A platelet integrin, allbbeta3, plays critical roles in platelet adhesion and aggregation. Integrin allbbeta3 mediates two-way signaling transduction. Intracellular signals, via the integrin cytoplasmic domains induces inside-out signaling, activating the ligand binding function of allbbeta3. Ligand binding to allbbeta3 induces outside-in signaling, which also requires integrin cytoplasmic domains to mediate cellular responses such as protein tyrosine phosphorylation, cytoskeleton reorganization, cell spreading, and stable adhesion. We have reconstituted beta3 integrin signaling in cultured mammalian cell model expressing recombinant human integrin llbbeta3 and human glycoprotein Ib-IX. Using this model, we have provided evidence that the structural requirements for outside-in signaling are different from inside-out signaling. Thus we hypothesize that outside-in signaling and inside-out signaling of beta3 integrins can be differentially regulated. Furthermore, we have shown that the cytoplasmic domain of integrin can be cleaved by the calcium-dependent protease, calpain, at specific sites flanking two functionally important NXXY motifs, causing differential regulation of integrin two-way signaling. Thus we further hypothesize that calpain cleavages serve as an important mechanism that differentially regulates inside-out and outside-in signaling. In particular, calpain cleavage at Y759 selectively regulates outside-in signaling. To test these hypotheses, we propose to investigate (1) why common and distinct structures in the cytoplasmic domain of beta3 are required in inside-out and outside-in integrin signaling, (2) the structural basis of calpain recognition of beta3, (3) whether calpain cleavage is regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation, and (4) whether and how calpain regulate integrin signaling using calpain I knockout mice and siRNA techniques and a calpain-resistant mutant the integrin.
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