EGFR dynamics on CHO–K1 cells with depletion and supplementation of cholesterol
Description
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mediated signal transduction controls cell growth and proliferation. The signaling pathway is regulated so that it is activated only by external EGF stimuli, but the mechanisms that prevent EGF-independent spontaneous activation of EGFR-mediated signaling are unknown. Here the authors report cholesterol depletion activates EGFR-mediated signaling without EGF. They applied automated single-molecule imaging to EGFR and characterized the lateral diffusion and cluster formation on cholesterol-depleted and cholesterol-supplemented membranes. In cells in which cholesterol was depleted by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin treatment, EGFR exhibited a reduction in lateral diffusion, an acceleration of cluster formation, and autophosphorylation without EGF. Concurrently, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which is regulated by EGFR-mediated signaling, exhibited phosphorylation and nuclear translocation without EGF. These cholesterol depletion-induced changes were similar, albeit less efficient, to those that occurred with EGF stimulation in normal cells without methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, indicating the spontaneous activation of EGFR signaling. The exogenous supplementation of cholesterol suppressed the methyl-beta-cyclodextrin-induced spontaneous activation of EGFR and ERK nuclear translocation. Single-molecule imaging of EGFR in a large number of cells revealed cell-to-cell heterogeneity, with a sub-population showing a high ability for spontaneous activation. These results provide evidence that EGFR-mediated signaling is properly regulated by cholesterol metabolism to prevent uncontrolled spontaneous activation.
Release date
2025-11-28
Updated date
-
License
CC BY 4.0
Kind
Image data
based on Experiment
Number of Datasets
8
( Image datasets: 8,
Quantitative data datasets: 0 )
(Abstract) Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mediated signal transduction controls cell growth and proliferation. The signaling pathway is regulated so that it is activated only by external EGF stimuli, but the mechanisms that prevent EGF-independent spontaneous activation of EGFR-mediated signaling are unknown. Here we report cholesterol depletion activates EGFR-mediated signaling without EGF. We applied automated single-molecule imaging to EGFR and characterized the lateral diffusion and cluster formation on cholesterol-depleted and cholesterol-supplemented membranes. In cells in which cholesterol was depleted by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD) treatment, EGFR exhibited a reduction in lateral diffusion, an acceleration of cluster formation, and autophosphorylation without EGF. Concurrently, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which is regulated by EGFR-mediated signaling, exhibited phosphorylation and nuclear translocation without EGF. These cholesterol depletion-induced changes were similar, albeit less efficient, to those that occurred with EGF stimulation in normal cells without MbetaCD, indicating the spontaneous activation of EGFR signaling. The exogenous supplementation of cholesterol suppressed the MbetaCD-induced spontaneous activation of EGFR and ERK nuclear translocation. Single-molecule imaging of EGFR in a large number of cells revealed cell-to-cell heterogeneity, with a sub-population showing a high ability for spontaneous activation. These results provide evidence that EGFR-mediated signaling is properly regulated by cholesterol metabolism to prevent uncontrolled spontaneous activation.
Contact
Michio Hiroshima, Masahiro Ueda
, Osaka University, Osaka University
, Graduate School of Science and Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Graduate School of Science and Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences
, Graduate School of Science and Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Graduate School of Science and Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences