Myosin light chain kinase plays a role in the regulation of epithelial cell survival

Connell, L. E., Helfman, D. M. (June 2006) Myosin light chain kinase plays a role in the regulation of epithelial cell survival. J Cell Sci, 119 (Pt 11). pp. 2269-81. ISSN 0021-9533 (Print)

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URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16723733
DOI: 10.1242/jcs.02926

Abstract

Myosin II activation is essential for stress fiber and focal adhesion formation, and is implicated in integrin-mediated signaling events. In this study we investigated the role of acto-myosin contractility, and its main regulators, i.e. myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and Rho-kinase (ROCK) in cell survival in normal and Ras-transformed MCF-10A epithelial cells. Treatment of cells with pharmacological inhibitors of MLCK (ML-7 and ML-9), or expression of dominant-negative MLCK, led to apoptosis in normal and transformed MCF-10A cells. By contrast, treatment of cells with a ROCK inhibitor (Y-27632) did not induce apoptosis in these cells. Apoptosis following inhibition of myosin II activation by MLCK is probably meditated through the death receptor pathway because expression of dominant-negative FADD blocked apoptosis. The apoptosis observed after MLCK inhibition is rescued by pre-treatment of cells with integrin-activating antibodies. In addition, this rescue of apoptosis is dependent on FAK activity, suggesting the participation of an integrin-dependent signaling pathway. These studies demonstrate a newly discovered role for MLCK in the generation of pro-survival signals in both untransformed and transformed epithelial cells and supports previous work suggesting distinct cellular roles for Rho-kinase- and MLCK-dependent regulation of myosin II.

Item Type: Paper
Subjects: organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell functions > apoptosis
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > integrin
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > enzymes > kinase
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > myosin
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Depositing User: CSHL Librarian
Date: 1 June 2006
Date Deposited: 19 Dec 2011 19:05
Last Modified: 06 Nov 2017 20:05
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/22776

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