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1 Laboratory of Molecular and Genetic Information, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
2 Second Department of Surgery, Gunma University School of Medicine, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371, Japan
3 Department of Anatomy I, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
4 Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
| Abstract |
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| Introduction |
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The Rho family of small GTPases such as Rho GTPases, RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42 are critical regulators of the actin cytoskeleton in eukaryotic cells from yeast to humans, and have been implicated in morphological changes in various cellular functions (Hall 1998; Symons & Settleman 2000). The Rho GTPases function as binary molecular switches shuttling between a GDP-bound inactive state and GTP-bound active state in response to a variety of extracellular stimuli. Three classes of regulatory proteins are involved in balancing between the active and inactive states of the Rho GTPases: the guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) of the Dbl family, which promote the release of bound GDP and facilitate GTP binding; the Rho GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs), which increase the intrinsic GTPase activity of the Rho GTPases, thus accelerating the return of the proteins to the inactive state; and the guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitors (GDIs), which sequester the GDP-bound form of Rho GTPases and also retain the Rho GTPases in the cytoplasm (Sasaki & Takai 1998).
In neuronal systems, RhoGAPs and their substrate Rho GTPases have been implicated in regulating multiple processes in the morphological development of neurons, including axonal growth and guidance, dendritic elaboration and formation of synapses (Threadgill et al. 1997; Albertinazzi et al. 1998; Lehmann et al. 1999; Ruchhoeft et al. 1999; Luo 2000). Recent studies of p190RhoGAP-deficient mice showed that RhoGAP plays an important role in axon growth, guidance and fasciculation and neural development (Brouns et al. 2000, 2001). The discovery of the RhoGAP oligopherenin-1, which is associated with X-linked mental retardation, further highlights the importance of RhoGAP in the nervous system (Billuart et al. 1998).
In our previous study, RICS was identified as a novel RhoGAP interacting with ß-catenin via its armadillo repeats 1012, and was demonstrated to possess GAP activity for Cdc42 and Rac1 (Okabe et al. 2003). RICS was also identified in other groups as Grit/p200RhoGAP/p250RhoGAP/GCGAP (Nakamura et al. 2002; Moon et al. 2003; Nakazawa et al. 2003; Zhao et al. 2003). The RICS-ß-catenin complex was found to be associated with N-cadherin, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and PSD-95, and localized to the postsynaptic density (PSD), suggesting that RICS is involved in synaptic adhesion- and NMDA-mediated organization of cytoskeletal networks and signal transduction. In this study, we generated RICS knockout (RICS/) mice by a targeted gene disruption strategy, and examined the biological functions of RICS in neurite outgrowth.
| Results |
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To further confirm these findings, we examined the effect of exogenous expression of RICS on the phenotype of RICS/ cerebellar granule neurons. We found that exogenous expression of RICS rescued the phenotype of RICS/ cerebellar granule neurons; RICS/ neurons transfected with RICS had shorter neurites than those of untransfected neurons (Fig. 4D). In contrast, an inactive mutant RICS, RICS-R58I, in which Arg-58 was replaced with Ile (Okabe et al. 2003), did not affect the length of neurites. On the other hand, expression of another mutant form of RICS, RICS-
ß, which lacks the ß-catenin-binding domain, resulted in an increase in the length of neurites. Taken together, these results suggest that RICS regulates neurite outgrowth as a RhoGAP and that the ß-catenin-binding domain may be important for this activity.
| Discussion |
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RICS was found to be localized at the developing growth cones of cultured hippocampal neuronal cells. Consistent with this finding, RICS contains two tyrosine-based sorting motifs (YXXLE), which have been implicated in axonal growth cone sorting (Kamiguchi & Lemmon 1998). Since Cdc42 activation is believed to promote growth cone advance (Luo 2000; Dickson 2001), it is possible that RICS functions as a regulator of Rho GTPases during neurite outgrowth. Indeed, we found that cerebellar granule and hippocampal neurons from RICS/ mice had longer neurites than wild-type neurons. Furthermore, exogenous expression of RICS, but not RICS-R58I, rescued the phenotype of RICS/ cerebellar granule neurons. These findings suggest that RICS plays an important role in neurite extension. In this regard, it is interesting to note that RICS was also identified as a protein (Grit) that interacts with TrkA, a high-affinity receptor for NGF (Nakamura et al. 2002). It has been reported that over-expression of the TrkA-binding region of RICS/GRIT inhibits NGF-induced neurite elongation in PC12 cells. We also found that over-expression of dominant-negative mutants of RICS in PC12 cells enhances NGF-induced neurite extension (data not shown). Thus, endogenous RICS may be involved in the regulation of NGF-induced neurite extension.
Although RICS was identified as a ß-catenin-binding protein, the significance of this interaction has not been elucidated. However, it is interesting that RICS-
ß, which lacks the ß-catenin-binding domain, was unable to rescue the phenotype of RICS/ cerebellar granule neurons. This finding raises the possibility that the interaction of RICS with ß-catenin is important for its ability to regulate neuritegenesis. However, one cannot exclude the possibility that deletion of this domain resulted in the loss of other important functions. Also, the reason why RICS-
ß stimulated neurite outgrowth of RICS/ neurons remains to be elucidated.
RICS is highly expressed in the cortex and amygdala and is localized at spines. Furthermore, we have previously found that RICS is a component of the NMDA receptor complex (Okabe et al. 2003). All these results raise the possibility that RICS plays an important role in higher functions such as learning and emotional memory. Further studies on RICS/ animals may reveal not only the molecular mechanism of neuritegenesis but also those of some higher functions.
| Experimental procedures |
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A genomic clone containing the first methionine of the RICS gene was isolated from a C57BL/6 mouse genomic library (Incyte Genomics, Inc). The targeting vector was constructed by replacing a 12 kb fragment containing the ATG start codon with a LacZ-Neo cassette. The targeting construct was electroporated into TT2 ES cells and the G418-resistant clones were tested for a targeted event by Southern blot analysis. Two probes were used for analyzing ES cell and mouse tail DNA as shown in Fig. 1A. P1 is a 419-bp fragment corresponding to a region 434-bp upstream of the homologous region. P2 is a 187-bp fragment within the neomycine resistance gene. Six independent RICS heterozygous (RICS+/) ES clones were identified and expanded. The RICS+/ ES cells were aggregated with or injected into ICR morulas or blastocysts, respectively. Two independent germ line-transmitting chimeras were obtained and bred to C57BL/6 N to generate an inbred colony. We performed experiments with two independently derived knockout lines and obtained similar results.
Antibodies
Antibodies to RICS were prepared as previously described (Okabe et al. 2003). Antibodies to Cdc42 and Rac1 were purchased from SantaCruz Biotechnology and BD Transduction Laboratories, respectively. Anti-
tubelin antibody was obtained from Oncogene. Anti-FLAG M2 antibody was from Sigma.
Cell culture
Mouse hippocampal and cerebellar granule neurons were grown in Neurobasal medium (Invitrogen) supplemented with B-27 supplement (Invitrogen). In cerebellar granule neuron culture, 25 mM KCl was included.
PBD assay
A GST fusion protein of the p21-binding domain (amino acids 65136) of mouse PAK 3 (PBD) was prepared. RICS/ and wild-type cerebellar granule cells were seeded on 6 cm dish/mouse. After 24 h incubation, cells were lyzed with lysis buffer A (1% TritonX-100, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), 150 mM NaCl, 10 mM MgCl2, 1 mM PMSF, 10 µg/mL aprotinin, 10 µg/mL leupeptin, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate, 0.1% SDS). GTP-bound forms of endogenous Cdc42 and Rac1 were affinity purified from the clarified lysates containing 200 µg (for Cdc42GAP) or 100 µg (for RacGAP) of protein with 20 µg GST-PBD. Bound Cdc42 and Rac1 were detected by immunoblotting with antibodies against Cdc42 or Rac1, respectively (Ren et al. 1999; del Pozo et al. 2000). In lanes labeled total Cdc42 or Rac1, 20 µg of lysates used for immunoprecipitation were loaded. Each experiment was independently repeated 3 times.
In vivo binding assay
Mouse brain was lyzed in lysis buffer 10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.0), 140 mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA, 1% TritonX-100, 10 µg/mL aprotinin, 10 µg/mL leupeptin, 1 mM NaF and 1 mM Na3VO4 and 200 µg of total protein was incubated with GST-fusion proteins immobilized to GSH-Sepharose beads. The beads were then washed 4 times with lysis buffer, and once with TEN buffer (10 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.0), 140 mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA). Samples were then boiled in 15 µL of 1 x SDS sample buffer and analyzed by immunoblotting. Each experiment was independently repeated 3 times.
Immunostaining
Mouse hippocampal neurons were cultured for 36 h and then fixed with 2% paraformaldehyde in PBS for 10 min at RT, and stained with anti-RICS antibody. The staining patterns obtained with anti-RICS antibody were visualized with FITC-labeled anti-rabbit antibody (ICN Biomedicals). The cells were also costained with Rhodamine-Phalloidine (Molecular Probe). The cells were then photographed with a Carl Zeiss LSM510 laser scanning microscope.
ß-Gal staining
Ten-week-old male mice were anesthetized and perfused with PBS (pH 7.4). Brains were dissected, fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde/PBS for 1 h, and then re-fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde/PBS containing 0.2% glutaraldehyde, 0.02% NP-40 for 1 h. After fixation, brains were embedded in Tissue-TEK® O.C.T. compound. Frozen brain sections were stained overnight in the staining solution (44 mM HEPES (pH 7.0), 3 mM K3[Fe(CN)6], 15 mM NaCl, 1.3 mM MgCl2, 0.5 mg/mL X-gal/DMFO, in PBS).
Neurite bearing assay of primary neurons
Hippocampal and cerebellar granule neurons were prepared from postnatal day 01 or day 79 mice, respectively. Cells were plated on glass coverslips coated with poly-L-lysine (50 µg/mL, Sigma) in 24-well plates at 4 wells/mouse. After 36 h incubation, cells were fixed and labeled with Rhodamine-Phalloidine and ToPro3. The cells were photographed with a Carl Zeiss LSM510 laser scanning microscope and the length of neurites was measured using the LSM510 software. Each experiment was independently repeated 3 times.
Neurite bearing assay of primary neurons transfected with RICS mutants
Cerebellar granule neurons were prepared from postnatal day 89 mice. Cells were plated on glass coverslips coated with poly L-lysine (50 µg/mL, Sigma) in 24-well plates at 4 wells/mouse. Cells were transfected with the FLAG-tagged constructs indicated in Fig. 4D using mouse neuron nucleofector kit (Amaxa) and incubated for 24 h. Cells were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde/PBS for 10 min at RT, then stained with anti-FLAG antibody. The cells were photographed with a Carl Zeiss LSM510 laser scanning microscope and the length of neurites was measured using the LSM510 software. Each experiment was independently repeated 3 times.
| Acknowledgements |
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| Footnotes |
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* Correspondence: E-mail: akiyama{at}iam.u-tokyo.ac.jp
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