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Syndecan-4 and integrin both contribute to RhoA regulation.

A pair of adhesion receptors work together to fine-tune suppression of RhoA and promote membrane protrusion, say Bass et al.

During cell migration, the actin cytoskeleton regulator, RhoA, must be alternately inhibited (to allow the leading membrane edge to protrude) and reactivated (to pull up the trailing end of the cell from behind). Inhibition occurs when a receptor called 5β1 integrin, which binds to the extracellular matrix protein, fibronectin, triggers phosphorylation of a RhoA inhibitor called p190RhoGAP-A (p190-A). Another fibronectin receptor, syndecan-4, colocalizes with integrin during RhoA inhibition, but whether this second receptor contributes to inhibition was unknown.

By treating cells with fragments of fibronectin that bound to syndecan-4 but not integrin, the authors showed that syndecan-4 triggered transient relocation of p190-A to the membrane, which correlated with reduced RhoA activity. Syndecan-4 is known to activate PKC, and exogenous activation of PKC is known to trigger phosphorylation and membrane recruitment of p190-A. Bass et al. connected the dots by showing that loss of syndecan-4 function reduced relocation of p190-A to the membrane. Although integrin phosphorylates p190-A at a tyrosine, syndecan-4 phosphorylated a serine. Neither integrin nor syndecan alone induced the normal Rho-related pattern of cell spreading, suggesting that a combination of these two receptors is needed for full inhibition of RhoA.

p190-A is the convergence point for signaling from these two independent adhesion receptors, the authors conclude. Although the two receptors colocalize during leading edge protrusion, syndecan-4, a lengthy protein, can stretch itself up to 500 nm from the cell. Syndecan-4 might therefore act as an exploratory receptor, whereas the shorter integrin may anchor the leading edge. In this model, p190-A serves to integrate information from both near and far.

Bass, M.D., et al. 2008. J. Cell Biol. doi:10.1083/jcb.200711129.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Richard Robinson

rrobinson{at}nasw.org

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This Article Full Text (PDF, 1149K) PPT slides of all figures Alert me when this article is cited Services Email this article Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new content in the JCB Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Robinson, R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Robinson, R. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?