Ezrin and Its Phosphorylated Thr567 Form Are Key Regulators of Human Extravillous Trophoblast Motility and Invasion

The protein ezrin has been shown to enhance cancer cell motility and invasion leading to malignant behaviours in solid tumours, but a similar regulatory function in the early physiological reproduction state is, however, much less clear. We speculated that ezrin may play a key role in promoting firs...

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Main Authors: Maral E. A. Tabrizi, Janesh K. Gupta, Stephane R. Gross
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-02-01
Series:Cells
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/5/711
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author Maral E. A. Tabrizi
Janesh K. Gupta
Stephane R. Gross
author_facet Maral E. A. Tabrizi
Janesh K. Gupta
Stephane R. Gross
author_sort Maral E. A. Tabrizi
collection DOAJ
description The protein ezrin has been shown to enhance cancer cell motility and invasion leading to malignant behaviours in solid tumours, but a similar regulatory function in the early physiological reproduction state is, however, much less clear. We speculated that ezrin may play a key role in promoting first-trimester extravillous trophoblast (EVT) migration/invasion. Ezrin, as well as its Thr567 phosphorylation, were found in all trophoblasts studied, whether primary cells or lines. Interestingly, the proteins were seen in a distinct cellular localisation in long, extended protrusions in specific regions of cells. Loss-of-function experiments were carried out in EVT HTR8/SVneo and Swan71, as well as primary cells, using either ezrin siRNAs or the phosphorylation Thr567 inhibitor NSC668394, resulting in significant reductions in both cell motility and cellular invasion, albeit with differences between the cells used. Our analysis further demonstrated that an increase in focal adhesion was, in part, able to explain some of the molecular mechanisms involved. Data collected using human placental sections and protein lysates further showed that ezrin expression was significantly higher during the early stage of placentation and, importantly, clearly seen in the EVT anchoring columns, further supporting the potential role of ezrin in regulating migration and invasion in vivo.
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spelling doaj.art-28705a2107974667882ff0feba37b9142023-11-17T07:27:09ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092023-02-0112571110.3390/cells12050711Ezrin and Its Phosphorylated Thr567 Form Are Key Regulators of Human Extravillous Trophoblast Motility and InvasionMaral E. A. Tabrizi0Janesh K. Gupta1Stephane R. Gross2School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UKInstitute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKSchool of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UKThe protein ezrin has been shown to enhance cancer cell motility and invasion leading to malignant behaviours in solid tumours, but a similar regulatory function in the early physiological reproduction state is, however, much less clear. We speculated that ezrin may play a key role in promoting first-trimester extravillous trophoblast (EVT) migration/invasion. Ezrin, as well as its Thr567 phosphorylation, were found in all trophoblasts studied, whether primary cells or lines. Interestingly, the proteins were seen in a distinct cellular localisation in long, extended protrusions in specific regions of cells. Loss-of-function experiments were carried out in EVT HTR8/SVneo and Swan71, as well as primary cells, using either ezrin siRNAs or the phosphorylation Thr567 inhibitor NSC668394, resulting in significant reductions in both cell motility and cellular invasion, albeit with differences between the cells used. Our analysis further demonstrated that an increase in focal adhesion was, in part, able to explain some of the molecular mechanisms involved. Data collected using human placental sections and protein lysates further showed that ezrin expression was significantly higher during the early stage of placentation and, importantly, clearly seen in the EVT anchoring columns, further supporting the potential role of ezrin in regulating migration and invasion in vivo.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/5/711ezrinmotilitytrophoblastsmigrationinvasioncytoskeleton
spellingShingle Maral E. A. Tabrizi
Janesh K. Gupta
Stephane R. Gross
Ezrin and Its Phosphorylated Thr567 Form Are Key Regulators of Human Extravillous Trophoblast Motility and Invasion
Cells
ezrin
motility
trophoblasts
migration
invasion
cytoskeleton
title Ezrin and Its Phosphorylated Thr567 Form Are Key Regulators of Human Extravillous Trophoblast Motility and Invasion
title_full Ezrin and Its Phosphorylated Thr567 Form Are Key Regulators of Human Extravillous Trophoblast Motility and Invasion
title_fullStr Ezrin and Its Phosphorylated Thr567 Form Are Key Regulators of Human Extravillous Trophoblast Motility and Invasion
title_full_unstemmed Ezrin and Its Phosphorylated Thr567 Form Are Key Regulators of Human Extravillous Trophoblast Motility and Invasion
title_short Ezrin and Its Phosphorylated Thr567 Form Are Key Regulators of Human Extravillous Trophoblast Motility and Invasion
title_sort ezrin and its phosphorylated thr567 form are key regulators of human extravillous trophoblast motility and invasion
topic ezrin
motility
trophoblasts
migration
invasion
cytoskeleton
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/12/5/711
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AT stephanergross ezrinanditsphosphorylatedthr567formarekeyregulatorsofhumanextravilloustrophoblastmotilityandinvasion