CRMP-2 regulates polarized Numb-mediated endocytosis for axon growth

Nat Cell Biol. 2003 Sep;5(9):819-26. doi: 10.1038/ncb1039. Epub 2003 Aug 24.

Abstract

Axon growth during neural development is highly dependent on both cytoskeletal re-organization and polarized membrane trafficking. Previously, we demonstrated that collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP-2) is critical for specifying axon/dendrite fate and axon growth in cultured hippocampal neurons, possibly by interacting with tubulin heterodimers and promoting microtubule assembly. Here, we identify Numb as a CRMP-2-interacting protein. Numb has been shown to interact with alpha-adaptin and to be involved in endocytosis. We found that Numb was associated with L1, a neuronal cell adhesion molecule that is endocytosed and recycled at the growth cone, where CRMP-2 and Numb were colocalized. Furthermore, expression of dominant-negative CRMP-2 mutants or knockdown of CRMP-2 message with small-interfering (si) RNA inhibited endocytosis of L1 at axonal growth cones and suppressed axon growth. These results suggest that in addition to regulating microtubule assembly, CRMP-2 is involved in polarized Numb-mediated endocytosis of proteins such as L1.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology*
  • Cell Polarity / genetics
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Central Nervous System / cytology
  • Central Nervous System / embryology*
  • Central Nervous System / metabolism
  • Endocytosis / physiology*
  • Fetus
  • Growth Cones / metabolism*
  • Growth Cones / ultrastructure
  • Hippocampus / cytology
  • Hippocampus / embryology
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Microtubules / genetics
  • Microtubules / metabolism
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / deficiency*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / metabolism
  • Protein Transport / physiology*
  • RNA Interference / physiology
  • Rats

Substances

  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1
  • Numb protein, mouse
  • collapsin response mediator protein-2