Integrin contacts with extracellular matrix play fundamental roles in vascular biology by promoting cell- adhesion, controlling cell motility, and regulating cell survival. As transmembrane integrin receptors do not possess intrinsic catalytic activity, signals generated by integrins must be mediated by associated proteins. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase that associates with and is activated by integrins. FAK also acts downstream of growth factor receptors such as VEGFr to promote endothelial cell (EC) motility and survival during the processes of angiogenesis. FAK function is essential for mouse EC cell biology as complete or conditional EC-specific FAK knockouts yield embryonic lethal phenotypes with defects in blood vessel morphogenesis. However, as FAK works as both a scaffolding protein and as a signaling kinase, knockout studies do not provide mechanistic insights in distinguishing these features of FAK action. Here, we will build upon a novel role for FAK in its ability to become nuclear-localized and function as a negative regulator of the p53 tumor suppressor under conditions of cellular stress. We found that FAK inactivates p53 in a kinase-independent manner through N-terminal FAK FERM (band 4.1, ezrin, radixin, moesin homology) domain-mediated nuclear translocation and enhancement of Mdm2-dependent p53 ubiquitination using primary mouse and human fibroblasts. We propose that FAK FERM nuclear-association promotes cell survival by keeping p53 levels low. As we find that FAK localizes to both integrin-associated signaling sites and to the nucleus of ECs, this proposal will test the overall hypothesis that FAK controls EC survival and motility- morphogenesis through differential kinase-independent (FERM-nuclear) and kinase-dependent (FAK-integrin) mechanisms, respectively.
Aim -1 will use lentiviral-mediated FAK shRNA knockdown and gain-of-function FAK re-expression studies to test whether nuclear FAK promotes EC survival in a kinase-independent manner and whether integrin-associated FAK activation is required to promote cell motility.
Aim -2 will determine the role of FAK signaling during developmental vasculogenesis-angiogenesis through the analysis of FAK knock-in mice and in vitro gain-of-function reconstitution studies using FAK-/- mouse embryonic stem cells stimulated to differentiate into ECs.
Aim -3 will use an inducible and conditional EC-specific FAK knockout in adult mice or pharmacological inhibition of FAK activity to determine the role of FAK in growth factor-stimulated angiogenesis. All three aims are also designed to differentiate the signaling differences between loss of FAK expression or inactivation of FAK catalytic activity in ECs. The results of these studies will provide important molecular insights for designing therapeutic agents for treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Public Health Relevance

In anti-cancer research, specific targeted anti-angiogenic therapeutic strategies are being adopted and used in combination with conventional anti-proliferative chemotherapeutic and radiotheraputic anti-tumor regimens. Our studies will provide important and novel insights into FAK function in controlling endothelial cell motility and survival. The results of these studies may serve as proof-of-principal for the future development of pharmacological inhibitors to FAK as anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic therapies.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL093156-02
Application #
7678921
Study Section
Cardiovascular Differentiation and Development Study Section (CDD)
Program Officer
Goldman, Stephen
Project Start
2008-09-01
Project End
2012-08-31
Budget Start
2009-09-01
Budget End
2010-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$491,200
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California San Diego
Department
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
804355790
City
La Jolla
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92093
Jean, Christine; Chen, Xiao Lei; Nam, Ju-Ock et al. (2014) Inhibition of endothelial FAK activity prevents tumor metastasis by enhancing barrier function. J Cell Biol 204:247-63
Lim, Ssang-Taek; Miller, Nichol L G; Chen, Xiao Lei et al. (2012) Nuclear-localized focal adhesion kinase regulates inflammatory VCAM-1 expression. J Cell Biol 197:907-19
Lawson, Christine; Schlaepfer, David D (2012) Integrin adhesions: who's on first? What's on second? Connections between FAK and talin. Cell Adh Migr 6:302-6
Chen, Xiao Lei; Nam, Ju-Ock; Jean, Christine et al. (2012) VEGF-induced vascular permeability is mediated by FAK. Dev Cell 22:146-57
Pasapera, Ana M; Schneider, Ian C; Rericha, Erin et al. (2010) Myosin II activity regulates vinculin recruitment to focal adhesions through FAK-mediated paxillin phosphorylation. J Cell Biol 188:877-90
Lim, Ssang-Taek; Chen, Xiao Lei; Tomar, Alok et al. (2010) Knock-in mutation reveals an essential role for focal adhesion kinase activity in blood vessel morphogenesis and cell motility-polarity but not cell proliferation. J Biol Chem 285:21526-36
Lim, Ssang-Taek; Miller, Nichol L G; Nam, Ju-Ock et al. (2010) Pyk2 inhibition of p53 as an adaptive and intrinsic mechanism facilitating cell proliferation and survival. J Biol Chem 285:1743-53
Tomar, Alok; Schlaepfer, David D (2009) Focal adhesion kinase: switching between GAPs and GEFs in the regulation of cell motility. Curr Opin Cell Biol 21:676-83
Tomar, Alok; Lim, Ssang-Taek; Lim, Yangmi et al. (2009) A FAK-p120RasGAP-p190RhoGAP complex regulates polarity in migrating cells. J Cell Sci 122:1852-62