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Biomedical subjects

P van der Sluijs

Publications and source records attributed to P van der Sluijs.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Glycosphingolipids are required for sorting melanosomal proteins in the Golgi complex.

Although glycosphingolipids are ubiquitously expressed and essential for multicellular organisms, surprisingly little is known about their intracellular functions. To explore the role of glycosphingolipids in membrane transport, we used the glycosphingolipid-deficient GM95 mouse melanoma cell line. We found that GM95 cells do not make melanin pigment because tyrosinase, the first and rate-limiting enzyme in melanin synthesis, was not targeted to melanosomes but accumulated in the Golgi complex. However, tyrosinase-related protein 1 still reached melanosomal structures via the plasma membrane instead of the direct pathway from the Golgi. Delivery of lysosomal enzymes from the Golgi complex to endosomes was normal, suggesting that this pathway is not affected by the absence of glycosphingolipids. Loss of pigmentation was due to tyrosinase mislocalization, since transfection of tyrosinase with an extended transmembrane domain, which bypassed the transport block, restored pigmentation. Transfection of ceramide glucosyltransferase or addition of glucosylsphingosine restored tyrosinase transport and pigmentation. We conclude that protein transport from Golgi to melanosomes via the direct pathway requires glycosphingolipids.

Animals↗

PDGF-regulated rab4-dependent recycling of alphavbeta3 integrin from early endosomes is necessary for cell adhesion and spreading.

BACKGROUND: It has been postulated that the regulation of integrin vesicular traffic facilitates cell migration by internalizing integrins at the rear of the cell and transporting them forward within vesicles for exocytosis at the leading edge to form new contacts with the extracellular matrix. The rab family of GTPases control key targeting events in the endo/exocytic pathway; therefore, these GTPases may be involved in the regulation of cell-matrix contact assembly. RESULTS: The endo/exocytic cycle of alphavbeta3 and alpha5beta1 integrins was studied using mouse 3T3 fibroblast cell lines. In serum-starved cells, internalized integrins were transported through rab4-positive, early endosomes and arrived at the rab11-positive, perinuclear recycling compartment approximately 30 min after endocytosis. From the recycling compartment, integrins were recycled to the plasma membrane in a rab11-dependent fashion. Following treatment with PDGF, alphavbeta3 integrin, but not alpha5beta1, was rapidly recycled directly back to the plasma membrane from the early endosomes via a rab4-dependent mechanism without the involvement of rab11. This rapid recycling pathway directed alphavbeta3 to numerous small puncta distributed evenly across the dorsal surface of the cell, and the integrin only became localized into focal complexes at later times following PDGF addition. Interestingly, inhibition of PDGF-stimulated alphavbeta3 recycling using dominant-negative rab4 mutants compromised cell adhesion and spreading on vitronectin (a ligand for alphavbeta3), but adhesion to fibronectin (a ligand for alpha5beta1 and alphavbeta3) was unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that growth factor-regulated, rab4-dependent recycling of alphavbeta3 integrin from early endosomes to the plasma membrane is a critical upstream event in the assembly of cell-matrix contacts.

3T3 Cells↗

How proteins move lipids and lipids move proteins.

Cells determine the bilayer characteristics of different membranes by tightly controlling their lipid composition. Local changes in the physical properties of bilayers, in turn, allow membrane deformation, and facilitate vesicle budding and fusion. Moreover, specific lipids at specific locations recruit cytosolic proteins involved in structural functions or signal transduction. We describe here how the distribution of lipids is directed by proteins, and, conversely, how lipids influence the distribution and function of proteins.

Biological Transport↗

Rab4 regulates formation of synaptic-like microvesicles from early endosomes in PC12 cells.

Early endosomes in PC12 cells are an important site for the formation of synaptic-like microvesicles and constitutive recycling vesicles. By immunogold electron microscopy, the small GTPase rab4 was localized to early endosomes and numerous small vesicles in the cell periphery and Golgi area of PC12 cells. Overexpression of GTPase-deficient Q67Lrab4 increased the number of early endosome-associated and cytoplasmic vesicles, whereas expression of GDP-bound S22Nrab4 significantly increased the length of early endosomal tubules. In parallel, Q67Lrab4 induced a shift in rab4, VAMP2, and TfR label from early endosomes to peripheral vesicles, whereas S22Nrab4 increased early endosome labeling of all three proteins. These observations were corroborated by early endosome budding assays. Together, our data document a thus far unrecognized role for rab4 in the formation of synaptic-like microvesicles and add to our understanding of the formation of constitutive recycling vesicles from early endosomes.

Animals↗

Alzheimer's presenilin 1 is a putative membrane receptor for rab GDP dissociation inhibitor.

Mutations in the presenilin 1 ( PS-1 ) gene cause Alzheimer's disease (AD). These mutations alter the processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by increasing the production of the fibrillogenic amyloid fragment, Abeta1-42/43. Since the secretase activities that process APP are localized in different intracellular compartments, it is likely that membrane transport is a key factor in the pathogenesis of AD. In this report we provide evidence for a direct connection between PS-1 and membrane transport. We show that the N-terminus of PS-1 binds to rab GDP dissociation inhibitor (rabGDI), a regulatory factor in vesicle transport. In PS-1-deficient neurons we found a 2-fold decrease in the amount of rabGDI associated with membranes. Our findings are compatible with PS-1 being a membrane receptor for rabGDI. This is in line with a role of PS-1 in the regulation of protein trafficking in the ER/Golgi, which can modulate the production of Abeta.

Adult↗

Characterization of the cytosolic tuberin-hamartin complex. Tuberin is a cytosolic chaperone for hamartin.

Tuberous sclerosis (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by a broad phenotypic spectrum that includes seizures, mental retardation, renal dysfunction and dermatological abnormalities. Mutations to either the TSC1 or TSC2 gene are responsible for the disease. The TSC1 gene encodes hamartin, a 130-kDa protein without significant homology to other known mammalian proteins. Analysis of the amino acid sequence of tuberin, the 200-kDa product of the TSC2 gene, identified a region with limited homology to GTPase-activating proteins. Previously, we demonstrated direct binding between tuberin and hamartin. Here we investigate this interaction in more detail. We show that the complex is predominantly cytosolic and may contain additional, as yet uncharacterized components alongside tuberin and hamartin. Furthermore, because oligomerization of the hamartin carboxyl-terminal coiled coil domain was inhibited by the presence of tuberin, we propose that tuberin acts as a chaperone, preventing hamartin self-aggregation.

Animals↗

Synaptic vesicles form by budding from tubular extensions of sorting endosomes in PC12 cells.

The putative role of sorting early endosomes (EEs) in synaptic-like microvesicle (SLMV) formation in the neuroendocrine PC12 cell line was investigated by quantitative immunoelectron microscopy. By BSA-gold internalization kinetics, four distinct endosomal subcompartments were distinguished: primary endocytic vesicles, EEs, late endosomes, and lysosomes. As in other cells, EEs consisted of vacuolar and tubulovesicular subdomains. The SLMV marker proteins synaptophysin and vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP-2) localized to both the EE vacuoles and associated tubulovesicles. Quantitative analysis showed that the transferrin receptor and SLMV proteins colocalized to a significantly higher degree in primary endocytic vesicles then in EE-associated tubulovesicles. By incubating PC12 cells expressing T antigen-tagged VAMP (VAMP-TAg) with antibodies against the luminal TAg, the recycling pathway of SLMV proteins was directly visualized. At 15 degrees C, internalized VAMP-TAg accumulated in the vacuolar domain of EEs. Upon rewarming to 37 degrees C, the labeling shifted to the tubular part of EEs and to newly formed SLMVs. Our data delineate a pathway in which SLMV proteins together with transferrin receptor are delivered to EEs, where they are sorted into SLMVs and recycling vesicles, respectively.

Animals↗

UDP-galactose:ceramide galactosyltransferase is a class I integral membrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum.

UDP-galactose:ceramide galactosyltransferase (CGalT) transfers UDP-galactose to ceramide to form the glycosphingolipid galactosylceramide. Galactosylceramide is the major constituent of myelin and is also highly enriched in many epithelial cells, where it is thought to play an important role in lipid and protein sorting. Although the biochemical pathways of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis are relatively well understood, the localization of the enzymes involved in these processes has remained controversial. We here have raised antibodies against CGalT and shown by immunocytochemistry on ultrathin cryosections that the enzyme is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope but not to the Golgi apparatus or the plasma membrane. In pulse-chase experiments, we have observed that newly synthesized CGalT remains sensitive to endoglycosidase H, confirming the results of the morphological localization experiments. In protease protection assays, we show that the largest part of the protein, including the amino terminus, is oriented toward the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. CGalT enzyme activity required import of UDP-galactose into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum by a UDP-galactose translocator that is present in the Golgi apparatus of CHO cells but absent in CHOlec8 cells. Finally, we show that CGalT activity previously observed in Golgi membrane fractions in vitro, in the absence of UDP-glucose, is caused by UDP-glucose:ceramide glucosyltransferase. Therefore all galactosylceramide synthesis occurs by CGalT in vivo in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum.

Animals↗

An aquaporin-2 water channel mutant which causes autosomal dominant nephrogenic diabetes insipidus is retained in the Golgi complex.

Mutations in the aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channel gene cause autosomal recessive nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI). Here we report the first patient with an autosomal dominant form of NDI, which is caused by a G866A transition in the AQP2 gene of one allele, resulting in a E258K substitution in the C-tail of AQP2. To define the molecular cause of NDI in this patient, AQP2-E258K was studied in Xenopus oocytes. In contrast to wild-type AQP2, AQP2-E258K conferred a small increase in water permeability, caused by a reduced expression at the plasma membrane. Coexpression of wild-type AQP2 with AQP2-E258K, but not with an AQP2 mutant in recessive NDI (AQP2-R187C), revealed a dominant-negative effect on the water permeability conferred by wild-type AQP2. The physiologically important phosphorylation of S256 by protein kinase A was not affected by the E258K mutation. Immunoblot and microscopic analyses revealed that AQP2-E258K was, in contrast to AQP2 mutants in recessive NDI, not retarded in the endoplasmic reticulum, but retained in the Golgi compartment. Since AQPs are thought to tetramerize, the retention of AQP2-E258K together with wild-type AQP2 in mixed tetramers in the Golgi compartment is a likely explanation for the dominant inheritance of NDI in this patient.

Adult↗

Interaction between hamartin and tuberin, the TSC1 and TSC2 gene products.

Tuberous sclerosis (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a mutation in either the TSC1 or TSC2 tumour suppressor gene. The disease is characterized by a broad phenotypic spectrum that can include seizures, mental retardation, renal dysfunction and dermatological abnormalities. TSC2 encodes tuberin, a putative GTPase activating protein for rap1 and rab5. The TSC1 gene was recently identified and codes for hamartin, a novel protein with no significant homology to tuberin or any other known vertebrate protein. Here, we show that hamartin and tuberin associate physically in vivo and that the interaction is mediated by predicted coiled-coil domains. Our data suggest that hamartin and tuberin function in the same complex rather than in separate pathways.

Animals↗

Early endosome membrane dynamics characterized by flow cytometry.

Early endosomes are very dynamic intracellular membrane organelles that undergo multiple fusion and fission events. In this study, we developed a novel assay based on multiparametric flow cytometric analyses and early endosome sorting to characterize better the mechanisms of early endosome membrane dynamics in vitro. In particular, we have investigated the role of rab4 and rab5, two small GTPases known to regulate distinct steps of membrane traffic in the endocytic pathway. We show that early endosomes undergo homotypic fusion reactions, which lead to the formation of fusion intermediates with increased size. Fusion is efficiently stimulated by recombinant rab5 but not by recombinant rab4. Subsequently, membrane fission consumes this larger fusion compartment. This fission process is stimulated by rab4 and by the GTP hydrolysis-defective mutant rab4Q67L.

Animals↗

A novel epitope tag for the detection of rabGTPases.

Rab GTPases are localized on the cytoplasmic surface of most intracellular organelles where they play a role in the regulation of vesicular transport. As it has been difficult to detect endogenous rab proteins by morphological methods, their localizations were often inferred from transfection experiments using epitope-tagged constructs. Because most of the available epitope tags are only recognitzed by mouse monoclonal antibodies they are often not suitable for double or triple label immunocytochemistry. To overcome this problem, we generated antibodies against a novel 10 amino acid X31 influenza hemagglutin epitope (NH). We here characterized these antibodies and document their utility for detecting early endosomal rab proteins N-terminally tagged with the NH decapeptide in morphological and biochemical assays.

Animals↗

Rab4 and Rab7 define distinct nonoverlapping endosomal compartments.

Several Rab GTPases have been localized to distinct compartments of the endocytic pathway. Rab4 is associated with early endosomes and recycling vesicles and regulates membrane recycling from early endosomes. Rab7 is localized to late endosomes and is involved in the regulation of membrane transport between late endosomes and lysosomes. Although Rab4 and Rab7 appear to regulate distinct transport events in endocytosis, it is not clear whether they perform their activities in related or entirely distinct intracellular compartments. To address this question, we generated stable cell lines expressing Rab4 tagged with a novel X31 influenza hemagglutinin (NH) epitope tag. These antibodies are characterized in this paper and were used to immunoisolate endocytic vesicles with cytoplasmically exposed NHRab4. Immunoisolated membranes contain internalized 125I-transferrin, but are devoid of Rab7. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy showed that the early endosomal GTPases Rab4 and Rab5 both do not codistribute with Rab7 within the same cell. These observations suggest that each of the three Rab GTPases operationally defines a distinct station of the endocytic pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Analysis of the carboxyl-terminal peroxisomal targeting signal 1 in a homologous context in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Most peroxisomal matrix proteins contain a carboxyl-terminal tripeptide that directs them to peroxisomes. Within limits, these amino acids may be varied, without loss of function. The specificity of this peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS1) is remarkable considering its small size and its relaxed consensus sequence. Moreover, several peroxisomal proteins have a PTS1-like signal that does not fit the reported consensus sequence. Because many of these PTS1 variants seem to be functional in a species-dependent or protein context-dependent manner, we investigated the PTS1 requirements in a homologous context, using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and endogenous peroxisomal malate dehydrogenase (MDH3). Peroxisomal import of the MDH3-PTS1 variants was tested qualitatively by the ability to complement the Deltamdh3 mutant and quantitatively by subcellular fractionation. We observed efficient import of MDH3 into peroxisomes with a large variety of PTS1 tripeptides. Many of these variants do not fit the observed PTS1 requirements for heterologously expressed proteins, which suggests that additional domains in the protein may be of decisive importance whether or not a certain PTS1 variant is recognized by the components of the peroxisomal import machinery. Because we show that dimerization of MDH3 precedes import into the organelle, these domains are most likely conformational domains.

Blotting, Western↗

Rab4 and cellubrevin define different early endosome populations on the pathway of transferrin receptor recycling.

During receptor mediated endocytosis, at least a fraction of recycling cargo typically accumulates in a pericentriolar cluster of tubules and vesicles. However, it is not clear if these endosomal structures are biochemically distinct from the early endosomes from which they are derived. To better characterize this pericentriolar endosome population, we determined the distribution of two endogenous proteins known to be functionally involved in receptor recycling [Rab4, cellubrevin (Cbvn)] relative to the distribution of a recycling ligand [transferrin (Tfn)] as it traversed the endocytic pathway. Shortly after internalization, Tfn entered a population of early endosomes that contained both Rab4 and Cbvn, demonstrated by triple label immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. Tfn then accumulated in the pericentriolar cluster of recycling vesicles (RVs). However, although these pericentriolar endosomes contained Cbvn, they were strikingly depleted of Rab4. The ability of internalized Tfn to reach the Rab4-negative population was not blocked by nocodazole, although the characteristic pericentriolar location of the population was not maintained in the absence of microtubules. Similarly, Rab4-positive and -negative populations remained distinct in cells treated with brefeldin A, with only Rab4-positive elements exhibiting the extended tubular morphology induced by the drug. Thus, at least with respect to Rab4 distribution, the pathway of Tfn receptor recycling consists of at least two biochemically and functionally distinct populations of endosomes, a Rab4-positive population of early endosomes to which incoming Tfn is initially delivered and a Rab4-negative population of recycling vesicles that transiently accumulates Tfn on its route back to the plasma membrane.

Animals↗

The small GTP-binding protein rab4 controls an early sorting event on the endocytic pathway.

rab4 is a ras-like GTP-binding protein that associates with early endosomes in a cell cycle-dependent fashion. To determine its role during endocytosis, we generated stable cell lines that overexpressed mutant or wild-type rab4. By measuring endocytosis, transport to lysosomes, and recycling, we found that overexpression of wild-type rab4 had differential effects on the endocytic pathway. Although initial rates of internalization and degradation were not inhibited, the transfectants exhibited a 3-fold decrease in fluid phase endocytosis as well as an alteration in transferrin receptor (Tfn-R) recycling. Wild-type rab4 caused a redistribution of Tfn-R's from endosomes to the plasma membrane. It also blocked iron discharge by preventing the delivery of Tfn to acidic early endosomes, instead causing Tfn accumulation in a population of nonacidic vesicles and tubules. rab4 thus appears to control the function or formation of endosomes involved in recycling.

Animals↗