Spatiotemporal distribution of PKCα, PIP3, Moesin, Cdc42, MARCKS, Scriblle, and Arf6 before directed cell migration in monolayers

Protein kinase Cα (PKCα) has an important role in directed cell migration. After a mechanical wounding, PKCα rapidly accumulates at cell edges adjacent to the wounded cell and regulates cell migration. However, the proteins downstream of PKCα that mediate directed signaling remain unknown. In this study, we examined the spatiotemporal dynamics of PKCα, PIP3, Moesin, Cdc42, MARCKS, Scribble, and Arf6 before directed migration. After wounding, PIP3, Moesin, and Cdc42 accumulated at the cell edge near the wounded cells later than PKCα. In contrast, MARCKS moved away from the plasma membrane without polarization, and Scribble and Arf6 exhibited no significant translocation. The inhibition of PIP3 suppressed the accumulation of Moesin and Cdc42, suggesting that PIP3 regulates Moesin and Cdc42. In particular, the inhibition of PKCα completely inhibited the translocation of all factors, indicating that PKCα is a central regulator in early signaling after wounding and before directional migration.