Metastasis-associated protein S100A4: spotlight on its role in cell migration.

S100A4 (also known as Mts1, metastasin, p9Ka, pEL98, CAPL, calvasculin, Fsp-1, placental calcium-binding protein) belongs to the family of EF-hand calcium-binding proteins, whose expression is elevated in a number of pathological conditions. Although it is well documented that S100A4 is expressed in cancer cells and contributes to tumor cell motility and metastatic progression, the exact underlying mechanisms remain elusive. An important characteristic feature of S100 proteins is their dual function, inside and outside the cell. In this review, we focus on the intracellular function of S100A4. The review contains structural analysis of S1004 in comparison with other members of S100 proteins. Possible modes of the interaction of S100 proteins with targets are described. Several examples of best-studied molecular interactions involving S100A4 with heavy chain of nonmuscle myosin IIA, LAR-interacting protein liprin beta1 and tumor suppressor protein p53 are provided. We suggest that the binding of S100A4 to these molecules is critical for the S100A4 function. Further studies of the implications of these interactions in different molecular pathways may shed additional light on the role of S100A4 protein in the control of tumor cell motility and migration. We discuss the approaches for down-regulation of S100A4 expression and their potential for application in the clinics.

Structure of apoptosis-linked protein ALG-2: insights into Ca2+-induced changes in penta-EF-hand proteins.

BACKGROUND: The Ca2+ binding apoptosis-linked gene-2 (ALG-2) protein acts as a proapoptotic factor in a variety of cell lines and is required either downstream or independently of caspases for apoptosis to occur. ALG-2 belongs to the penta-EF-hand (PEF) protein family and has two high-affinity and one low-affinity Ca2+ binding sites. Like other PEF proteins, its N terminus contains a Gly/Pro-rich segment. Ca2+ binding is required for the interaction with the target protein, ALG-2 interacting protein 1 (AIP1). RESULTS: We present the 2.3 A resolution crystal structure of Ca2+-Ioaded des1-20ALG-2 (aa 21-191), which was obtained by limited proteolysis of recombinant ALG-2 with elastase. The molecule contains eight alpha helices that fold into five EF-hands, and, similar to other members of this protein family, the molecule forms dimers. Ca2+ ions bind to EF1, EF3, and, surprisingly, to EF5. In the related proteins calpain and grancalcin, the EF5 does not bind Ca2+ and is thought to primarily facilitate dimerization. Most importantly, the conformation of des1-20ALG-2 is significantly different from that of calpain and grancalcin. This difference can be described as a rigid body rotation of EF1-2 relative to EF4-5 and the dimer interface, with a hinge within the EF3 loop. An electron density, which is interpreted as a hydrophobic Gly/Pro-rich decapeptide that is possibly derived from the cleaved N terminus, was found in a hydrophobic cleft between these two halves of the molecule. CONCLUSIONS: A different relative orientation of the N- and C-terminal halves of des1-20ALG-2 in the presence of Ca2+ and the peptide as compared to other Ca2+loaded PEF proteins changes substantially the shape of the molecule, exposing a hydrophobic patch on the surface for peptide binding and a large cleft near the dimer interface. We postulate that the binding of a Gly/ Pro-rich peptide in the presence of Ca2+ induces a conformational rearrangement in ALG-2, and that this mechanism is common to other PEF proteins.

The dimerization interface of the metastasis-associated protein S100A4 (Mts1): in vivo and in vitro studies.

The S100 calcium-binding proteins are implicated in signal transduction, motility, and cytoskeletal dynamics. The three-dimensional structure of several S100 proteins revealed that the proteins form non-covalent dimers. However, the mechanism of the S100 dimerization is still obscure. In this study we characterized the dimerization of S100A4 (also named Mts1) in vitro and in vivo. Analytical ultracentrifugation revealed that apoS100A4 was present in solution as a mixture of monomers and dimers in a rapidly reversible equilibrium (K(d) = 4 +/- 2 microm). The binding of calcium promoted dimerization. Replacement of Tyr-75 by Phe resulted in the stabilization of the dimer. Helix IV is known to form the major part of the dimerization interface in homologous S100 proteins. By using the yeast two-hybrid system we showed that only a few residues of helix IV, namely Phe-72, Tyr-75, Phe-78, and Leu-79, are essential for dimerization in vivo. A homology model demonstrated that these residues form a hydrophobic cluster on helix IV. Their role is to stabilize the structure of individual subunits rather than provide specific interactions across the dimerization surface. Our mutation data showed that the specificity at the dimerization surface is not particularly stringent, which is consistent with recent data indicating that S100 proteins can form heterodimers.

Metastasis-associated protein Mts1 (S100A4) inhibits CK2-mediated phosphorylation and self-assembly of the heavy chain of nonmuscle myosin.

A role for EF-hand calcium-binding protein Mts1 (S100A4) in the phosphorylation and the assembly of myosin filaments was studied. The nonmuscle myosin molecules form bipolar filaments, which interact with actin filaments to produce a contractile force. Phosphorylation of the myosin plays a regulatory role in the myosin assembly. In the presence of calcium, Mts1 binds at the C-terminal end of the myosin heavy chain close to the site of phosphorylation by protein kinase CK2 (Ser1944). In the present study, we have shown that interaction of Mts1 with the human platelet myosin or C-terminal fragment of the myosin heavy chain inhibits phosphorylation of the myosin heavy chain by protein kinase CK2 in vitro. Mts1 might also bind directly the beta subunit of protein kinase CK2, thereby modifying the enzyme activity. Our results indicate that myosin oligomers were disassembled in the presence of Mts1. The short C-terminal fragment of the myosin heavy chain was totally soluble in the presence of an equimolar amount of Mts1 at low ionic conditions (50 mM NaCl). Depolymerization was found to be calcium-dependent and could be blocked by EGTA. Our data suggest that Mts1 can increase myosin solubility and therefore suppress its assembly.

Oligomeric forms of the metastasis-related Mts1 (S100A4) protein stimulate neuronal differentiation in cultures of rat hippocampal neurons.

Neuronal differentiation and axonal growth are controlled by a variety of factors including neurotrophic factors, extracellular matrix components, and cell adhesion molecules. Here we describe a novel and very efficient neuritogenic factor, the metastasis-related Mts1 protein, belonging to the S100 protein family. The oligomeric but not the dimeric form of Mts1 strongly induces differentiation of cultured hippocampal neurons. A mutant with a single Y75F amino acid substitution, which stabilizes the dimeric form of Mts1, is unable to promote neurite extension. Disulfide bonds do not play an essential role in the Mts1 neuritogenic activity. Mts1-stimulated neurite outgrowth involves activation of phospholipase C and protein kinase C, depends on the intracellular level of Ca(2+), and requires activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) 1 and 2.

Heterocomplex formation between metastasis-related protein S100A4 (Mts1) and S100A1 as revealed by the yeast two-hybrid system.

S100A4 (Mts1) is a Ca(2+)-binding protein of the S100 family. This protein plays an important role in promoting tumor metastasis. In order to identify S100A4 interacting proteins, we have applied the yeast two-hybrid system as an in vivo approach. By screening a mouse mammary adenocarcinoma library, we have demonstrated that S100A4 forms a heterocomplex with S100A1, another member of the S100 family. The non-covalent heterodimerization was confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy and electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Mutational analysis revealed that replacement of Cys(76) and/or Cys(81) of S100A4 by Ser abolishes the S100A4/S100A1 heterodimerization, but does not affect the S100A4 homodimerization in vivo.

Two forms of the apoptosis-linked protein ALG-2 with different Ca(2+) affinities and target recognition.

The apoptosis-linked gene ALG-2 encodes a Ca(2+)-binding protein of the penta EF-hand family. To investigate the Ca(2+) binding properties of the recombinant ALG-2 protein, we have cloned ALG-2 cDNA from mouse liver mRNA. Sequence analysis showed that two types of clones were present. One (named ALG-2,5) corresponds to the published ALG-2 sequence (Vito, P., Lacana, E., and D'Adamio, L. (1996) Science 271, 521-525); the second (named ALG-2,1) is 6 nucleotides shorter, and the corresponding protein lacks the amino acid residues Gly(121) and Phe(122). Both transcripts are present in mouse tissues in the same 2:1 molar ratio. The ALG-2,5 and ALG-2,1 recombinant proteins are fully soluble in the metal-free form but can be precipitated from bacterial lysates by Ca(2+). In the presence of Tween the Ca(2+) binding profiles display two high affinity sites with [Ca(2+)](0.5) values of 1.2 and 3.1 microM for ALG-2,5 and ALG-2,1, respectively, plus one low affinity site. Using the yeast two-hybrid system we demonstrate that both proteins have a strong tendency to form homo- and heterodimers. In contrast to ALG-2, 5, the ALG-2,1 isoform does not interact with the target protein AIP-1, earlier described to play a role in apoptosis (Vito, P., Pellegrini, L., Guiet, C., and D'Adamio, L. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 1533-1540). We propose that the minor sequence difference between ALG-2,5 and ALG-2,1 affects the Ca(2+) binding properties and function of the proteins.

Metastasis-associated Mts1 (S100A4) protein modulates protein kinase C phosphorylation of the heavy chain of nonmuscle myosin.

Mts1 protein (S100A4 according to a new classification) has been implicated in the formation of the metastatic phenotype via regulation of cell motility and invasiveness. Previously we have demonstrated that Mts1 protein interacted with the heavy chain of nonmuscle myosin in a calcium-dependent manner. To elucidate the role of the Mts1-myosin interaction, we mapped the Mts1-binding region on the myosin heavy chain molecule. We prepared proteolytically digested platelet myosin and a series of overlapped myosin heavy chain protein fragments and used them in a blot overlay with Mts1 protein. Here we report that the Mts1-binding site is located within a 29-amino acid region, at the C-terminal end of the myosin heavy chain (between 1909-1937 amino acids). Two-dimensional phosphopeptide analysis showed that Mts1 protein inhibits protein kinase C phosphorylation of the platelet myosin heavy chain at Ser-1917. We hypothesize that Mts1 protein regulates cytoskeletal dynamics of the metastatic cells through modulation of the myosin phosphorylation by protein kinase C in calcium-dependent fashion.

Transcription of a novel mouse semaphorin gene, M-semaH, correlates with the metastatic ability of mouse tumor cell lines.

In the attempt to identify genes associated with metastasis, we have compared gene expressions of two metastatic cell lines, 4T1 and 66cl4, and one noninvasive, nonmetastatic cell line, 67NR, which originate from the same mouse mammary adenocarcinoma. Using the technique of differential display, we identified a novel member of the semaphorin/collapsin family in the two metastatic cell lines. We have named it M-semaH. Northern hybridization to a panel of tumor cell lines revealed transcripts in 12 of 12 metastatic cell lines but in only 2 of 6 nonmetastatic cells and none in immortalized mouse fibroblasts. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the expression of a semaphorin gene has been shown to correlate positively with tumor progression. We have characterized two transcripts present in the tumor cells. One transcript, M-semaH-v, is a putative splice variant, which is less abundant in normal tissue and lacks 478 bp in the 3' untranslated region. Both transcripts encode the same 775 amino acids with the features of a secreted glycoprotein. Northern analysis suggests that the M-semaH gene is involved in embryonic development and in situ hybridization locates the M-semaH expression to the developing lungs, to developing skeletal elements, and to the ventral horns of the developing neural tube.

Activation of mts1 transcription by insertion of a retrovirus-like IAP element.

The mechanism of activation of mestatasis-associated mts1 gene transcription in the mouse myelomonocytic leukaemia WEHI-3 cell line is described. Northern blot analysis showed that WEHi-3 cells expressed two types of mts1-specific mRNA: standard (550 nt) and additional (about 800 nt). The steady-state expression level of the 800-nt RNA was isolated and sequence analysis showed that it contained a 357-bp fragment represented by long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences and a 5' untranslated region of the gag gene of the intracisternal A-particle (IAP) element. The chimeric IAP::mts1 800-nt mRNA is initiated from the 5' LTR promoter. The rearranged and normal loci of mts1 were cloned and partially sequenced. The results suggested that the insertion of the IAP sequences into the first intron of mts1 brings the gene under control of the strong IAP promoter. The additional chimeric 800-nt IAP::mts1 RNA transcript was the result of a splicing event linking IAP sequences with the coding part of mts1. We suggest that the chimeric IAP::mts1 RNA is capable of producing a functional Mts1 protein.

[Expression of a splice-variant of the mts1 gene in normal and tumorous human tissue]. / Ekspressiia splais-variantov gena mts1 v normal'nykh i opukholevykh tkaniakh cheloveka.

Data on cloning of cDNA corresponding to human mts1 gene transcripts are presented. By comparing nucleotide sequences of the genomic DNA clone and cDNA of mts1, it was shown that human osteosarcoma OHS cells contain two alternative splice variants of mts1 transcripts. Alternative splicing occurs in the 5'-untranslated region of the mts1 pre-mRNA. Both splice variants, hu-mts1 and hu-mts1(var), demonstrate similar stability in the cells, and each contains one open reading frame for the MTS1 protein. However, the two types of transcripts are translated with different effectiveness. The level of transcription of mts1 splice variants in different normal and neoplastic tissues and cell lines varies significantly. The role of alternative splicing as the mechanism responsible for posttranscriptional regulation of mts1 gene expression is discussed.

Characterization of two splice variants of metastasis-associated human mts1 gene.

The mts1 gene is one of the genes specifically expressed in mouse metastatic tumors and tumor cell lines. In this paper, we present data on cloning and sequencing of two variants of human mts1 cDNAs (hu-mts1 and hu-mts1 (var)), as well as of the corresponding region in the human genome. Comparison of the genomic sequence with the sequence of the mts1 cDNAs demonstrates presence of two alternatively spliced variants of the mts1 in the human osteosarcoma cell line (OHS). The alternative splicing occurs within the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) of human mts1 pre-mRNA. Both splice variants, hu-mts1 and hu-mts1 (var), retain similar stability in the cells, contain one open reading frame coding for the MTS1 protein and differ only slightly in their translational capacity. The splice variants demonstrate dramatic variations in the level of expression in different human tissues and in human tumor cell lines. Although we have not revealed substantial differences in the mode of action of the two splice variants in the cells, the observed tissue specificity of expression supports the notion that it plays an important role in determining the activity of mts1 in different tissues.

Modulation of mts1 expression in mouse and human normal and tumor cells.

The mts1 gene, encoding small Ca(2+)-binding protein of the S100-family, is considered as a gene whose activity correlates with the manifestation of a metastatic phenotype of tumor cells. It was shown before that the mts1 is expressed not only in metastatic tumor cells but also in some normal tissues, namely in so-called "lymphoid" organs: spleen, thymus, bone marrow. In this work we analyzed in more detail the expression of mts1 in human and mouse hematopoietic cells and cell lines. A high level of mts1 RNA was observed in T-lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages and in corresponding cell lines. Controversially, the mts1 gene was silent in B-lymphocytes as well as in myeloma and erythroleukemia cell lines. The possibility of modulating the mts1 gene expression by the action of different agents was demonstrated. Mitogens, such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS), interferon (IFN gamma), and concanavalin A (Con A), modulate the level of the mts1 gene expression in hematopoietic cells differently. Calcium ionophore, A23187, can also be regarded as a modulator of the mts1 gene expression, since its addition to the cells results in a substantial decrease of the mts1 RNA level. It was shown that the mts1 RNA's half-life is relatively long, more than 24 h. We therefore believe that calcium ionophore can activate some ribonucleases which degrade the mts1 RNA. Cycloheximide prevents the effect of A23187 and stabilizes the mts1 RNA, probably by blocking the synthesis of these nucleases. Thus, the obtained data indicate that the agents which are capable of changing the physiological status of the cells also modulate the mts1 gene expression.