title: Stat3-Efemp2a modulates the fibrillar matrix for cohesive movement of prechordal plate progenitors.
abstract: Recently, emerging evidence has shown that Stat3 controls tumor cell migration and invasion. However, the molecular mechanisms by which Stat3 controls the cell movement remain largely unknown. Embryonic gastrula progenitors display coordinated and orientated migration, called collective cell migration. Collective cell migration is the simultaneous movement of multiple cells and is universally involved in physiological and pathological programs. Stat3 activity is required for the migration of gastrula progenitors, but it does not affect cell specification, thus suggesting that gastrula movements are an excellent model to provide insight into Stat3 control of cell migration in vivo. In this study, we reveal a novel mechanism by which Stat3 modulates extracellular matrix (ECM) assembly to control the coherence of collective migration of prechordal plate progenitors during zebrafish embryonic gastrulation. We show that Stat3 regulates the expression of Efemp2a in the prechordal plate progenitors that migrate anteriorly during gastrulation. Alteration of Stat3-Efemp2a signaling activity disrupted the configuration of fibronectin (FN) and laminin (LM) matrices, resulting in defective coherence of prechordal plate progenitor movements in zebrafish embryos. We demonstrate that Efemp2a acts as a downstream effector of Stat3 to promote ECM configuration for coherent collective cell migrations in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Chaoran
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Liangjun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Lulu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Hongda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China Department of Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Wentong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China xuhongm@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Xianming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mo
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D047369:Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004285:Dogs; D004707:Endoderm / Q000166:cytology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D054262:Gastrulation / Q000502:physiology*; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006367:HeLa Cells; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D061985:Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells; D060172:Morpholinos / Q000235:genetics; D016296:Mutagenesis; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D059008:Time-Lapse Imaging; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; C000594193:Efemp2a protein, zebrafish; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D060172:Morpholinos; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C494089:stat3 protein, zebrafish
keywords: Collective cell migration; Extracellular matrix; Stat3-Efemp2a signaling