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2022 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award for Integrins—Mediators of Cell-Matrix and Cell-Cell Adhesion

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

The three recipients of 2022 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award For discoveries concerning the integrins—key mediators of cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion in physiology and disease are:

• Richard O. Hynes, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Erkki Ruoslahti, Sanford Burnham Prebys
• Timothy A. Springer, Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Figure 1A: Pairs that bond
Two protein chains, α and ß, compose the heterodimeric integrins that span the cell membrane. The portion outside affixes to molecules in the extracellular matrix (ECM) or on other cells. Adherence through integrins triggers cytoskeleton assembly and vice versa. Such events can also influence the behavior of other proteins inside the cell. The image shows the matrix-cell type of integrin; a second type mediates cell-cell interactions.
Illustration: Cassio Lynm / © Amino Creative

Figure 1B: Families that stick together
Integrin α and ß subunit each belong to a family of proteins with a shared evolutionary ancestor. Individual members of the α and ß families combine in different ways to create 24 mammalian heterodimers that physically associate with a variety of molecules. In the ECM, these binding partners include collagen, laminin, and other RGD-containing proteins such as fibronectin and fibrinogen; on cells, these partners include proteins such as ICAM-1, which dwells on the surface of white blood cells and cells that line blood vessels. The first integrin identified, the platelet receptor, promotes blood clotting. LFA-1 helps immune cells fight infections in numerous ways.
Illustration: Cassio Lynm / © Amino Creative

Figure 2: Fleeting attachments, profound effects
By fostering adherence between cells and the ECM or other cells, integrins play a key role in a tremendous number of essential physiological interactions.
Illustration: Cassio Lynm / © Amino Creative

Figures Source: 

https://laskerfoundation.org/winners/integrins-mediators-of-cell-matrix-cell-adhesion/

Selected Publications – Discovery of Integrins

Cell-Matrix Interactions

Ruoslahti, E., Vaheri. A., Kuusela, P., and Linder, E. (1973). Fibroblast surface antigen: a new serum protein. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 322, 352-358.

Hynes, R.O. (1973). Alteration of cell-surface proteins by viral transformation and by proteolysis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 70, 3170-3174.

Pierschbacher, M.D., and Ruoslahti, E. (1984). Cell attachment activity of fibronectin can be duplicated by small synthetic fragments of the molecule. Nature. 309, 30-33.

Pytela, R., Pierschbacher, M.D., and Ruoslahti, E. (1985). A 125/115-kDa cell surface receptor specific for vitronectin interacts with the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid adhesion sequence derived from fibronectin. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 82, 5766-5770.

Pytela, R., Pierschbacher, M.D., Ginsberg, M.H., Plow, E.F., and Ruoslahti, E. (1986). Platelet membrane glycoprotein IIb/IIIa: member of a family of Arg-Gly-Asp-specific adhesion receptors. Science. 231, 1559-1562.

Tamkun, J.W., DeSimone, D.W., Fonda, D., Patel, R.S., Buck, C., Horwitz, A.F., and Hynes, R.O. (1986). Structure of integrin, a glycoprotein involved in the transmembrane linkage between fibronectin and actin. Cell. 46, 271-282.

Hynes, R.O. (1987). Integrins: a family of cell surface receptors. Cell. 48, 549-554.

Ruoslahti, E. (1996). RGD and other recognition sequences for integrins. Annu. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol. 12, 697-715.

Hynes, R.O. (2002). Integrins: bidirectional allosteric signaling machines. Cell. 110, 673-687.

Cell-Cell Interactions

Kurzinger, K., Reynolds, T., Germain, R.N., Davignon, D., Martz, E., and Springer, T.A. (1981). A novel lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA-1): cellular distribution, quantitative expression, and structure. J. Immunol. 127, 596-600.

Sanchez-Madrid, F., Nagy, J., Robbins, E., Simon, P., and Springer, T.A. (1983). A human leukocyte differentiation antigen family with distinct alpha subunits and a common beta subunit: the lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA-1), the C3bi complement receptor (OKM1/Mac-1), and the p150,95 molecule. J. Exp. Med. 158, 1785-1789.

Thompson, W.S., Miller, L.J., Schmalstieg, F.C., Anderson, D.C., and Springer, T.A. (1984). Inherited deficiency of the Mac-1, LFA-1, p150,95 glycoprotein family and its molecular basis. J. Exp. Med. 160, 1901-1905.

Kishimoto, T.K., Lee, A., Roberts, T.M., and Springer, T.A. (1987). Cloning of the beta subunit of the leukocyte adhesion proteins: homology to an extra-cellular matrix receptor defines a novel supergene family. Cell. 48, 681-690.

Makgoba. M.W., Sanders, M.E., Luce, G.E.G., Dustin, M.L., Springer, T.A., Clark, E.A., Mannoni, P., and Shaw, S. (1988). ICAM-1 a ligand for LFA-1-dependent adhesion of B, T and myeloid cells. Nature. 331, 86-88.

Staunton, D.E., Dustin, M.L., and Springer, T.A. (1989). Functional cloning of ICAM-2, a cell adhesion ligand for LFA-1 homologous to ICAM-1. Nature. 339, 61-65.

Springer, T.A. (1990). Adhesion receptors of the immune system. Nature. 346, 425-434.

Lawrence, M.B., and Springer, T.A. (1991). Leukocytes roll on a selectin at physiologic flow rates: distinction from and prerequisite for adhesion through integrins. Cell. 65, 859-873.

Luo, B.-H., Carman, C.V., and Springer, T.A. (2007) Structural basis of integrin regulation and signaling. Annu. Rev. Immunol. 25, 619-647.

Li, J., Yan, J., and Springer, T.A. (2021). Low-affinity integrin states have faster ligand-binding kinetics than the high-affinity state. eLife. 10, 1-22. e73359. doi: 10.7554/eLife.73359.

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