Junctional adhesion molecule A interacts with Afadin and PDZ-GEF2 to activate Rap1A, regulate β1 integrin levels, and enhance cell migration

EA Severson, WY Lee, CT Capaldo… - Molecular biology of …, 2009 - Am Soc Cell Biol
Molecular biology of the cell, 2009Am Soc Cell Biol
Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) is a transmembrane tight junction protein that has
been shown to regulate barrier function and cell migration through incompletely understood
mechanisms. We have previously demonstrated that JAM-A regulates cell migration by
dimerization of the membrane-distal immunoglobulin-like loop and a C-terminal
postsynaptic density 95/disc-large/zona occludens (PDZ) binding motif. Disruption of
dimerization resulted in decreased epithelial cell migration secondary to diminished levels …
Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) is a transmembrane tight junction protein that has been shown to regulate barrier function and cell migration through incompletely understood mechanisms. We have previously demonstrated that JAM-A regulates cell migration by dimerization of the membrane-distal immunoglobulin-like loop and a C-terminal postsynaptic density 95/disc-large/zona occludens (PDZ) binding motif. Disruption of dimerization resulted in decreased epithelial cell migration secondary to diminished levels of β1 integrin and active Rap1. Here, we report that JAM-A is physically and functionally associated with the PDZ domain-containing molecules Afadin and PDZ-guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) 2, but not zonula occludens (ZO)-1, in epithelial cells, and these interactions mediate outside-in signaling events. Both Afadin and PDZ-GEF2 colocalized and coimmunoprecipitated with JAM-A. Furthermore, association of PDZ-GEF2 with Afadin was dependent on the expression of JAM-A. Loss of JAM-A, Afadin, or PDZ-GEF2, but not ZO-1 or PDZ-GEF1, similarly decreased cellular levels of activated Rap1, β1 integrin protein, and epithelial cell migration. The functional effects observed were secondary to decreased levels of Rap1A because knockdown of Rap1A, but not Rap1B, resulted in decreased β1 integrin levels and reduced cell migration. These findings suggest that JAM-A dimerization facilitates formation of a complex with Afadin and PDZ-GEF2 that activates Rap1A, which regulates β1 integrin levels and cell migration.
Am Soc Cell Biol