Ligation of the beta4 integrin triggers adhesion behavior of human keratinocytes by an "inside-out" mechanism.

Carcinogenesis is considered as a multistep process involving functional changes in the hemidesmosomal organization. In normal skin keratinocytes, expression of the alpha(6)beta(4) integrin is restricted to the proliferative basal layer and mediates stable adhesion to the underlying basement membrane. Observations in carcinoma cells show a functional and spatial dissociation of the alpha(6)beta(4) integrin from the hemidesmosomal complex, which stimulates cell migration and, therefore, may contribute to carcinoma invasion. We now have evaluated the adhesion behavior of epithelial cells at different stages of transformation in response to activation of the beta(4) integrin. It is demonstrated that ligation of the beta(4) integrin augmented adhesion of carcinoma and pre-carcinoma cells to non-modified plastic. In contrast, adhesion behavior of normal human keratinocytes was not influenced by ligation of the beta(4) integrin. In order to explain the mechanism of beta(4)-mediated adhesion, the hypothesis of an "inside-out" activation of integrins was tested. Evidence is given that for cells expressing the alpha(6)beta(4) integrin, ligation of the beta(4) integrin increased beta(1) integrin-mediated adhesion. Furthermore, ligation of the beta(4) integrin led to phosphorylation of PKB/Akt at both phosphorylation sites. Functional blocking of PKB/Akt by dominant-negative overexpression decreased cell adhesion in response to beta(4) integrin ligation. Taken together, the present data establish a link between the ligation of the beta(4) integrin and beta(1) integrin-mediated cell adhesion in carcinoma and pre-carcinoma cells. Hence, these findings provide further insight into the conversion processes during carcinogenesis and show the beta(4) integrin to be a key regulator of cellular adhesion.