title: MUC5AC interactions with integrin β4 enhances the migration of lung cancer cells through FAK signaling.
abstract: MUC5AC is a secretory mucin aberrantly expressed in various cancers. In lung cancer, MUC5AC is overexpressed in both primary and metastatic lesions; however, its functional role is not well understood. The present study was aimed at evaluating mechanistic role of MUC5AC on metastasis of lung cancer cells. Clinically, the overexpression of MUC5AC was observed in lung cancer patient tissues and was associated with poor survival. In addition, the overexpression of Muc5ac was also observed in genetically engineered mouse lung adenocarcinoma tissues (Kras(G12D); Trp53(R172H/+); AdCre) in comparison with normal lung tissues. Our functional studies showed that MUC5AC knockdown resulted in significantly decreased migration in two lung cancer cell lines (A549 and H1437) as compared with scramble cells. Expression of integrins (α5, β1, β3, β4 and β5) was decreased in MUC5AC knockdown cells. As both integrins and MUC5AC have a von Willebrand factor domain, we assessed for possible interaction of MUC5AC and integrins in lung cancer cells. MUC5AC strongly interacted only with integrin β4. The co-localization of MUC5AC and integrin β4 was observed both in A549 lung cancer cells as well as genetically engineered mouse adenocarcinoma tissues. Activated integrins recruit focal adhesion kinase (FAK) that mediates metastatic downstream signaling pathways. Phosphorylation of FAK (Y397) was decreased in MUC5AC knockdown cells. MUC5AC/integrin β4/FAK-mediated lung cancer cell migration was confirmed through experiments utilizing a phosphorylation (Y397)-specific FAK inhibitor. In conclusion, overexpression of MUC5AC is a poor prognostic marker in lung cancer. MUC5AC interacts with integrin β4 that mediates phosphorylation of FAK at Y397 leading to lung cancer cell migration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lakshmanan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rachagani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hauke
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Krishn
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology-Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paknikar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seshacharyulu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karmakar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Nimmakayala
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaushik
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.|Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.affiliation: Section of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.|Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ponnusamy
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.|Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Batra
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology-Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.|Department of Internal Medicine, VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System and University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ganti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D039663:Integrin beta4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D055271:Mucin 5AC / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D039663:Integrin beta4; C524678:MUC5AC protein, human; C524679:Muc5ac protein, mouse; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D002945:Cisplatin