title: Integrin-linked kinase is an essential mediator for T-cadherin-dependent signaling via Akt and GSK3beta in endothelial cells.
abstract: Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored T-cadherin (T-cad) influences several parameters of angiogenesis including endothelial cell (EC) differentiation, migration, proliferation, and survival. This presupposes signal transduction networking via mediatory regulators and molecular adaptors since T-cad lacks transmembrane and cytosolic domains. Here, using pharmacological inhibition of PI3K, adenoviral-mediated T-cad-overexpression, siRNA-mediated T-cad-depletion, and agonistic antibody-mediated ligation, we demonstrate signaling by T-cad through PI3K-Akt-GSK3beta pathways in EC. T-cad-overexpressing EC exhibited increased levels and nuclear accumulation of active beta-catenin, which was transcriptionally active as shown by increased Lef/Tcf reporter activity and cyclin D1 levels. Cotransduction of EC with constitutively active GSK3beta (S9A-GSK3beta) abrogated the stimulatory effects of T-cad on active beta-catenin accumulation, proliferation, and survival. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK), a membrane proximal upstream regulator of Akt and GSK3beta, was considered a candidate signaling mediator for T-cad. T-cad was present in anti-ILK immunoprecipitates, and confocal microscopy revealed colocalization of T-cad and ILK within lamellipodia of migrating cells. ILK-siRNA abolished T-cad-dependent effects on (Ser-473)Akt/(Ser-9)GSK3beta phosphorylation, active beta-catenin accumulation, and survival. We conclude ILK is an essential mediator for T-cad signaling via Akt and GSK3beta in EC. This is the first demonstration that ILK can regulate inward signaling by GPI-anchored proteins. Furthermore, ILK-GSK3beta-dependent modulation of active beta-catenin levels by GPI-anchored T-cad represents a novel mechanism for controlling cellular beta-catenin activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, Cardiovascular Laboratories, Basel University Hospital, Hebelstrasse 20, CH 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Manjunath B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Danila
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ivanov
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Philippova
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Erne
authors.forename: Thérèse J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Resink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006801:Humans; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism; D000099200:Scaffold Protein ILK
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D051176:beta Catenin; D000099200:Scaffold Protein ILK; C099972:H-cadherin; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human