Interactions of invadopodia scaffold protein TKS4 with intersectin family proteins

Abstract

Aim. TKS4 is one of the key proteins of invadopodies, specialized membrane structures that provide invasiveness and metastatic potential of malignant cells. This protein is a substrate for the tyrosine kinase SRC, which is involved in the formation of the membrane bends, affects cellular production of active forms of oxygen, interacts with membrane metallоproteinases causing degradation of the extracellular matrix, but its role in invasive structures has not yet been fully understood. Further study of molecular components of invadopodies and their specific interactions provides better understanding of mechanisms of cellular invasion. Methods. Protein-protein interactions were identified by in vitro precipitation of protein complexes using GST-fused proteins and co-immunoprecipitation. Results. Adapter proteins ITSN1 and ITSN2 are new partners of TKS4. Interactions between intersectins and TKS4 are mediated by the SH3A, SH3C and SH3E domains of ITSN1 or ITSN2. TKS4 phosphorylation on tyrosine residues does not affect interactions between TKS4 and intersectins. Conclusions. In this study, we have showed that TKS4 interacts with endocytic adaptor proteins of the intersectin family, ITSN1 and ITSN2. We have also demonstrated that TKS4 and ITSN1 can form a complex in invasive MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line.
 Keywords: TKS4, ITSN1, ITSN2, protein-protein interactions.