Recently, we demonstrated that integrin adhesion to the extracellular matrix at the cleavage furrow is essential for cytokinesis of adherent cells. Here, we report that tight junction protein ZO-1 (Zonula Occludens-1) is required for successful cytokinesis in NCI-H460 cells plated…
Molecular mechanism of T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP) activation by mitoxantrone by Mikko Ylilauri et al.
T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP) is a ubiquitously expressed non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase. It is involved in the negative regulation of many cellular signaling pathways. Thus, activation of TCPTP could have important therapeutic applications in diseases such as cancer and…
Integrin inactivators: balancing cellular functions in vitro and in vivo by Daniel Bouvard et al.
Integrins mediate cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions and integrate extracellular cues to the cytoskeleton and cellular signalling pathways. Integrin function on the cell surface is regulated by their activity switching such that intracellular proteins interacting with the integrin cytoplasmic domains increase…
Aneuploidy facilitates oncogenic transformation via specific genetic alterations, including Twist2 upregulation by Gunilla Högnäs et al.
Aneuploidy, deviation from the normal chromosome number, and other chromosomal aberrations are commonly observed in cancer. Integrin-mediated adhesion and dynamic turnover of adhesion sites are required for successful cytokinesis of normal adherent cells and impaired cell division can lead to…
Identification of protein interactions involved in cellular signaling by Jukka Westermarck et al.
Protein-protein interactions drive biological processes. They are critical for all intra- and extracellular functions, and the technologies to analyze them are widely applied throughout the various fields of biological sciences. This study takes an in-depth view of some common principles…
Unanchoring integrins in focal adhesions by Johanna Ivaska et al.
Focal adhesions are large structures through which integrins and scaffold proteins link the actin cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. A detailed analysis of integrin dynamics now indicates that focal-adhesion-associated integrins constantly switch between active and immobilized, and unbound and free-diffusing…
The R-Ras/RIN2/Rab5 complex controls endothelial cell adhesion and morphogenesis via active integrin endocytosis and Rac signaling by Chiara Sandri et al.
During developmental and tumor angiogenesis, semaphorins regulate blood vessel navigation by signaling through plexin receptors that inhibit the R-Ras subfamily of small GTPases. R-Ras is mainly expressed in vascular cells, where it induces adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM) through…
Negative regulators of integrin activity by Jeroen Pouwels et al.
Integrins are heterodimeric transmembrane adhesion receptors composed of α- and β-subunits. They are ubiquitously expressed and have key roles in a number of important biological processes, such as development, maintenance of tissue homeostasis and immunological responses. The activity of integrins,…
Distinct roles of AKT isoforms in regulating β1-integrin activity, migration, and invasion in prostate cancer by Reetta Virtakoivu et al.
AKT1 and AKT2 kinases have been shown to play opposite roles in breast cancer migration and invasion. In this study, an RNA interference screen for integrin activity inhibitors identified AKT1 as an inhibitor of β1-integrin activity in prostate cancer. Validation…
A functional genetic screen reveals new regulators of β1-integrin activity by Teijo Pellinen et al.
β1 integrins constitute a large group of widely distributed adhesion receptors, which regulate the ability of cells to interact with their surroundings. This regulation of the expression and activity of integrins is crucial for tissue homeostasis and development and contributes…