Cell polarity and locomotion, as well as endocytosis, depend on NSF

Development ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 129 (18) ◽  
pp. 4185-4192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris R. L. Thompson ◽  
Mark S. Bretscher

NEM-sensitive factor (NSF) is an essential protein required during membrane transport. We replaced part of the endogenous D. discoideum NSF gene (nsfA) by a PCR-mutagenised library and isolated 11 mutants temperature-sensitive (ts) for growth. Two of these have been studied in detail. As expected, both are ts for FITC-dextran uptake by macropinocytosis, for internalising their surface membrane (monitored with FM1-43) and for phagocytosis. However, after 10-20 minutes at 28°C, they round up and cease to chemotax, move or cap ConA receptors. They fully recover when returned to 22°C. These cells carry out a normal ‘cringe’ reaction in response to cAMP, indicating that the actin cytoskeleton and this signal transduction pathway are still functional at 28°C. The behaviour of these mutants shows that NSF-catalysed processes are required not only for the different endocytic cycles but also for the maintenance of cell polarity. As cell locomotion depends on a cell having a polarity, the mutants stop moving at high temperature. A tentative model is proposed to explain the surprising link between membrane recycling and cell polarity revealed here.

Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (12) ◽  
pp. 4095-4102 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.E. Krasnow ◽  
L.L. Wong ◽  
P.N. Adler

The tissue polarity genes in Drosophila are required to coordinate cell polarity within the plane of the epidermis. Evidence to date suggests that these genes may encode components of a novel signal transduction pathway. Three of the genes, frizzled (fz), dishevelled (dsh), and prickle (pk) share a similar tissue polarity phenotype, suggesting that they function together in a single process. dsh is also known to function as a mediator of wingless (wg) signaling in a variety of developmental patterning processes in the fly. In this study, we make use of a fz transgene and a hypomorphic fz allele as genetic tools in an attempt to order these genes in a genetic hierarchy. Our results argue that dsh encodes a dosage sensitive component required for fz function and that it likely acts downstream of fz in the generation of tissue polarity. Our findings suggest that dsh may have a general role in signal transduction, perhaps as a component of a receptor complex.


2005 ◽  
Vol 289 (1) ◽  
pp. F145-F153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongye Li ◽  
Edward P. Nord

The role of CD40/CD154 ligation in the upregulation of genes of the proinflammatory nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signal transduction pathway was explored in primary cultures of human renal proximal tubule epithelial cells. Using a cDNA gene array specific for human NF-κB signal pathway genes, 38 genes were upregulated at 1 h, and 7 of these genes remained upregulated at 3 h. Of these genes, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) was explored in further detail. Quantitative real-time PCR for ICAM-1 mRNA expression confirmed the gene array findings. Western blot analysis and quantitative sandwich-enzyme ELISA confirmed this observation at the protein level. A cell-surface ELISA assay showed that ICAM-1 expression doubled by 48 h of CD154 exposure, and fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis suggested that both the number of cells expressing ICAM-1 and the expression of ICAM-1 on these cells had increased. A cell adhesion assay using fluorescein-labeled human peripheral mononuclear cells showed that ICAM-1 upregulation resulted in increased mononuclear cell adhesion to the monolayer, which was abrogated by pretreatment of the monolayer with a neutralizing ICAM-1 antibody. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor SB-203580 but not the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 inhibitor (PD-98059) nor the protein kinase C inhibitor (calphostin) blunted ICAM-1 expression and mononuclear cell adhesion to the monolayer. We conclude that, in human renal proximal tubule epithelial cells, CD40 activation upregulates ICAM-1 (and other NF-κB pathway genes) expression with concomitant enhanced adhesion of mononuclear cells, which is mediated via the p38 MAPK signal transduction pathway.


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