Claire Desnos

Rab27a and Rab27b control different steps of the exosome secretion pathway

Exosomes are secreted membrane vesicles that share structural and biochemical characteristics with intraluminal vesicles of multivesicular endosomes (MVEs). Exosomes could be involved in intercellular communication and in the pathogenesis of infectious and degenerative diseases. The molecular mechanisms of exosome biogenesis and secretion are, however, poorly understood. Using an RNA interference (RNAi) screen, we identified five Rab GTPases that promote exosome secretion in HeLa cells. Among these, Rab27a and Rab27b were found to function in MVE docking at the plasma membrane. The size of MVEs was strongly increased by Rab27a silencing, whereas MVEs were redistributed towards the perinuclear region upon Rab27b silencing. Thus, the two Rab27 isoforms have different roles in the exosomal pathway. In addition, silencing two known Rab27 effectors, Slp4 (also known as SYTL4, synaptotagmin-like 4) and Slac2b (also known as EXPH5, exophilin 5), inhibited exosome secretion and phenocopied silencing of Rab27a and Rab27b, respectively. Our results therefore strengthen the link between MVEs and exosomes, and introduce ways of manipulating exosome secretion in vivo.

MyRIP, a novel Rab effector, enables myosin VIIa recruitment to retinal melanosomes

Defects of the myosin VIIa motor protein cause deafness and retinal anomalies in humans and mice. We report on the identification of a novel myosin‐VIIa‐interacting protein that we have named MyRIP (myosin‐VIIa‐ and Rab‐interacting protein), since it also binds to Rab27A in a GTP‐dependent manner. In the retinal pigment epithelium cells, MyRIP, myosin VIIa and Rab27A are associated with melanosomes. In transfected PC12 cells, overexpression of MyRIP was shown to interfere with the myosin VIIa tail localization. We propose that a molecular complex composed of Rab27A, MyRIP and myosin VIIa bridges retinal melanosomes to the actin cytoskeleton and thereby mediates the local trafficking of these organelles. The defect of this molecular complex is likely to account for the perinuclear mislocalization of the melanosomes observed in the retinal pigment epithelium cells of myosinVIIa‐defective mice.

'Should I stay or should I go?': myosin V function in organelle trafficking.

Actin‐ and microtubule‐based motors can propel different cargos along filaments. Within cells, they control the distribution of membrane‐bound compartments by performing complementary tasks. Organelles make long journeys along microtubules, with class V myosins ensuring their capture and their dispersal in actin‐rich regions. Myosin Va is recruited on to diverse organelles, such as melanosomes and secretory vesicles, by a mechanism involving Rab GTPases. The role of myosin Va in the recruitment of secretory vesicles at the plasma membrane reveals that the cortical actin network cannot merely be seen as a physical barrier hindering vesicle access to release sites. In neurons, myosin Va controls the targeting of IP3 (inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate)‐sensitive Ca2+ stores to dendritic spines and the transport of mRNAs. These defects probably account for the severe neurological symptoms observed in Griscelli syndrome due to mutations in the MYO5A gene.

Endosomal WASH and exocyst complexes control exocytosis of MT1-MMP at invadopodia.

WASH and exocyst promote pericellular matrix degradation and tumor cell invasion by enabling localized exocytosis of MT1-MMP from late endosomes.

D1 and D2-type dopamine receptors in patients with Parkinson's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy

The densities of D1- and D2-type dopamine receptors were measured with [3H]SCH23390 and [3H]spiperone, in the caudate nucleus and putamen of a large series of patients with Parkinsons disease or progressive supranuclear palsy, in relation to markers of dopaminergic and cholinergic innervation of the striatum ([3H]dihydrotetrabenazine binding and choline acetyltransferase activity). Correlations were sought between these parameters and clinical characteristics of the patients (abnormal involuntary movements, dementia, confusional syndrome or treatment). In Parkinsons disease, the densities of both types of receptors were unchanged, whereas in PSP, the density of D2, but not D1-type dopamine receptors, was decreased in the caudate nucleus and the putamen. No correlations between the biochemical and clinical data were found.

Myosin Va Mediates Docking of Secretory Granules at the Plasma Membrane

Myosin Va (MyoVa) is a prime candidate for controlling actin-based organelle motion in neurons and neuroendocrine cells. Its function in secretory granule (SG) trafficking was investigated in enterochromaffin cells by wide-field and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. The distribution of endogenous MyoVa partially overlapped with SGs and microtubules. Impairing MyoVa function by means of a truncated construct (MyoVa tail) or RNA interference prevented the formation of SG-rich regions at the cell periphery and reduced SG density in the subplasmalemmal region. Individual SG trajectories were tracked to analyze SG mobility. A wide distribution of their diffusion coefficient, Dxy, was observed. Almost immobile SGs (Dxy < 5 × 10−4 μm2 · s−1) were considered as docked at the plasma membrane based on two properties: (1) SGs that undergo exocytosis have a Dxy below this threshold value for at least 2 s before fusion; (2) a negative autocorrelation of the vertical motion was found in subtrajectories with a Dxy below the threshold. Using this criterion of docking, we found that the main effect of MyoVa inhibition was to reduce the number of docked granules, leading to reduced secretory responses. Surprisingly, this reduction was not attributable to a decreased transport of SGs toward release sites. In contrast, MyoVa silencing reduced the occurrence of long-lasting, but not short-lasting, docking periods. We thus propose that, despite its known motor activity, MyoVa directly mediates stable attachment of SGs at the plasma membrane.

Synaptin/synaptophysin, p65 and SV2: their presence in adrenal chromaffin granules and sympathetic large dense core vesicles

The subcellular distribution of three proteins of synaptic vesicles (synaptin/synaptophysin, p65 and SV2) was determined in bovine adrenal medulla and sympathetic nerve axons. In adrenals most p65 and SV2 is confined to chromaffin granules. Part of synaptin/synaptophysin is apparently also present in these organelles, but a considerable portion is found in a light vesicle which does not contain significant concentrations of typical markers of chromaffin granules (cytochrome b-561, dopamine beta-hydroxylase or the amine carrier). An analogous finding was obtained for sympathetic axons. The large dense core vesicles contain most p65 and also SV2 but only a smaller portion of synaptin/synaptophysin. A lighter vesicle containing this latter antigen and some SV2 has also been found. These results establish that in adrenal medulla and sympathetic axons three typical antigens of synaptic vesicles are not restricted to light vesicles. Apparently, a varying part of these antigens is found in chromaffin granules and large dense core vesicles. On the other hand, the light vesicles do not contain significant concentrations of functional antigens of chromaffin granules. Thus, the biogenesis of small presynaptic vesicles which contain all three antigens as well as functional components like the amine carrier is likely to involve considerable membrane sorting.

Regulation of the Chromaffin Granule Catecholamine Transporter in Cultured Bovine Adrenal Medullary Cells: Stimulus–Biosynthesis Coupling

Abstract: The transsynaptic induction of the monoamine transporter present on the membrane of chromaffin granules was studied in primary cultures of dissociated bovine adrenomedullary cells submitted to a chronic secretory stimulation. The amount of the vesicular monoamine transporter was assayed by binding of the specific ligand [3H]‐dihydrotetrabenazine. After several days of incubation in the presence of high potassium, the concentration of [3H]‐dihydrotetrabenazine binding sites was increased by a 1.5–2.5 factor. This increase was smaller in the presence of the cholinergic agonist carbachol. The long‐term inductions of the vesicular monoamine transporter, of tyrosine hydroxylase, and of acetylcholinesterase were of similar magnitude. Under the same conditions, we found no variation in either the activities of other catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes (dopamine β‐hydroxylase and DOPA decarboxylase), or in metabolic enzymes such as lactate dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase, and a decrease in the cellular content of chromogranin A and cytochrome b‐561. The induction of the vesicular monoamine transporter was inhibited by the calcium channel antagonists, fluspirilene and nifedipine, and was increased by the agonist Bay K 8644. It was abolished by cycloheximide and actinomycin D. These results indicate that calcium entry into chromaffin cells increases the synthesis of the vesicular monoamine transporter, presumably by transcriptional activation. Elevation of intracellular cyclic AMP concentration or activation of protein kinase C also induced an increase in the expression of the vesicular monoamine transporter. Our results confirm that components of storage vesicle membranes are differentially regulated in response to secretory stimulation, as are several cytosolic or intravesicular soluble proteins. Moreover, the up‐regulation of the vesicular monoamine transporter supports our previous hypothesis that catecholamine uptake into storage vesicles might be, in the adrenal medulla, a rate‐limiting step in the formation of mature secretion vesicles.

Cdc42 controls the dilation of the exocytotic fusion pore by regulating membrane tension

On exocytosis, membrane fusion starts with the formation of a narrow fusion pore that must expand to allow the release of secretory compounds. The GTPase Cdc42 promotes fusion pore dilation in neuroendocrine cells by controlling membrane tension.

Characteristics of the transport of the quaternary ammonium 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium by chromaffin granules.

1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), an active metabolite of the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine which induces Parkinsons disease in man, is a substrate of the monoamine uptake system of chromaffin granules. It is accumulated without chemical modification by bovine chromaffin granule membrane vesicles in the presence of ATP. The transport is saturable and is characterized by a Km value of 0.8 microM at pH 8.0, similar to that of serotonin (5-HT). Transport occurs through the monoamine transporter since it is competitively inhibited by 5-HT and since MPP+ competitively inhibits [3H]5-HT uptake. Moreover, [3H]MPP+ uptake is blocked by the monoamine transporter inhibitors tetrabenazine and reserpine. Finally, MPP+ efficiently displaces [3H]reserpine and [3H]dihydrotetrabenazine from their binding sites on the transporter. In the pH range 6-8, the Km for [3H]MPP+ uptake and the EC50 of MPP+ for the displacement of [3H]dihydrotetrabenazine decrease logarithmically with the pH. MPP+ is the first quaternary ammonium salt shown to be a substrate of the monoamine transporter and it has the same pH-dependency as monoamines.