Swiprosin-1 modulates actin dynamics by regulating the F-actin accessibility to cofilin

Cell Mol Life Sci. 2013 Dec;70(24):4841-54. doi: 10.1007/s00018-013-1447-5.

Abstract

Membrane protrusions, like lamellipodia, and cell movement are dependent on actin dynamics, which are regulated by a variety of actin-binding proteins acting cooperatively to reorganize actin filaments. Here, we provide evidence that Swiprosin-1, a newly identified actin-binding protein, modulates lamellipodial dynamics by regulating the accessibility of F-actin to cofilin. Overexpression of Swiprosin-1 increased lamellipodia formation in B16F10 melanoma cells, whereas knockdown of Swiprosin-1 inhibited EGF-induced lamellipodia formation, and led to a loss of actin stress fibers at the leading edges of cells but not in the cell cortex. Swiprosin-1 strongly facilitated the formation of entangled or clustered F-actin, which remodeled the structural organization of actin filaments making them in accessible to cofilin. EGF-induced phosphorylation of Swiprosin-1 at Ser183, a phosphorylation site newly identified using mass spectrometry, effectively inhibited clustering of actin filaments and permitted cofilin access to F-actin, resulting in actin depolymerization. Cells over expressing a Swiprosin-1 phosphorylation-mimicking mutant or a phosphorylation-deficient mutant exhibited irregular membrane dynamics during the protrusion and retraction cycles of lamellipodia. Taken together, these findings suggest that dynamic exchange of Swiprosin-1 phosphorylation and dephosphorylation is a novel mechanism that regulates actin dynamics by modulating the pattern of cofilin activity at the leading edges of cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actin Depolymerizing Factors / metabolism*
  • Actins / metabolism*
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Serine / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Actin Depolymerizing Factors
  • Actins
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • EFHD2 protein, human
  • EFHD2 protein, mouse
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Serine
  • Epidermal Growth Factor