cdh5 gene) in this process, we generated a targeted mutation in VE-cadherin gene (cdh5ubs25), which prevents VE-cad/F-actin interaction. Although homozygous ve-cadherin mutants form JBL, these JBL are less dynamic and do not promote endothelial cell elongation. Taken together, our observations suggest a novel oscillating ratchet-like mechanism, which is used by endothelial cells to move along or over each other and thus provides the physical means for cell rearrangements.

developmental biology

FiloQuant reveals increased filopodia density during DCIS progression

Filopodia are commonly observed cellular protrusions in vitro and in vivo. Defective filopodia formation is linked to several pathologies including cancer, wherein actively protruding filopodia, at the invasive front, and filopodia-mediated probing of the microenvironment accompanies cancer cell dissemination. Despite wide biological significance, delineating the function of these finger-like protrusions in more complex systems remains technically challenging, particularly hindered by lack of compatible methods to quantify filopodia properties. Here, we present FiloQuant, a freely available ImageJ plugin, to detect filopodia and filopodia-like protrusions in both fixed and live-cell microscopy data. We demonstrate that FiloQuant can extract quantifiable information including protrusion dynamics, density and length from multiple cell types and in a range of microenvironments, such as during collective or single cancer cell migration in 2D and 3D, in fixed neuronal cultures, in activated natural killer cells and in sprouting endothelial cells in vivo. In cellular models of breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) we reveal a link between filopodia formation at the cell-matrix interface, during collective invasion and in 3D tumour spheroids, with the previously reported local invasive potential of these breast cancer models in vivo. Finally, using intravital microscopy, we observed that tumour spheroids display prominent filopodia in vivo, supporting a potential role for these protrusions during tumorigenesis.

cell biology