β₁-Integrin and PI 3-kinase regulate RhoA-dependent activation of skeletal α-actin promoter in myoblasts

RhoA GTPase, a regulator of actin cytoskeleton, is also involved in regulating c-fos gene expression through its effect on serum response factor (SRF) transcriptional activity. We have also shown that RhoA plays a critical role in myogenesis and regulates expression of SRF-dependent muscle genes, including skeletal alpha-actin. In the present study, we examined whether the RhoA signaling pathway cross talks with other myogenic signaling pathways to modulate skeletal alpha-actin promoter activity in myoblasts. We found that extracellular matrix proteins and the beta(1)-integrin stimulated RhoA-dependent activation of the alpha-actin promoter. The muscle-specific isoform beta(1D) selectively activated the alpha-actin promoter in concert with RhoA but inhibited the c-fos promoter. In addition, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase were required for full activation of the alpha-actin promoter by RhoA. Expression of a dominant negative mutant of FAK, application of wortmannin to cultured myoblasts, or expression of a dominant negative mutant of PI 3-kinase inhibited alpha-actin promoter activity induced by RhoA. These results suggest that RhoA, beta(1)-integrin, FAK, and PI 3-kinase serve together as an important signaling network in regulating muscle gene expression.