Structural and functional relation of neuropilins

Adv Exp Med Biol. 2002:515:55-69. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4615-0119-0_5.

Abstract

Neuropilin is a type I transmembrane protein and the molecular mass is 120 kDa. Two homologues, Neuropilin-1 and -2, are identified. The primary structure of Neuropilin-1 and Neuropilin-2 is well conserved and is divided into four domains, CUB (a1/a2) domain, FV/FVIII (b1/b2) domain, MAM (c) domain, and (d) domain that contains a transmembrane and a short cytoplasmic region. Both Neuropilin-1 and Neuropilin-2 have truncated and secreted form of splice variants. Neuropilins act as a receptor for two different extracellular ligands, class 3 semaphorins and specific isoforms of vascular endothelial growth factor. In both cases, neuropilin requires an additional transmembrane molecule to exhibit biological activity. Plexin-A is essential for class 3 semaphorin signaling. Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) receptor is the major receptor for VEGF and neuropilin acts as isoform specific co-receptor for VEGF. The CUB and FV/FVIII domains of Neuropilin are the binding sites of semaphorin and VEGF. The MAM domain mediates semaphorin signaling to Plexin-A. Cross talk between semaphorin and VEGF on neuropilin suggests that class 3 semaphorins and the secreted forms of neuropilin act as antagonists to VEGF and its related growth factors.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Neuropilin-1 / chemistry
  • Neuropilin-1 / metabolism
  • Neuropilins / chemistry*
  • Neuropilins / genetics
  • Neuropilins / physiology*
  • Protein Binding
  • Signal Transduction / physiology

Substances

  • Neuropilins
  • Neuropilin-1