The adaptor protein Nck1 mediates endothelin A receptor-regulated cell migration through the Cdc42-dependent c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway

J Biol Chem. 2004 Aug 13;279(33):34336-42. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M402767200. Epub 2004 Jun 7.

Abstract

Cell migration plays key roles in physiological and pathological phenomena, such as development and oncogenesis. The adaptor proteins Grb2, CrkII, and Nck1 are composed of only a single Src homology 2 domain and some Src homology 3 domains, giving specificity to each signal transduction pathway. However, little is known about the relationships between their adaptor proteins and cell migration, which are regulated by the G protein-coupled receptor. Here we showed that Nck1, but not Grb2 or CrkII, mediated the inhibition of cell migration induced by the endothelin-1 and endothelin A receptor. The small interference RNA and dominant negative mutants of Nck1 diminished the endothelin-1-induced inhibition of cell migration. Although overexpression of wild-type Nck1 was detected in the cytosol and did not affect cell migration, expression of the myristoylation signal sequence-conjugated Nck1 was detected in the membrane and induced activation of Cdc42 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, inhibiting cell migration. Taken together, these results suggest that the endothelin A receptor transduces the signal of inhibition of cell migration through Cdc42-dependent c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation by using Nck1.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cell Movement
  • Cytosol / metabolism
  • Endothelin-1 / metabolism*
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Genes, Dominant
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Oncogene Proteins / physiology*
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Precipitin Tests
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Receptor, Endothelin A / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transfection
  • cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism*
  • src Homology Domains
  • src-Family Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Endothelin-1
  • Nck protein
  • Oncogene Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptor, Endothelin A
  • src-Family Kinases
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein