Evidence mapPaperPMID 41310710Full record

ArticleCell communication and signaling : CCS2025

Semaphorin 5A modulates focal adhesion pathway and lamellipodia formation in melanoma.

Matteo Brignone, Maria Concetta Cufaro, Cristiana Ercolani, Ilenia Masi, Fabio Di Ferdinando, Aldo Palange, Elisabetta Valentini, Marta Di Martile, Piero Del Boccio, Donatella Del Bufalo and 3 more

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Article in Cell communication and signaling : CCS, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Matteo BrignonePreclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
Maria Concetta CufaroCenter for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti- Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
Cristiana ErcolaniPathology Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
Ilenia MasiInstitute of Biology and Molecular Pathology (IBPM), National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy.
Fabio Di FerdinandoCenter for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti- Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
Aldo PalangePathology Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
Elisabetta ValentiniPreclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
Marta Di MartilePreclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
Piero Del BoccioCenter for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti- Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
Donatella Del BufaloPreclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
Luca TamagnoneDepartment of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Laura RosanòInstitute of Biology and Molecular Pathology (IBPM), National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9962-6411
Simona D'AguannoPreclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy. simona.daguanno@ifo.it.

Funding

Fondazione AIRC per la ricerca sul cancro ETS IG 2020 - ID. 24315PNRR Progetti di Rilevanza Nazionale PRIN
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMetastatic potential and rising incidence make cutaneous melanoma a major health concern worldwide. While current therapies have proven effective, they are limited by side effects arising and by the development of drug resistance. For this reason, identifying new therapeutic targets and predictive biomarkers is crucial. Semaphorin 5 A (SEMA5A) is a member of the Semaphorin family, implicated in both cancer biology and neural development. We have previously demonstrated that this protein promotes different aggressive features of melanoma cells. In this study, we conducted a more in-depth investigation into the role of SEMA5A in the development and progression of melanoma.

methodsWe performed proteomic and in silico analysis of stable knockdown SEMA5A human melanoma cells to identify the cellular pathways modulated by SEMA5A. The data used are available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD065661. In vitro cell migration, clonogenic ability and cell viability assays under different adhesive substrate conditions were conducted using both human and murine melanoma SEMA5A-depleted clones. Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses were employed to investigate focal adhesion regulation and lamellipodia formation. A Nocodazole assay was used to evaluate focal adhesion dynamics. A xenograft mouse model of melanoma was used to investigate the role of SEMA5A in tumor formation and tumor growth. Paraffin tumor sections were analyzed using immunohistochemical staining.

resultsDAVID functional annotation tool revealed significant enrichment of Focal Adhesion and Integrin pathway-associated proteins in both control and SEMA5A-silenced cells. Ingenuity pathway analysis highlighted the role of SEMA5A in modulating several cellular pathways, including focal adhesion and lamellipodia organization. We demonstrated that SEMA5A depletion reduces the migration, clonogenic capacity, and viability of melanoma cells in both low and high stiffness culture substrates. SEMA5A was found to affect FAK and paxillin phosphorylation, as well as RhoA and Integrin β1 activation. This regulates focal adhesion dynamics, and lamellipodia formation. Furthermore, SEMA5A was found to regulate Arp3 nucleation and expression. Delayed tumor formation and reduced tumor growth were observed in mice bearing melanoma xenografts expressing low levels of SEMA5A. Immunohistochemical analysis of xenograft tumor sections revealed increased level of active Integrin β1 and phosphorylated FAK in SEMA5A-silenced tumors compared to control.

conclusionsThese findings establish for the first time that SEMA5A is a novel player of melanoma aggressiveness and progression, modulating cancer cell viability and migration, focal adhesion signaling and lamellipodia formation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo.

Indexed as

Focal AdhesionsMelanomaMembrane ProteinsPseudopodiaSemaphorinsSignal TransductionAnimalsCell Line, TumorCell MovementHumansMiceMembrane ProteinsSEMA5A protein, humanSemaphorinsFocal adhesionIntegrin β1LamellipodiaMelanomaSemaphorin 5A

Identifiers

PMID41310710
PMCPMC12659518

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.