Jean Paul Borg

ERBIN : a basolateral PDZ protein that interacts with the mammalian ERBB2/HER2 receptor

The ERBB receptors have a crucial role in morphogenesis and oncogenesis. We have identified a new PDZ protein we named ERBIN (ERBB2 interacting protein) that acts as an adaptor for the receptor ERBB2/HER2 in epithelia. ERBIN contains 16 leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) in its amino terminus and a PDZ (PSD-95/DLG/ZO-1) domain at its carboxy terminus, and belongs to a new PDZ protein family. The PDZ domain directly and specifically interacts with ERBB2/HER2. ERBIN and ERBB2/HER2 colocalize to the lateral membrane of human intestinal epithelial cells. The ERBIN-binding site in ERBB2/HER2 has a critical role in restricting this receptor to the basolateral membrane of epithelial cells, as mutation of the ERBIN-binding site leads to the mislocalization of the receptor in these cells. We suggest that ERBIN acts in the localization and signalling of ERBB2/HER2 in epithelia.

A Role for Erbin in the Regulation of Nod2-dependent NF-κB Signaling

Nod2 is an intracellular sensor of a specific bacterial cell wall component, muramyl dipeptide, and activation of Nod2 stimulates an inflammatory response. Specific mutations of Nod2 have been associated with two inflammatory diseases, Crohn disease and Blau syndrome, and are thought to contribute to disease susceptibility through altering Nod2 signaling. Association of disease with inappropriate activation of Nod2 highlights the importance of proper regulation of Nod2 activity. However, little is known about specific regulation of the Nod2 pathway. We performed a biochemical screen to discover potential regulators of Nod2 and identified Erbin, a protein involved in cell polarity, receptor localization, and regulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, as a novel Nod2-interacting protein. In our studies, we demonstrate specific interaction of Erbin and Nod2 both in vitro and in vivo and characterize the regions required for interaction in both proteins. We found that Nod2-dependent activation of NF-κB and cytokine secretion is inhibited by Erbin overexpression, whereas Erbin-/- mouse embryo fibroblasts show an increased sensitivity to muramyl dipeptide. These studies identify Erbin as a regulator of Nod2 signaling and demonstrate a novel role for Erbin in inflammatory responses.

Apicobasal polarity complexes

Asymmetric distribution of proteins and other molecules within cells leads to cell polarization. One of the most studied examples occurs in epithelial cells that polarize to form apical and basolateral surfaces ([Nelson, 2003][1]). Although we know much about directed protein trafficking after cells

The NOD2-RICK Complex Signals from the Plasma Membrane

NOD2 plays an important role in the innate immunity of the intestinal tract. By sensing the muramyl dipeptide (MDP), a bacterial wall component, NOD2 triggers the NF-κB signaling pathway and promotes the release of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-8. Mutations in Nod2 (1007FS, R702W, G908R) impinge on NOD2 functions and are associated with the pathogenesis of Crohn disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Although NOD2 is usually described as a cytosolic receptor for MDP, the protein is also localized at the plasma membrane, and the 1007FS mutation delocalizes NOD2 to the cytoplasm (Barnich, N., Aguirre, J. E., Reinecker, H. C., Xavier, R., and Podolsky, D. K. (2005) J. Cell Biol. 170, 21-26; McDonald, C., Chen, F. F., Ollendorff, V., Ogura, Y., Marchetto, S., Lecine, P., Borg, J. P., and Nunez, G. (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 40301-40309). In this study, we demonstrate that membrane-bound versions of NOD2 and Crohn disease-associated mutants R702W and G908R are capable of responding to MDP and activating the NF-κB pathway from this location. In contrast, the 1007FS mutant remains unable to respond to MDP from the plasma membrane. We also show that NOD2 promotes the membrane recruitment of RICK, a serine-threonine kinase involved in NF-κB activation downstream of NOD2. Furthermore, the artificial attachment of RICK at the plasma membrane provokes a constitutive and strong activation of the NF-κB pathway and secretion of interleukin-8 showing that optimal RICK activity depends upon its subcellular localization. Finally, we show that endogenous RICK localizes at the plasma membrane in the THP1 cell line. Thus, our data suggest that NOD2 is responsible for the membrane recruitment of RICK to induce a regulated NF-κB signaling and production of proinflammatory cytokines.

Erbin regulates NRG1 signaling and myelination.

Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) plays a critical role in myelination. However, little is known about regulatory mechanisms of NRG1 signaling. We show here that Erbin, a protein that contains leucine-rich repeats (LRR) and a PSD95-Dlg-Zol (PDZ) domain and that interacts specifically with ErbB2, is necessary for NRG1 signaling and myelination of peripheral nervous system (PNS). In Erbin null mice, myelinated axons were hypomyelinated with reduced expression of P0, a marker of mature myelinating Schwann cells (SCs), whereas unmyelinated axons were aberrantly ensheathed in Remak bundles, with increased numbers of axons in the bundles and in pockets. The morphological deficits were associated with decreased nerve conduction velocity and increased sensory threshold to mechanistic stimulation. These phenotypes were duplicated in erbinΔC/ΔC mice, in which Erbin lost the PDZ domain to interact with ErbB2. Moreover, ErbB2 was reduced at protein levels in both Erbin mutant sciatic nerves, and ErbB2 became unstable and NRG1 signaling compromised when Erbin expression was suppressed. These observations indicate a critical role of Erbin in myelination and identify a regulatory mechanism of NRG1 signaling. Our results suggest that Erbin, via the PDZ domain, binds to and stabilizes ErbB2, which is necessary for NRG1 signaling that has been implicated in tumorigenesis, heart development, and neural function.

Hook2 is involved in the morphogenesis of the primary cilium.

Hook2 partitions between the Golgi apparatus and the centrosome, and its depletion hinders ciliogenesis after mother centriole maturation without Golgi breakdown. Hook2 interacts with PCM1 and Rab8a, and Hook2-depleted cells can be forced to grow primary cilia by overexpressing GFP::Rab8a, indicating that Rab8a acts downstream of Hook2 and PCM1.

Erbin and the NF2 Tumor Suppressor Merlin Cooperatively Regulate Cell-Type-Specific Activation of PAK2 by TGF-β

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) family ligands are pleotropic proteins with diverse cell-type-specific effects on growth and differentiation. For example, PAK2 activation is critical for the proliferative/profibrotic action of TGF-beta on mesenchymal cells, and yet it is not responsive to TGF-beta in epithelial cells. We therefore investigated the regulatory constraints that prevent inappropriate PAK2 activation in epithelial cultures. The results show that the epithelial-enriched protein Erbin controls the function of the NF2 tumor suppressor Merlin by determining the output of Merlins physical interactions with active PAK2. Whereas mesenchymal TGF-beta signaling induces PAK2-mediated inhibition of Merlin function in the absence of Erbin, Erbin/Merlin complexes bind and inactivate GTPase-bound PAK2 in epithelia. These results not only identify Erbin as a key determinant of epithelial resistance to TGF-beta signaling, they also show that Erbin controls Merlin tumor suppressor function by switching the functional valence of PAK2 binding.

Identification of p62/SQSTM1 as a component of non-canonical Wnt VANGL2–JNK signalling in breast cancer

The non-canonical Wnt/planar cell polarity (Wnt/PCP) pathway plays a crucial role in embryonic development. Recent work has linked defects of this pathway to breast cancer aggressiveness and proposed Wnt/PCP signalling as a therapeutic target. Here we show that the archetypal Wnt/PCP protein VANGL2 is overexpressed in basal breast cancers, associated with poor prognosis and implicated in tumour growth. We identify the scaffold p62/SQSTM1 protein as a novel VANGL2-binding partner and show its key role in an evolutionarily conserved VANGL2–p62/SQSTM1–JNK pathway. This proliferative signalling cascade is upregulated in breast cancer patients with shorter survival and can be inactivated in patient-derived xenograft cells by inhibition of the JNK pathway or by disruption of the VANGL2–p62/SQSTM1 interaction. VANGL2–JNK signalling is thus a potential target for breast cancer therapy.

Erbin interacts with TARP [gamma]-2 for surface expression of AMPA receptors in cortical interneurons

Inhibitory neurons control the firing of glutamatergic neurons and synchronize brain activity. However, little is known about mechanisms of excitatory synapse formation in inhibitory neurons. Here we demonstrate that Erbin is specifically expressed in cortical inhibitory neurons. It localizes at excitatory synapses and regulates AMPA receptor (AMPAR) surface expression. Erbin mutation reduced mEPSCs and AMPAR currents specifically in parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneurons but not in pyramidal neurons. We found that the AMPAR auxiliary protein TARP γ-2 was specifically expressed in cortical interneurons. Erbin interacts with TARP γ-2 and is crucial for its stability. Deletion of the γ-2–interacting domain in Erbin attenuated surface AMPAR and excitatory transmission in PV-positive interneurons. Furthermore, we observed behavioral deficits in Erbin-null mice and in mice expressing an Erbin truncation mutant that is unable to interact with TARP γ-2. These observations demonstrate a crucial function for Erbin in AMPAR surface expression in cortical PV-positive interneurons and may contribute to a better understanding of psychiatric disorders.

Role of Erbin in ErbB2-dependent breast tumor growth

Significance ErbB2 (v-erb-b2 avian erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2) is overexpressed in around 25% of breast cancers. The present study reveals that Erbin, an ErbB2-interacting protein that was thought to act as an antitumor factor, facilitates ErbB2-dependent proliferation of breast cancer cells and tumorigenesis in MMTV-neu transgenic mice. Disruption of the interaction decreases ErbB2-dependent proliferation, and deletion of the PDZ domain in Erbin hinders ErbB2-dependent tumor development in MMTV-neu mice. Erbin forms a complex with ErbB2, promotes its interaction with the chaperon protein HSP90, and thus prevents its degradation. ErbB2 and Erbin expression correlates in human breast tumor tissues. Thus, this study identifies the interaction of Erbin and ErbB2 as a novel drug target linking another clinical molecular target, HSP90, in ErbB2-positive breast cancer. ErbB2 (v-erb-b2 avian erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2), a receptor tyrosine kinase of the ErbB family, is overexpressed in around 25% of breast cancers. In addition to forming a heterodimer with other ErbB receptors in response to ligand stimulation, ErbB2 can be activated in a ligand-independent manner. We report here that Erbin, an ErbB2-interacting protein that was thought to act as an antitumor factor, is specifically expressed in mammary luminal epithelial cells and facilitates ErbB2-dependent proliferation of breast cancer cells and tumorigenesis in MMTV-neu transgenic mice. Disruption of their interaction decreases ErbB2-dependent proliferation, and deletion of the PDZ domain in Erbin hinders ErbB2-dependent tumor development in MMTV-neu mice. Mechanistically, Erbin forms a complex with ErbB2, promotes its interaction with the chaperon protein HSP90, and thus prevents its degradation. Finally, ErbB2 and Erbin expression correlates in human breast tumor tissues. Together, these observations establish Erbin as an ErbB2 regulator for breast tumor formation and progression.