Cytoplasmic keratins couple with and maintain nuclear envelope integrity in colonic epithelial cells
: Stenvall Carl-Gustaf A, Nyström Joel H, Butler-Hallissey Ciarán, Jansson Theresia, Heikkilä Taina R. H, Adam Stephen A, Foisner Roland, Goldman Robert D, Ridge Karen M, Toivola Diana M.
Publisher: American Society for Cell Biology
: 2022
: Molecular Biology of the Cell
: Molecular biology of the cell
: 33
: 13
: 1939-4586
: 1939-4586
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1091/mbc.E20-06-0387(external)
: https://doi.org/10.1091/mbc.E20-06-0387(external)
: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/176929630(external)
Keratin intermediate filaments convey mechanical stability and protection against stress to epithelial cells. Keratins are essential for colon health, as seen in keratin 8 knockout (K8−/−) mice exhibiting a colitis phenotype. We hypothesized that keratins support the nuclear envelope and lamina in colonocytes. K8−/− colonocytes in vivo exhibit significantly decreased levels of lamins A/C, B1, and B2 in a colon-specific and cell-intrinsic manner. CRISPR/Cas9- or siRNA-mediated K8 knockdown in Caco-2 cells similarly decreased lamin levels, which recovered after reexpression of K8 following siRNA treatment. Nuclear area was not decreased, and roundness was only marginally increased in cells without K8. Down-regulation of K8 in adult K8flox/flox;Villin-CreERt2 mice following tamoxifen administration significantly decreased lamin levels at day 4 when K8 levels had reduced to 40%. K8 loss also led to reduced levels of plectin, LINC complex, and lamin-associated proteins. While keratins were not seen in the nucleoplasm without or with leptomycin B treatment, keratins were found intimately located at the nuclear envelope and complexed with SUN2 and lamin A. Furthermore, K8 loss in Caco-2 cells compromised nuclear membrane integrity basally and after shear stress. In conclusion, colonocyte K8 helps maintain nuclear envelope and lamina composition and contributes to nuclear integrity.