Click here to close
Hello! We notice that you are using Internet Explorer, which is not supported by Xenbase and may cause the site to display incorrectly.
We suggest using a current version of Chrome,
FireFox, or Safari.
???displayArticle.abstract???
During canonical Wnt signaling, the Wnt receptor complex is sequestered together with glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) and Axin inside late endosomes, known as multivesicular bodies (MVBs). Here, we present experiments showing that Wnt causes the endocytosis of focal adhesion (FA) proteins and depletion of Integrin β 1 (ITGβ1) from the cell surface. FAs and integrins link the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. Wnt-induced endocytosis caused ITGβ1 depletion from the plasma membrane and was accompanied by striking changes in the actin cytoskeleton. In situ protease protection assays in cultured cells showed that ITGβ1 was sequestered within membrane-bounded organelles that corresponded to Wnt-induced MVBs containing GSK3 and FA-associated proteins. An in vivo model using Xenopus embryos dorsalized by Wnt8 mRNA showed that ITGβ1 depletion decreased Wnt signaling. The finding of a crosstalk between two major signaling pathways, canonical Wnt and focal adhesions, should be relevant to human cancer and cell biology.
Figure 1. Wnt3a treatment for 20 min causes a major rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesions in human corneal stromal (HCSF) fibroblasts(A-A″) Image of HCSF fibroblast showing that the cells attach well to fibronectin-coated plastic, have prominent F-actin cables stained by Phalloidin (in red), and abundant focal adhesion sites immunostained with vinculin (in green).(B-B″) Wnt3a treatment causes disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, vinculin becomes associated with intracellular vesicles sometimes surrounded by F-actin (indicated by arrowheads), and few focal adhesions are visible. Similar results were obtained in three independent experiments. Insets show higher magnifications of actin and vinculin colocalization. Nuclei were stained with DAPI. Scale bars, 10 μm.(C) Quantification of the colocalization of vinculin and the F-actin marker phalloidin by Pearson’s correlation coefficient using ImageJ. Error bars denote SEM (n ≥ 3) (∗∗p < 0.01). See also Figure S1 and Video S1. Mutation in Axin1 causes extensive membrane ruffling and macropinocytosis in HCC cells, related to Figures 1 and S1, Video S2. Mimicking Wnt with the GSK3 inhibitor LiCl triggers macropinocytic cup formation in cultured Xenopus animal cap cells, related to Figures 1 and S1, Video S3. Activated Ras-GFP triggers macropinocytosis, related to Figures 1 and S1, Video S4. Increased cell motility triggered in Xenopus animal cap cells by the GSK3 inhibitor LiCl, which mimics Wnt signaling, related to Figures 1 and S1.
Figure 2. Wnt3a treatment caused the formation of vesicles that sequestered GSK3 and the focal adhesion protein zyxin; Immunostainings of endogenous GSK3 and zyxin(A–B′) Fluorescence microscopy images in HeLa cells showing that Wnt treatment (100 ng/mL, 20 min) caused the translocation of GSK3 from the cytosol into vesicles. Note that Wnt3a protein caused the formation of prominent vesicles visible by light microscopy (arrowheads).(C–D′) The focal adhesion protein zyxin is sequestered in vesicles, as GSK3 is, by 20 min Wnt stimulation. Images were generated using a Zeiss Imager Z.1 microscope with Apotome using high magnification.(E–F) Quantification of the immunofluorescence found in vesicles (see STAR Methods). Scale bars, 10 μm. Error bars denote SEM (n ≥ 3) (∗∗p < 0.01). See also Figure S2.
Figure 3. Integrin beta-1 is rapidly endocytosed by WntTime course (0–30 min) of Wnt3a treatment was performed in HeLa cells at a permissive temperature for endocytosis. After that, the plasma membrane was labeled with Sulfo-NHS-SS-Biotin on ice for 30 min. Pull-down assay with streptavidin-agarose beads showed that Wnt treatment induced the endocytosis of ITGβ1 after 15 min. Lanes 1–4 are HeLa Cell lysate loading controls. Lanes 5–8 show samples after pull-down with biotin agarose beads. Cell extracts were analyzed by western blot with ITGβ1 antibody. Note that cell surface ITGβ1 is endocytosed after 15 or 30 min of Wnt3a treatment. Transferrin Receptor (TfR) was used as a specificity control that is recycled independently of the Wnt pathway. Tubulin antibodies served as a control for cytoplasmic contamination. Similar results were obtained in three independent experiments. See also Figure S3.
Figure 4. GSK3 and Integrin β-1 are protected from proteinase K digestion inside membrane-bounded organelles in digitonin-permeabilized cells, but not in the presence of Triton X-100 which solubilizes intracellular membranes(A) Diagram of steps involved in the in situ protease protection assay.(B and C) HeLa cells plated on glass coverslips were permeabilized with digitonin, treated with proteinase K to digest cytosolic proteins, stained with ITGβ1 and GSK3 antibodies, and analyzed by fluorescence microscopy. ITGβ1 and GSK3 were protease-protected within the same vesicles after treatment with Wnt3a protein for 20 min.(D and E) HeLa cells treated as described above, except for the addition of Triton X-100, used as control, which dissolves inner membranes and leads to the digestion by exogenous protease of ITGβ1 and GSK3; DAPI labels nuclei. All of the assays were performed in triplicate. Insets show higher magnification views. Scale bars, 10 μm.(F) Quantification of the number of puncta double-stained with ITGβ1 and GSK3 antibodies in protease protection assay using ImageJ. Error bars denote SEM (n ≥ 3) (∗∗p < 0.01). See also Figure S4.
Figure 5. Integrin β-1 colocalizes together with the multivesicular endosome marker Vps4, but not with its dominant-negative point mutant Vps4-EQ(A and B) HeLa cells transiently transfected with Vps4-GFP were analyzed using fluorescence microscopy with anti- ITGβ1 antibody. Wnt3a treatment of 20 min caused the re-distribution of ITGβ1 into puncta, known to correspond to MVBs (Taelman et al., 2010), indicated by arrowheads.(C and D) Overexpression of the dominant-negative-Vps4-GFP construct containing a single mutation (EQ) in the ATP binding site blocked the induction of ITGβ1 vesicles by Wnt protein. All assays were performed in triplicate. Scale bars, 10 μm.(E) Quantification of ITGβ1 and Vps4 double-positive puncta in transfected HeLa cells. Error bars denote SEM (n ≥ 3) (∗∗p < 0.01).
Figure 6. ITGβ1 MO inhibits Wnt signaling in a sensitized Xenopus embryo assay in which injection of xWnt8 four times into the animal pole induces a radial dorsalized phenotype(A) Control Xenopus embryos at early tail bud.(B) Embryos injected four times in the animal region at the 4-cell stage with 0.5 pg Wnt8myc mRNA consistently induced a radial head phenotype lacking any trunk development.(C) No phenotype was observed with ITGβ1 MO alone.(D) Co-injection of xITGβ1 antisense MO consistently inhibited the dorsalizing effects of xWnt8, allowing the formation of partial axial structures.(E) Microinjection of human ITGβ1 mRNA was without phenotypic effect.(F) The effect of ITGβ1 MO was specific because it was rescued by human ITGβ1 mRNA which is not targeted by the MO sequence.(G and H) Injecting the same dose (0.5 pg) of xWnt8myc mRNA into a single ventral marginal location in 4-cell embryos induces the familiar axis duplication phenotype; it is shown here to contrast with the radial dorsalized phenotype caused by four injections into the animal pole used in this sensitized assay system. Images were taken with an Axio Zoom V.16 Stereo Zoom Zeiss at low magnification. Similar results were obtained in five independent experiments. Numbers of embryos analyzed were as follows A = 140, 100%; B = 128, 97%; C = 132, 98%; D = 125, 92%; E = 129, 100%; F = 124, 85% (5 independent experiments); G = 48, 100%; H = 92, 91% complete axes (2 independent experiments). Scale bar, 500 μm. For β-catenin reporter assay in animal caps, see Figure S5.
Figure 7. Model of the endocytosis of the focal adhesion and ITGβ1 by WntAfter Wnt treatment, Lrp6/Fz/Wnt/GSK3 signalosomes, the master regulator of cell adhesion ITGβ1, and other focal adhesion components are endocytosed by macropinocytic cups in an actin-driven process. Macropinocytosis is required for canonical Wnt signaling. Sequestration of GSK3 in MVBs is necessary for the stabilization of β-catenin that mediates the transcriptional activity of canonical Wnt.
Abercrombie,
The locomotion of fibroblasts in culture. IV. Electron microscopy of the leading lamella.
1971, Pubmed
Abercrombie,
The locomotion of fibroblasts in culture. IV. Electron microscopy of the leading lamella.
1971,
Pubmed
Acebron,
Mitotic wnt signaling promotes protein stabilization and regulates cell size.
2014,
Pubmed
Albrecht,
Arginine methylation is required for canonical Wnt signaling and endolysosomal trafficking.
2018,
Pubmed
Albrecht,
GSK3 Inhibits Macropinocytosis and Lysosomal Activity through the Wnt Destruction Complex Machinery.
2020,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Albrecht,
Cell Biology of Canonical Wnt Signaling.
2021,
Pubmed
Bachir,
Actin-Based Adhesion Modules Mediate Cell Interactions with the Extracellular Matrix and Neighboring Cells.
2017,
Pubmed
Beckerle,
Identification of a new protein localized at sites of cell-substrate adhesion.
1986,
Pubmed
Bianchi,
Regulation of FAK Ser-722 phosphorylation and kinase activity by GSK3 and PP1 during cell spreading and migration.
2005,
Pubmed
Bilic,
Wnt induces LRP6 signalosomes and promotes dishevelled-dependent LRP6 phosphorylation.
2007,
Pubmed
Brower,
Molecular evolution of integrins: genes encoding integrin beta subunits from a coral and a sponge.
1997,
Pubmed
Cai,
Glycogen synthase kinase 3- and extracellular signal-regulated kinase-dependent phosphorylation of paxillin regulates cytoskeletal rearrangement.
2006,
Pubmed
Capelluto,
The DIX domain targets dishevelled to actin stress fibres and vesicular membranes.
2002,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Chaturvedi,
Molecular dissection of the mechanism by which EWS/FLI expression compromises actin cytoskeletal integrity and cell adhesion in Ewing sarcoma.
2014,
Pubmed
Chen,
fastp: an ultra-fast all-in-one FASTQ preprocessor.
2018,
Pubmed
Colozza,
Wnt-inducible Lrp6-APEX2 interacting proteins identify ESCRT machinery and Trk-fused gene as components of the Wnt signaling pathway.
2020,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Condon,
Macropinosome formation by tent pole ruffling in macrophages.
2018,
Pubmed
Ding,
Bighead is a Wnt antagonist secreted by the Xenopus Spemann organizer that promotes Lrp6 endocytosis.
2018,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Dobrowolski,
Presenilin deficiency or lysosomal inhibition enhances Wnt signaling through relocalization of GSK3 to the late-endosomal compartment.
2012,
Pubmed
Doherty,
Mechanisms of endocytosis.
2009,
Pubmed
Du,
Extracellular matrix stiffness dictates Wnt expression through integrin pathway.
2016,
Pubmed
Frame,
v-Src's hold over actin and cell adhesions.
2002,
Pubmed
Gallego-Muñoz,
Human corneal fibroblast migration and extracellular matrix synthesis during stromal repair: Role played by platelet-derived growth factor-BB, basic fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor-β1.
2018,
Pubmed
Griffith,
RNAi knockdown of the focal adhesion protein TES reveals its role in actin stress fibre organisation.
2005,
Pubmed
Gruenberg,
The biogenesis of multivesicular endosomes.
2004,
Pubmed
Gu,
Integrins traffic rapidly via circular dorsal ruffles and macropinocytosis during stimulated cell migration.
2011,
Pubmed
Kaplan,
Association of the amino-terminal half of c-Src with focal adhesions alters their properties and is regulated by phosphorylation of tyrosine 527.
1994,
Pubmed
Kim,
Identification of targets of the Wnt pathway destruction complex in addition to beta-catenin.
2009,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Kim,
Wnt Signaling Translocates Lys48-Linked Polyubiquitinated Proteins to the Lysosomal Pathway.
2015,
Pubmed
Li,
TES inhibits colorectal cancer progression through activation of p38.
2016,
Pubmed
Li,
Macropinocytosis-mediated membrane recycling drives neural crest migration by delivering F-actin to the lamellipodium.
2020,
Pubmed
Loh,
Generating Cellular Diversity and Spatial Form: Wnt Signaling and the Evolution of Multicellular Animals.
2016,
Pubmed
Moreno-Layseca,
Integrin trafficking in cells and tissues.
2019,
Pubmed
Mylvaganam,
The cytoskeleton in phagocytosis and macropinocytosis.
2021,
Pubmed
Nichols,
Endocytosis without clathrin coats.
2001,
Pubmed
Niehrs,
The complex world of WNT receptor signalling.
2012,
Pubmed
Niehrs,
The role of Xenopus developmental biology in unraveling Wnt signalling and antero-posterior axis formation.
2022,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Nieto,
EMT: 2016.
2016,
Pubmed
Nusse,
Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling, Disease, and Emerging Therapeutic Modalities.
2017,
Pubmed
Ramirez,
Plasma membrane V-ATPase controls oncogenic RAS-induced macropinocytosis.
2019,
Pubmed
Ramirez,
The α₂β₁ integrin is a metastasis suppressor in mouse models and human cancer.
2011,
Pubmed
Redelman-Sidi,
The Canonical Wnt Pathway Drives Macropinocytosis in Cancer.
2018,
Pubmed
Retta,
beta1-integrin cytoplasmic subdomains involved in dominant negative function.
1998,
Pubmed
Smith,
Xenopus cell lines.
1991,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Sun,
Glycogen synthase kinase 3 in the world of cell migration.
2009,
Pubmed
Swanson,
The breadth of macropinocytosis research.
2019,
Pubmed
Taelman,
Wnt signaling requires sequestration of glycogen synthase kinase 3 inside multivesicular endosomes.
2010,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
Tejeda-Muñoz,
Wnt canonical pathway activates macropinocytosis and lysosomal degradation of extracellular proteins.
2019,
Pubmed
Tu,
Endosomal-sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) pathway-dependent endosomal traffic regulates the localization of active Src at focal adhesions.
2010,
Pubmed
Vanlandingham,
Rab7 regulates late endocytic trafficking downstream of multivesicular body biogenesis and cargo sequestration.
2009,
Pubmed
Vinyoles,
Multivesicular GSK3 sequestration upon Wnt signaling is controlled by p120-catenin/cadherin interaction with LRP5/6.
2014,
Pubmed
Yokoyama,
Dishevelled-2 docks and activates Src in a Wnt-dependent manner.
2009,
Pubmed
Yu,
Kindlin 2 forms a transcriptional complex with β-catenin and TCF4 to enhance Wnt signalling.
2012,
Pubmed