Ezrin regulates focal adhesion and invadopodia dynamics by altering calpain activity to promote breast cancer cell invasion.

ABSTRACT: Up-regulation of the cytoskeleton linker protein ezrin frequently occurs in aggressive cancer types and is closely linked with metastatic progression. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms detailing how ezrin is involved in the invasive and metastatic phenotype remain unclear. Here we report a novel function of ezrin in regulating focal adhesion (FA) and invadopodia dynamics, two key processes required for efficient invasion to occur. We show that depletion of ezrin expression in invasive breast cancer cells impairs both FA and invadopodia turnover. We also demonstrate that ezrin-depleted cells display reduced calpain-mediated cleavage of the FA and invadopodia-associated proteins talin, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and cortactin and reduced calpain-1-specific membrane localization,

SUBMITTER: Hoskin V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4591691 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature