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  • Selective integrin endocytosis is driven by interactions between the integrin α-chain and AP2.

Selective integrin endocytosis is driven by interactions between the integrin α-chain and AP2.

Nature structural & molecular biology (2016-01-19)
Nicola De Franceschi, Antti Arjonen, Nadia Elkhatib, Konstantin Denessiouk, Antoni G Wrobel, Thomas A Wilson, Jeroen Pouwels, Guillaume Montagnac, David J Owen, Johanna Ivaska
ABSTRACT

Integrins are heterodimeric cell-surface adhesion molecules comprising one of 18 possible α-chains and one of eight possible β-chains. They control a range of cell functions in a matrix- and ligand-specific manner. Integrins can be internalized by clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) through β subunit-based motifs found in all integrin heterodimers. However, whether specific integrin heterodimers can be selectively endocytosed was unknown. Here, we found that a subset of α subunits contain an evolutionarily conserved and functional YxxΦ motif directing integrins to selective internalization by the most abundant endocytic clathrin adaptor, AP2. We determined the structure of the human integrin α4-tail motif in complex with the AP2 C-μ2 subunit and confirmed the interaction by isothermal titration calorimetry. Mutagenesis of the motif impaired selective heterodimer endocytosis and attenuated integrin-mediated cell migration. We propose that integrins evolved to enable selective integrin-receptor turnover in response to changing matrix conditions.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-Integrin α2 Antibody, serum, Chemicon®
Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-Integrin α4 Antibody, clone P1H4, clone P1H4, Chemicon®, from mouse