title: A specific FMNL2 isoform is up-regulated in invasive cells.
abstract: Formins are a highly conserved family of cytoskeletal remodeling proteins. A growing body of evidence suggests that formins play key roles in the progression and spread of a variety of cancers. There are 15 human formin proteins and of these the Diaphanous-Related Formins (DRFs) are the best characterized. Included in the DRFs are the Formin-Like proteins, FMNL1, 2 & 3, each of which have been strongly implicated in driving tumorigenesis and metastasis of specific tumors. In particular, increased FMNL2 expression correlates with increased invasiveness of colorectal cancer (CRC) in vivo and for a variety of CRC cell-lines in vitro. FMNL2 expression is also required for invasive cell motility in other cancer cell-lines. There are multiple alternatively spliced isoforms of FMNL2 and it is predicted that the encoded proteins will differ in their regulation, subcellular localization and in their ability to regulate cytoskeletal dynamics.
  
  
  
  Using RT-PCR we identified four FMNL2 isoforms expressed in CRC and melanoma cell-lines. We find that a previously uncharacterized FMNL2 isoform is predominantly expressed in a variety of melanoma and CRC cell lines; this isoform is also more effective in driving 3D motility. Building on previous reports, we also show that FMNL2 is required for invasion in A375 and WM266.4 melanoma cells.
  
  
  
  Taken together, these results suggest that FMNL2 is likely to be generally required in melanoma cells for invasion, that a specific isoform of FMNL2 is up-regulated in invasive CRC and melanoma cells and this isoform is the most effective at facilitating invasion.
authors: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Péladeau
authors: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada.
authors: Allan
authors: A
authors: Heibein
authors: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada.
authors: Melissa T
authors: MT
authors: Maltez
authors: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada.
authors: Sarah J
authors: SJ
authors: Copeland
authors: Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada. John.copeland@uottawa.ca.
authors: John W
authors: JW
authors: Copeland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D000080865:Formins; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011554:Pseudopodia / Q000378:metabolism; D022502:Stress Fibers / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: C476208:FMNL2 protein, human; D000080865:Formins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011506:Proteins
keywords: Actin; Colorectal cancer; FMNL2; Formins; Invasion; Melanoma; Metastasis