title: Cell confluence regulates hepatocyte growth factor-stimulated cell morphogenesis in a beta-catenin-dependent manner.
abstract: Following organ injury, morphogenic epithelial responses can vary depending on local cell density. In the present study, the role of cell confluence in determining the responsiveness of renal epithelial cells to the dedifferentiating morphogenic signals of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was examined. Increasing confluence resulted in a greater tendency of cells to organize into epithelial tubes and a significant decrease in migratory responsiveness to HGF. Analysis of downstream signaling revealed that the HGF receptor c-Met was equally activated in confluent and nonconfluent cells following HGF stimulation but that phosphoinositide 3-kinase-dependent activation of Akt and Rac were selectively diminished in confluent cells. In nonconfluent cells treated with HGF, the high level of Akt activation resulted in inhibitory phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK-3beta) and increased beta-catenin nuclear signaling. In contrast, confluent cells, in which HGF-stimulated Akt activation was diminished, displayed less inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK-3beta and less nuclear signaling by beta-catenin. Overexpression of beta-catenin (SA), which cannot be phosphorylated by GSK-3beta and targeted for ubiquitination, significantly increased migration in fully confluent cells. Thus, cells maintained at high confluence selectively downregulate signaling events such as Rac activation and beta-catenin-dependent transcription that would otherwise promote cell dedifferentiation and migration.
authors.affiliation: Section of Nephrology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
authors.forename: Shuta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishibe
authors.forename: J Erika
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Haydu
authors.forename: Akashi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Togawa
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marlier
authors.forename: Lloyd G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Cantley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D007685:Kidney Tubules, Collecting / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D051176:beta Catenin; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor