h3/Acidic calponin: an actin-binding protein that controls extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activity in nonmuscle cells

Mol Biol Cell. 2010 Apr 15;21(8):1409-22. doi: 10.1091/mbc.e09-06-0451. Epub 2010 Feb 24.

Abstract

Migration of fibroblasts is important in wound healing. Here, we demonstrate a role and a mechanism for h3/acidic calponin (aCaP, CNN3) in REF52.2 cell motility, a fibroblast line rich in actin filaments. We show that the actin-binding protein h3/acidic calponin associates with stress fibers in the absence of stimulation but is targeted to the cell cortex and podosome-like structures after stimulation with a phorbol ester, phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu). By coimmunoprecipitation and colocalization, we show that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and protein kinase C (PKC)alpha constitutively associate with h3/acidic calponin and are cotargeted with h3/acidic calponin in the presence of PDBu. This targeting can be blocked by a PKC inhibitor but does not require phosphorylation of h3/acidic calponin at the PKC sites S175 or T184. Knockdown of h3/acidic calponin results in a loss of PDBu-mediated ERK1/2 targeting, whereas PKCalpha targeting is unaffected. Caldesmon is an actin-binding protein that regulates actomyosin interactions and is a known substrate of ERK1/2. Both ERK1/2 activity and nonmuscle l-caldesmon phosphorylation are blocked by h3/acidic calponin knockdown. Furthermore, h3/acidic calponin knockdown inhibits REF52.2 migration in an in vitro wound healing assay. Our findings are consistent with a model whereby h3/acidic calponin controls fibroblast migration by regulation of ERK1/2-mediated l-caldesmon phosphorylation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Calponins
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / enzymology*
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Intracellular Space / drug effects
  • Intracellular Space / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Microfilament Proteins / chemistry
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • Muscles / drug effects
  • Muscles / enzymology
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate / pharmacology
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Phosphoserine / metabolism
  • Phosphothreonine / metabolism
  • Protein Binding / drug effects
  • Protein Kinase C-alpha / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Protein Transport / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Wound Healing / drug effects

Substances

  • Actins
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Phosphothreonine
  • Phosphoserine
  • Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate
  • Protein Kinase C-alpha
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3