Publications by authors named "M I Nishita"

Lysosomes, crucial cellular organelles, undergo bidirectional transport along microtubules, mediated by motor proteins such as cytoplasmic dynein-1 (dynein) and various kinesins. While the kinesin-3 family member KIF1C is established in mediating anterograde vesicle transport, its role in lysosomal transport remains unclear. Our study reveals that KIF1C unexpectedly supports the retrograde transport of lysosomes, driven by dynein, and contributes to their perinuclear localization.

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Ror-family receptors, Ror1 and Ror2, are type I transmembrane proteins that possess an extracellular cysteine-rich domain, which is conserved throughout the Frizzled-family receptors and is a binding site for Wnt ligands. Both Ror1 and Ror2 function primarily as receptors or co-receptors for Wnt5a to activate the β-catenin-independent, non-canonical Wnt signaling, thereby regulating cell polarity, migration, proliferation, and differentiation depending on the context. Ror1 and Ror2 are expressed highly in many tissues during embryogenesis but minimally or scarcely in adult tissues, with some exceptions.

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The microRNA-200 (miR-200) family is a potent suppressor of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). While its role as a tumor suppressor has been well documented, recent studies suggested that it can promote cancer progression in several stages. In this study, we investigated whether the miR-200 family members play a role in the acquisition of a hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) state, which is reported to be associated with cancer malignancy, in mesenchymal MDA-MB-231 cells.

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Rho in filopodia (Rif), a member of the Rho family of small GTPases, induces filopodia formation primarily on the dorsal surface of cells; however, its function remains largely unclear. Here, we show that Rif interacts with Ror1, a receptor for Wnt5a that can also induce dorsal filopodia. Our immunohistochemical analysis revealed a high frequency of coexpression of Ror1 and Rif in lung adenocarcinoma.

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Invadopodia on cancer cells play crucial roles in tumor invasion and metastasis by degrading and remodeling the surrounding extracellular matrices and driving cell migration in complex 3D environments. Previous studies have indicated that microtubules (MTs) play a crucial role in elongation of invadopodia, but not their formation, probably by regulating delivery of membrane and secretory proteins within invadopodia. However, the identity of the responsible MT-based molecular motors and their regulation has been elusive.

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