The eIF2 kinase GCN2 directs keratinocyte collective cell migration during wound healing via coordination of reactive oxygen species and amino acids

Healing of cutaneous wounds requires the collective migration of epithelial keratinocytes to seal the wound bed from the environment. However, the signaling events that coordinate this collective migration are unclear. In this report, we address the role of phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2) and attendant gene expression during wound healing. Wounding of human keratinocyte monolayers in vitro led to the rapid activation of the eIF2 kinase GCN2. We determined that deletion or pharmacological inhibition of GCN2 significantly delayed collective cell migration and wound closure. Global transcriptomic, biochemical, and cellular analyses indicated that GCN2 is necessary for maintenance of intracellular free amino acids, particularly cysteine, as well as coordination of RAC1-GTP-driven reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, lamellipodia formation, and focal adhesion dynamics following keratinocyte wounding. In vivo experiments using mice deficient for GCN2 validated the role of the eIF2 kinase during wound healing in intact skin. These results indicate that GCN2 is critical for appropriate induction of collective cell migration and plays a critical role in coordinating the re-epithelialization of cutaneous wounds.