EWI-2 regulates α3β1 integrin–dependent cell functions on laminin-5

EWI-2, a cell surface immunoglobulin SF protein of unknown function, associates with tetraspanins CD9 and CD81 with high stoichiometry. Overexpression of EWI-2 in A431 epidermoid carcinoma cells did not alter cell adhesion or spreading on laminin-5, and had no effect on reaggregation of cells plated on collagen I (α2β1 integrin ligand). However, on laminin-5 (α3β1 integrin ligand), A431 cell reaggregation and motility functions were markedly impaired. Immunodepletion and reexpression experiments revealed that tetraspanins CD9 and CD81 physically link EWI-2 to α3β1 integrin, but not to other integrins. CD81 also controlled EWI-2 maturation and cell surface localization. EWI-2 overexpression not only suppressed cell migration, but also redirected CD81 to cell filopodia and enhanced α3β1–CD81 complex formation. In contrast, an EWI-2 chimeric mutant failed to suppress cell migration, redirect CD81 to filopodia, or enhance α3β1–CD81 complex formation. These results show how laterally associated EWI-2 might regulate α3β1 function in disease and development, and demonstrate how tetraspanin proteins can assemble multiple nontetraspanin proteins into functional complexes.