Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signals by contacting two distantly related transmembrane serine/threonine kinases called receptors I and II. The role of these molecules in signalling has now been determined. TGF-beta binds directly to receptor II, which is a constitutively active kinase. Bound TGF-beta is then recognized by receptor I which is recruited into the complex and becomes phosphorylated by receptor II. Phosphorylation allows receptor I to propagate the signal to downstream substrates. This provides a mechanism by which a cytokine can generate the first step of a signalling cascade.

Endocytosis of cell surface receptors is an important regulatory event in signal transduction. The transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily signals to the Smad pathway through heteromeric Ser-Thr kinase receptors that are rapidly internalized and then downregulated in a ubiquitin-dependent manner. Here we demonstrate that TGF-beta receptors internalize into both caveolin- and EEA1-positive vesicles and reside in both lipid raft and non-raft membrane domains. Clathrin-dependent internalization into the EEA1-positive endosome, where the Smad2 anchor SARA is enriched, promotes TGF-beta signalling. In contrast, the lipid raft-caveolar internalization pathway contains the Smad7-Smurf2 bound receptor and is required for rapid receptor turnover. Thus, segregation of TGF-beta receptors into distinct endocytic compartments regulates Smad activation and receptor turnover.

No abstract

Ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis regulates the activity of diverse receptor systems. Here, we identify Smurf2, a C2-WW-HECT domain ubiquitin ligase and show that Smurf2 associates constitutively with Smad7. Smurf2 is nuclear, but binding to Smad7 induces export and recruitment to the activated TGF beta receptor, where it causes degradation of receptors and Smad7 via proteasomal and lysosomal pathways. IFN gamma, which stimulates expression of Smad7, induces Smad7-Smurf2 complex formation and increases TGF beta receptor turnover, which is stabilized by blocking Smad7 or Smurf2 expression. Furthermore, Smad7 mutants that interfere with recruitment of Smurf2 to the receptors are compromised in their inhibitory activity. These studies thus define Smad7 as an adaptor in an E3 ubiquitin-ligase complex that targets the TGF beta receptor for degradation.

Somatic cells can be reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by expression of defined embryonic factors. However, little is known of the molecular mechanisms underlying the reprogramming process. Here we explore somatic cell reprogramming by exploiting a secondary mouse embryonic fibroblast model that forms iPSCs with high efficiency upon inducible expression of Oct4, Klf4, c-Myc, and Sox2. Temporal analysis of gene expression revealed that reprogramming is a multistep process that is characterized by initiation, maturation, and stabilization phases. Functional analysis by systematic RNAi screening further uncovered a key role for BMP signaling and the induction of mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) during the initiation phase. We show that this is linked to BMP-dependent induction of miR-205 and the miR-200 family of microRNAs that are key regulators of MET. These studies thus define a multistep mechanism that incorporates a BMP-miRNA-MET axis during somatic cell reprogramming. PAPERCLIP:

TGFbeta signaling is initiated when the type I receptor phosphorylates the MAD-related protein, Smad2, on C-terminal serine residues. This leads to Smad2 association with Smad4, translocation to the nucleus, and regulation of transcriptional responses. Here we demonstrate that Smad7 is an inhibitor of TGFbeta signaling. Smad7 prevents TGFbeta-dependent formation of Smad2/Smad4 complexes and inhibits the nuclear accumulation of Smad2. Smad7 interacts stably with the activated TGFbeta type I receptor, thereby blocking the association, phosphorylation, and activation of Smad2. Furthermore, mutations in Smad7 that interfere with receptor binding disrupt its inhibitory activity. These studies thus define a novel function for MAD-related proteins as intracellular antagonists of the type I kinase domain of TGFbeta family receptors.

Stroma in the tumor microenvironment plays a critical role in cancer progression, but how it promotes metastasis is poorly understood. Exosomes are small vesicles secreted by many cell types and enable a potent mode of intercellular communication. Here, we report that fibroblast-secreted exosomes promote breast cancer cell (BCC) protrusive activity and motility via Wnt-planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling. We show that exosome-stimulated BCC protrusions display mutually exclusive localization of the core PCP complexes, Fzd-Dvl and Vangl-Pk. In orthotopic mouse models of breast cancer, coinjection of BCCs with fibroblasts dramatically enhances metastasis that is dependent on PCP signaling in BCCs and the exosome component, Cd81 in fibroblasts. Moreover, we demonstrate that trafficking in BCCs promotes tethering of autocrine Wnt11 to fibroblast-derived exosomes. This work reveals an intercellular communication pathway whereby fibroblast exosomes mobilize autocrine Wnt-PCP signaling to drive BCC invasive behavior.

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily members regulate a plethora of developmental processes, and disruption of their activity has been implicated in a variety of human diseases ranging from cancer to chondrodysplasias and pulmonary hypertension. Intense investigations have revealed that SMAD proteins constitute the basic components of the core intracellular signaling cascade and that SMADs function by carrying signals from the cell surface directly to the nucleus. Recent insights have revealed how SMAD proteins themselves are regulated and how appropriate subcellular localization of SMADs and TGF-beta transmembrane receptors is controlled. Current research efforts investigating the contribution of SMAD-independent pathways promise to reveal advances to enhance our understanding of the signaling cascade.