Invadopodia are actin-rich membrane protrusions of cancer cells which facilitate pericellular proteolysis and invasive behavior. We show here that reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by the NADPH oxidase (Nox) system are necessary for invadopodia formation and function. The invadopodia protein Tks5 is structurally related to p47 phox , a Nox component in phagocytic cells. Knockdown of Tks5 reduces total ROS levels in cancer cells. Furthermore, Tks5 and p22 phox can associate with each other, suggesting that Tks5 is part of the Nox complex. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Tks5 and Tks4, but not other Src substrates, is reduced by Nox inhibition. We propose that Tks5 facilitates the production of ROS necessary for invadopodia formation, and that in turn ROS modulates Tks5 tyrosine phosphorylation in a positive feedback loop.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.