Protein kinase A activity is regulated by actomyosin contractility during cell migration and is required for durotaxis

Mol Biol Cell. 2020 Jan 1;31(1):45-58. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E19-03-0131. Epub 2019 Nov 13.

Abstract

Dynamic subcellular regulation of protein kinase A (PKA) activity is important for the motile behavior of many cell types, yet the mechanisms governing PKA activity during cell migration remain largely unknown. The motility of SKOV-3 epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cells has been shown to be dependent both on localized PKA activity and, more recently, on mechanical reciprocity between cellular tension and extracellular matrix rigidity. Here, we investigated the possibility that PKA is regulated by mechanical signaling during migration. We find that localized PKA activity in migrating cells rapidly decreases upon inhibition of actomyosin contractility (specifically, of myosin ATPase, Rho kinase, or myosin light-chain kinase activity). Moreover, PKA activity is spatially and temporally correlated with cellular traction forces in migrating cells. Additionally, PKA is rapidly and locally activated by mechanical stretch in an actomyosin contractility-dependent manner. Finally, inhibition of PKA activity inhibits mechanically guided migration, also known as durotaxis. These observations establish PKA as a locally regulated effector of cellular mechanotransduction and as a regulator of mechanically guided cell migration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actin Cytoskeleton / metabolism
  • Actomyosin / metabolism*
  • Actomyosin / physiology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / physiology
  • Contractile Proteins / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / physiology
  • Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mechanotransduction, Cellular / physiology*
  • Muscle Contraction
  • Myosins / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • rho-Associated Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Contractile Proteins
  • Actomyosin
  • rho-Associated Kinases
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Myosins