Axonal targeting of Caspr2 in hippocampal neurons via selective somatodendritic endocytosis

J Cell Sci. 2009 Sep 15;122(Pt 18):3403-13. doi: 10.1242/jcs.050526. Epub 2009 Aug 25.

Abstract

Contactin-associated protein 2 (Caspr2) is a neuronal membrane protein that is mutated in autism and related disorders. Although it is highly enriched at juxtaparanodes of Ranvier where it is essential for Shaker-type K(+) channel clustering, little is known about its function and regulation. In the present study, we examined the polarized expression of Caspr2 in hippocampal neurons using extracellular hemagglutinin (HA)-tagged Caspr2 constructs. We found that Caspr2 was targeted to the axonal surface, but colocalized with early endosomes in the somatodendritic compartment. The inhibition of endocytosis using a Dynamin-1 mutant or treatment with Dynasore prevented Caspr2 internalization from the dendrites and cell body. We identified a short sequence included into the 4.1B-binding domain that is required for the endocytosis of Caspr2. This sequence contains a protein kinase C (PKC) substrate motif on Thr1292, and point mutation of this residue or treatment with a PKC inhibitor prevented the somatodendritic internalization of Caspr2. Thus, the PKC-dependent trafficking of Caspr2 underlies its polarized expression in hippocampal neurons.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Axons / metabolism*
  • COS Cells
  • Cell Compartmentation
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cell Polarity
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • Cytoplasmic Vesicles / metabolism
  • Dendrites / metabolism*
  • Endocytosis*
  • Hippocampus / cytology*
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / chemistry
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Kinase C / metabolism
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Protein Transport
  • Rats
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • CNTNAP2 protein, human
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Protein Kinase C