Filamin A mediates interactions between cytoskeletal proteins that control cell adhesion

Cell adhesion, spreading and migration on extracellular matrices are regulated by complex processes that involve the cytoskeleton and a large array of adhesion receptors, including the beta 1 integrin. Filamin A is a large, multi-domain, homodimeric actin binding protein that contributes to the mechanical stability of cells and interacts with several proteins that regulate cell adhesion including beta 1 integrin and several protein kinases. Here we review current data on the structure, mechanical properties and intracellular signaling functions of filamin that regulate cell adhesion. We also consider new data showing that interactions of filamin A with intermediate filaments and protein kinase C enable tight regulation of beta 1 integrin function and consequently early events in cell adhesion and migration on extracellular matrix proteins. (C) 2010 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.