A function of fascin1 in the colony formation of mouse embryonic stem cells

Fascin1 is known to participate in the migration of cancer cells by binding to actin filaments. Recent studies evidenced that fascin1 also modulates processes such as the tumorigenesis and maintenance of pluripotency genes in cancer stem cells. However, the function of fascin1 in embryonic stem cells remains unclear. In this article, we report that fascin1 is highly expressed and widely distributed in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), which are regulated by JAK-STAT3 and β-catenin. We found that the overexpression of fascin1 impairs the formation of mESC colonies via the downregulation of intercellular adhesion molecules, and that mimicking the dephosphorylated mutation of fascin1 or inhibiting phosphorylation with Gö6983 significantly enhances colony formation. Hyperphosphorylated fascin1 can promote the maintenance of pluripotency in mESCs via nuclear localization and suppressing DNA methyltransferase expression. Our findings demonstrate a novel function of fascin1, as a vital regulator, in the colony formation and pluripotency of mESCs and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying embryonic stem cell self-organization and development in vitro.