Involvement of β- and γ-actin isoforms in actin cytoskeleton organization and migration abilities of bleb-forming human colon cancer cells

PLoS One. 2017 Mar 23;12(3):e0173709. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173709. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Amoeboid movement is characteristic for rounded cells, which do not form strong adhesion contacts with the ECM and use blebs as migratory protrusions. It is well known that actin is the main component of mature forms of these structures, but the exact role fulfilled by non-muscle actin isoforms β- and γ- in bleb formation and migration of these cells is still not fully understood. The aim of this study was to establish the role of β- and γ-actin in migration of bleb-forming cancer cells using isoform-specific antibodies and expression of fluorescently tagged actin isoforms. We observed, after staining with monoclonal antibodies, that both actins are present in these cells in the form of a cortical ring as well as in the area of blebs. Additionally, using simultaneous expression of differentially tagged β- and γ-actin in cells, we observed that the actin isoforms are present together in a single bleb. They were involved during bleb expansion as well as retraction. Also present in the area of these protrusions formed by both isoforms were the bleb markers-ezrin and myosin II. The overexpression of β- or γ-actin led to actin cytoskeletal rearrangement followed by the growth of migration and invasion abilities of examined human colon cancer cells, LS174T line. In summary these data prove that both actin isoforms have an impact on motility of bleb-forming cancer cells. Moreover, we conclude that monoclonal antibodies directed against actin isoforms in combination with the tagged actins are good tools to study their role in important biological processes.

MeSH terms

  • Actin Cytoskeleton / physiology*
  • Actin Cytoskeleton / ultrastructure
  • Actins / isolation & purification
  • Actins / physiology*
  • Blister / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / physiology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Polymerization
  • Protein Isoforms / physiology

Substances

  • Actins
  • Protein Isoforms

Grants and funding

Dorota Nowak would like to thank the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Poland, for Grant No. N N303337535. Aleksandra Simiczyjew would like to thank the National Center for Science for funds for doctoral thesis realization on the basis of the decision number: DEC-2014/12/T/NZ3/00503. Publication costs were supported by Wroclaw Center of Biotechnology program of the Leading National Research Center (KNOW) for 2014-2018. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.