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Caspases maintain tissue integrity by an apoptosis-independent inhibition of cell migration and invasion

Anna Gorelick-Ashkenazi1, Ron Weiss1, Lena Sapozhnikov1

  • 1Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel.

Nature Communications
|July 20, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Compromised caspase activity in Drosophila epithelial cells leads to unwanted cell migration and invasion. Low effector caspase levels, below apoptosis-inducing thresholds, can prevent this migration, suggesting a non-apoptotic role for caspases in maintaining tissue integrity.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Tissue integrity relies on coordinated cell processes, including programmed cell death (apoptosis) mediated by caspases.
  • The precise role of caspases in non-apoptotic functions, particularly in maintaining tissue structure, remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of caspases in maintaining Drosophila epithelial tissue integrity.
  • To determine the consequences of compromised caspase activity on cell behavior and tissue homeostasis.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism.
  • Examined epithelial cell behavior following irradiation-induced stress and during normal development.
  • Assessed cell migratory and invasive capacities in relation to caspase activity levels.

Main Results:

  • Drosophila epithelial cells with severely compromised caspase activity exhibited increased migratory and invasive behaviors.
  • Low levels of effector caspase activity, insufficient to trigger apoptosis, effectively inhibited this aberrant cell migration.
  • This inhibitory effect extended to primordial germ cell migration during development.

Conclusions:

  • Caspase activity is crucial for preventing unwanted cell migration and invasion, thereby maintaining tissue integrity.
  • Caspases possess ancient, non-apoptotic functions in regulating cell movement, potentially relevant to cancer therapy and developmental processes.

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