title: Protein Depalmitoylation Is Induced by Wnt5a and Promotes Polarized Cell Behavior.
abstract: Wnt5a signaling regulates polarized cell behavior, but the downstream signaling events that promote cell polarity are not well understood. Our results show that Wnt5a promotes depalmitoylation of the melanoma cell adhesion molecule (MCAM) at cysteine 590. Mutation of Cys-590 to glycine is sufficient to polarize MCAM localization, similar to what is observed with Wnt5a stimulation. Inhibition of the depalmitoylating enzyme APT1 blocks Wnt5a-induced depalmitoylation, asymmetric MCAM localization, and cell invasion. Directly altering expression of the basal protein palmitoylation machinery is sufficient to promote cell invasion. Additionally, cancer mutations in palmitoyltransferases decrease MCAM palmitoylation and have impaired ability to suppress cell invasion. Our results provide evidence that Wnt5a induces protein depalmitoylation, which promotes polarized protein localization and cell invasion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.
authors.forename: Kristin B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Runkle
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.
authors.forename: Samantha M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Terkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.
authors.forename: Rachel I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Ekaireb
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104; Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104. Electronic address: ewitze@exchange.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Witze
mesh_terms: D051929:CD146 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D054878:Lipoylation; D009154:Mutation; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein
chemical_list: D051929:CD146 Antigen; C497902:MCAM protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C085389:WNT5A protein, human; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein; C402226:LYPLA1 protein, human; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases
keywords: Wnt signaling; cell invasion; cell polarity; cell signaling; protein palmitoylation