Characterization of Leukocyte Formin FMNL1 Expression in Human Tissues

Formins are cytoskeleton regulating proteins characterized by a common FH2 structural domain. As key players in the assembly of actin filaments, formins direct dynamic cytoskeletal processes that influence cell shape, movement and adhesion. The large number of formin genes, fifteen in the human, suggests distinct tasks and expression patterns for individual family members, in addition to overlapping functions. Several formins have been associated with invasive cell properties in experimental models, linking them to cancer biology. One example is FMNL1, which is considered to be a leukocyte formin and is known to be overexpressed in lymphomas. Studies on FMNL1 and many other formins have been hampered by a lack of research tools, especially antibodies suitable for staining paraffin-embedded formalin-fixed tissues. Here we characterize, using bioinformatics tools and a validated antibody, the expression pattern of FMNL1 in human tissues and study its subcellular distribution. Our results indicate that FMNL1 expression is not restricted to hematopoietic tissues and that neoexpression of FMNL1 can be seen in epithelial cancer.