Filopodia are essential for steroid release
Abstract Steroid hormones, crucial for development and physiology, were traditionally believed to diffuse passively through membranes. However, recent evidence shows insect steroid ecdysone being secreted via regulated exocytosis, but the mechanisms ensuring successful hormone release into circulati...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60579-7 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849768631353737216 |
|---|---|
| author | Eléanor Simon Raphaël Bonche Yassine Maarouf Marie-Paule Nawrot-Esposito Nuria Magdalena Romero |
| author_facet | Eléanor Simon Raphaël Bonche Yassine Maarouf Marie-Paule Nawrot-Esposito Nuria Magdalena Romero |
| author_sort | Eléanor Simon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Steroid hormones, crucial for development and physiology, were traditionally believed to diffuse passively through membranes. However, recent evidence shows insect steroid ecdysone being secreted via regulated exocytosis, but the mechanisms ensuring successful hormone release into circulation remain unclear. Our study identifies specialized membrane protrusions, signaling filopodia, in the Drosophila prothoracic gland as essential for vesicle-mediated steroid release. Confocal imaging reveals that these actin- and tubulin-rich structures form a membrane-intertwined basal domain critical for secretion. Disrupting filopodia by interfering with basement membrane interactions—Perlecan or β-integrin—or filopodia-specific protein expression—α-actinin—significantly reduces ecdysone signaling by impairing its release, despite proper production in the gland. Additionally, filopodia dynamics, such as length and density, align with secretion timing and hormone circulating levels, suggesting their role in synchronizing release with physiological needs. The systematic presence of membrane protrusions in steroid-secreting glands across species prompts a comprehensive re-evaluation of steroid release mechanisms. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1916c00d8fb042cd93b2e53f0f94235e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-1916c00d8fb042cd93b2e53f0f94235e2025-08-20T03:03:44ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111510.1038/s41467-025-60579-7Filopodia are essential for steroid releaseEléanor Simon0Raphaël Bonche1Yassine Maarouf2Marie-Paule Nawrot-Esposito3Nuria Magdalena Romero4Université Côte d’Azur, INRAE, CNRS, Sophia Agrobiotech Institute (ISA)Université Côte d’Azur, INRAE, CNRS, Sophia Agrobiotech Institute (ISA)Université Côte d’Azur, INRAE, CNRS, Sophia Agrobiotech Institute (ISA)Université Côte d’Azur, INRAE, CNRS, Sophia Agrobiotech Institute (ISA)Université Côte d’Azur, INRAE, CNRS, Sophia Agrobiotech Institute (ISA)Abstract Steroid hormones, crucial for development and physiology, were traditionally believed to diffuse passively through membranes. However, recent evidence shows insect steroid ecdysone being secreted via regulated exocytosis, but the mechanisms ensuring successful hormone release into circulation remain unclear. Our study identifies specialized membrane protrusions, signaling filopodia, in the Drosophila prothoracic gland as essential for vesicle-mediated steroid release. Confocal imaging reveals that these actin- and tubulin-rich structures form a membrane-intertwined basal domain critical for secretion. Disrupting filopodia by interfering with basement membrane interactions—Perlecan or β-integrin—or filopodia-specific protein expression—α-actinin—significantly reduces ecdysone signaling by impairing its release, despite proper production in the gland. Additionally, filopodia dynamics, such as length and density, align with secretion timing and hormone circulating levels, suggesting their role in synchronizing release with physiological needs. The systematic presence of membrane protrusions in steroid-secreting glands across species prompts a comprehensive re-evaluation of steroid release mechanisms.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60579-7 |
| spellingShingle | Eléanor Simon Raphaël Bonche Yassine Maarouf Marie-Paule Nawrot-Esposito Nuria Magdalena Romero Filopodia are essential for steroid release Nature Communications |
| title | Filopodia are essential for steroid release |
| title_full | Filopodia are essential for steroid release |
| title_fullStr | Filopodia are essential for steroid release |
| title_full_unstemmed | Filopodia are essential for steroid release |
| title_short | Filopodia are essential for steroid release |
| title_sort | filopodia are essential for steroid release |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60579-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT eleanorsimon filopodiaareessentialforsteroidrelease AT raphaelbonche filopodiaareessentialforsteroidrelease AT yassinemaarouf filopodiaareessentialforsteroidrelease AT mariepaulenawrotesposito filopodiaareessentialforsteroidrelease AT nuriamagdalenaromero filopodiaareessentialforsteroidrelease |