PBF/PTTG1IP coordinates focal adhesion formation, polarity and cell motility
Directional cell migration requires cells to sense extracellular cues and coordinate adhesion, cytoskeletal remodelling and polarity, yet the molecular regulators that integrate these events remain incompletely defined. PTTG1-binding factor (PBF/PTTG1IP) is a transmembrane glycoprotein extensively characterised in pathological overexpression and cancer models, where elevated expression promotes…
PBF/PTTG1IP, a transmembrane glycoprotein, plays a crucial role in coordinating adhesion, cytoskeletal remodeling and polarity during directional cell migration. While PBF overexpression has been associated with cancer progression, its role in normal physiological processes remains unclear. To investigate this, researchers created a mouse model with PBF knockout.
Cells from these mice demonstrated impaired migration and invasion compared to wild-type cells. The deficiency led to reduced fibronectin adhesion, altered focal adhesion formation and distribution, diminished FAK phosphorylation, and disrupted actin organization. Similar phenotypes were observed in human thyroid cancer cells lacking PBF, but reintroducing PBF restored normal migration.
These findings reveal PBF as an endogenous regulator of cell adhesion, polarity and directional motility, offering insights into how excessive PBF expression may contribute to invasive cancer behavior.
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