Our long-term goal is to determine how cells establish and maintain progressive motility to repopulate tissues in response to external signals. In wound repair, soluble growth factors direct fibroblasts and endothelial cells repopulate the immature matrix to form both the supporting matrix and vasculature required to regenerate the tissue structures. The initial migration is driven by stimulatory cues arising from within the wound bed. However, once within the wound bed, the cells must distribute often in the absence of stimuli gradients. A central question is therefore how cells establish the sustained asymmetry required for progressive migration. Cell migration requires asymmetry of biophysical force-related processes;in eukaryotic cells this is likely governed by intracellular signals. At the front, the cells must extend lamellipodia and form new adhesions to stabilize the dominant protrusion, while rear de-adhesion and retraction is required to enable progressive movement. Between these two cell regions, contractility occurs to bring the cell body forward. To productively choreograph these processes, a cell must establish persistent directionality. During the initial grant period we have found that during motility induced by near ubiquitous chemokinetic EGFR ligands, that the initial actviation of PLCy (phospholipase-Cy) establishes an asymmetry of an important membrane moiety, PIP2 (phosphoinositide bisphosphate). Our preliminary data suggest that the biochemical cascades leading to the biophysical processes are regulated at least in part by this membrane moiety and docking site. Thus, we hypothesize that the localized activation of key biochemical signaling cascades required for productive cell motility results from the integration of phospho-inositide asymmetry in the plasma membrane. We propose to test the following postulates: /. That m-calpain (CAPN2), required for rear release during motility, is localized to an activatable peri-plasma membrane locale by binding to PIP2. II. That PKCS-mediated contractility, required topull the cell body and tail forward, is localized to regions of PLCy activity linked by phospho-inositide turnover. III. That PI3 kinase designates andstabilizes the leading, dominant lamellipod to provide directionality. We focus on human fibroblasts and endothelial cells, with extension to mesenchymal stem cells. These studies will define molecular bases for spatial restriction of receptor signaling and resultant biophysical responses, offering promise for design of 'smart'scaffolds for tissue engineering to support tissue function.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01GM069668-07S2
Application #
8060808
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-SBIB-D (02))
Program Officer
Hagan, Ann A
Project Start
2004-01-15
Project End
2011-11-30
Budget Start
2009-12-01
Budget End
2010-11-30
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$52,313
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Pathology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
004514360
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
Bradshaw, Andrew; Sylakowski, Kyle; Wells, Alan (2018) The Pro-reparative Engine: Stem Cells Aid Healing by Dampening Inflammation. Curr Pathobiol Rep 6:109-115
Shao, Hanshuang; Wang, Anna; Lauffenburger, Douglas et al. (2018) Tyro3-mediated phosphorylation of ACTN4 at tyrosines is FAK-dependent and decreases susceptibility to cleavage by m-Calpain. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 95:73-84
Wells, Alan; Wiley, H Steven (2018) A systems perspective of heterocellular signaling. Essays Biochem 62:607-617
Yates, Cecelia C; Rodrigues, Melanie; Nuschke, Austin et al. (2017) Multipotent stromal cells/mesenchymal stem cells and fibroblasts combine to minimize skin hypertrophic scarring. Stem Cell Res Ther 8:193
Shao, Hanshuang; Lauffenburger, Douglas; Wells, Alan (2017) Tyro3 carboxyl terminal region confers stability and contains the autophosphorylation sites. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 490:1074-1079
Yates, Cecelia C; Nuschke, Austin; Rodrigues, Melanie et al. (2017) Improved Transplanted Stem Cell Survival in a Polymer Gel Supplemented With Tenascin C Accelerates Healing and Reduces Scarring of Murine Skin Wounds. Cell Transplant 26:103-113
Wells, Alan; Nuschke, Austin; Yates, Cecelia C (2016) Skin tissue repair: Matrix microenvironmental influences. Matrix Biol 49:25-36
Bodnar, Richard J; Satish, Latha; Yates, Cecelia C et al. (2016) Pericytes: A newly recognized player in wound healing. Wound Repair Regen 24:204-14
Gordonov, Simon; Hwang, Mun Kyung; Wells, Alan et al. (2016) Time series modeling of live-cell shape dynamics for image-based phenotypic profiling. Integr Biol (Camb) 8:73-90
Nuschke, Austin; Rodrigues, Melanie; Wells, Albin W et al. (2016) Mesenchymal stem cells/multipotent stromal cells (MSCs) are glycolytic and thus glucose is a limiting factor of in vitro models of MSC starvation. Stem Cell Res Ther 7:179

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