Cytoprotection against mechanical forces delivered through β1 integrins requires induction of filamin A

Cells in mechanically active environments can activate cytoprotective mechanisms to maintain membrane integrity in the face of potentially lethal applied forces. Cytoprotection may be mediated by expression of membrane-associated cytoskeletal proteins including filamin A, an actin-binding protein that increases the rigidity of the subcortical actin cytoskeleton. In this study, we tested the hypotheses that applied forces induce the expression of filamin A specifically and that this putative protective response inhibits cell death. Magnetically generated forces were applied to protein-coated magnetite beads bound to human gingival fibroblasts, cells with constitutively low basal levels of filamin A mRNA and protein. Forces applied through collagen or fibronectin, but not bovine serum albumin or poly-L-lysine-coated beads, increased mRNA and protein content of filamin A by 3-7-fold. Forces had no effect on the expression of other filamin isotypes or other cytoskeletal proteins. This effect was dependent on the duration of force and was blocked by anti-beta (1) integrin antibodies. Force also stimulated a 60% increase in expression of luciferase under the control of a filamin A promoter in transiently transfected Rat2 fibroblasts and was dependent on Sp1 transcription factor binding sites located immediately upstream of the transcription start site. Experiments with actinomycin D-treated cells showed that the increased filamin A expression after force application was due in part to prolongation of mRNA half-life. Antisense filamin oligonucleotides blocked force-induced filamin A expression and increased cell death by >2-fold above controls. The force-induced regulation of filamin A was dependent on intact actin filaments. We conclude that cells from mechanically active environments can couple diverse signals from forces applied through beta -integrins to up-regulate the production of cytoprotective cytoskeletal proteins, typified by filamin A.