Semaphorin 4C and 4G are ligands of Plexin-B2 required in cerebellar development

The IκB kinase complex is required for plexin-B-mediated activation of RhoA

Plexins are widely expressed transmembrane proteins that mediate the cellular effects of semaphorins. The molecular mechanisms of plexin-mediated signal transduction are still poorly understood. Here we show that signalling via B-family plexins leading to the activation of the small GTPase RhoA requires activation of the IκB kinase (IKK)-complex. In contrast, plexin-B-dependent regulation of R-Ras activity is not affected by IKK activity. This regulation of plexin signalling depends on the kinase activity of the IKK-complex, but is independent of NF-κB activation. We confirm that the IKK-complex is active in tumour cells and osteoblasts, and we demonstrate that plexin-B-dependent tumour cell invasiveness and regulation of osteoblast differentiation require an active IKK-complex. This study identifies a novel, NF-κB-independent function of the IKK-complex and shows that IKK directs plexin-B signalling to the activation of RhoA.

Peptide sharing between influenza A H1N1 hemagglutinin and human axon guidance proteins

Epidemiologic data suggest that maternal microbial infections may cause fetal neurodevelopmental disorders, potentially increasing susceptibility to heavy psychopathologies such as schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, autism, pervasive developmental disorders, bipolar disorders, psychosis, epilepsy, language and speech disorders, and cognitive impairment in adult offspring. However, the molecular pathomechanisms underlying such a relationship are not clear. Here we analyze the potential role of the maternal immune response to viral infection in determining fetal brain injuries that increase the risk of neurological disorders in the adult. We use influenza infection as a disease model and human axon guidance pathway, a key process in the formation of neural network during midgestation, as a potential fetal target of immune insults. Specifically, we examined influenza A H1N1 hemagglutinin (HA), an antigenic viral protein, for amino acid sequence similarity to a random library of 188 axon guidance proteins. We obtain the results that (1) contrary to any theoretical expectations, 45 viral pentapeptide matches are distributed throughout a subset of 36 guidance molecules; (2) in 24 guidance proteins, the peptide sharing with HA antigen involves already experimentally validated influenza HA epitopes; and (3) most of the axon guidance vs HA peptide overlap is conserved among influenza A viral strains and subsets. Taken together, our data indicate that immune cross-reactivity between influenza HA and axon guidance molecules is possible and may well represent a pathologic mechanism capable of determining neurodevelopmental disruption in the fetus.

An antagonistic interaction between PlexinB2 and Rnd3 controls RhoA activity and cortical neuron migration

A transcriptional programme initiated by the proneural factors Neurog2 and Ascl1 controls successive steps of neurogenesis in the embryonic cerebral cortex. Previous work has shown that proneural factors also confer a migratory behaviour to cortical neurons by inducing the expression of the small GTP-binding proteins such as Rnd2 and Rnd3. However, the directionality of radial migration suggests that migrating neurons also respond to extracellular signal-regulated pathways. Here we show that the Plexin B2 receptor interacts physically and functionally with Rnd3 and stimulates RhoA activity in migrating cortical neurons. Plexin B2 competes with p190RhoGAP for binding to Rnd3, thus blocking the Rnd3-mediated inhibition of RhoA and also recruits RhoGEFs to directly stimulate RhoA activity. Thus, an interaction between the cell-extrinsic Plexin signalling pathway and the cell-intrinsic Ascl1-Rnd3 pathway determines the level of RhoA activity appropriate for cortical neuron migration.

Sema4D localizes to synapses and regulates GABAergic synapse development as a membrane-bound molecule in the mammalian hippocampus

While numerous recent advances have contributed to our understanding of excitatory synapse formation, the processes that mediate inhibitory synapse formation remain poorly defined. Previously, we discovered that RNAi-mediated knockdown of a Class 4 Semaphorin, Sema4D, led to a decrease in the density of inhibitory synapses without an apparent effect on excitatory synapse formation. Our current work has led us to new insights about the molecular mechanisms by which Sema4D regulates GABAergic synapse development. Specifically, we report that the extracellular domain of Sema4D is proteolytically cleaved from the surface of neurons. However, despite this cleavage event, Sema4D signals through its extracellular domain as a membrane-bound, synaptically localized protein required in the postsynaptic membrane for proper GABAergic synapse formation. Thus, as Sema4D is one of only a few molecules identified thus far that preferentially regulates GABAergic synapse formation, these findings have important implications for our mechanistic understanding of this process.

Plexin-B2 regulates the proliferation and migration of neuroblasts in the postnatal and adult subventricular zone

In the postnatal forebrain, the subventricular zone (SVZ) contains a pool of undifferentiated cells, which proliferate and migrate along the rostral migratory stream (RMS) to the olfactory bulb and differentiate into granule cells and periglomerular cells. Plexin-B2 is a semaphorin receptor previously known to act on neuronal proliferation in the embryonic brain and neuronal migration in the cerebellum. We show here that, in the postnatal and adult CNS, Plexin-B2 is expressed in the subventricular zone lining the telencephalic ventricles and in the rostral migratory stream. We analyzed Plxnb2(-/-) mice and found that there is a marked reduction in the proliferation of SVZ cells in the mutant. Plexin-B2 expression is downregulated in the olfactory bulb as interneurons initiate radial migration. BrdU labeling and GFP electroporation into postnatal SVZ, in addition to time-lapse videomicroscopy, revealed that neuroblasts deficient for Plexin-B2 migrate faster than control ones and leave the RMS more rapidly. Overall, these results show that Plexin-B2 plays a role in postnatal neurogenesis and in the migration of SVZ-derived neuroblasts.

Gene expression changes of interconnected spared cortical neurons 7 days after ischemic infarct of the primary motor cortex in the rat

After cortical injury resulting from stroke, some recovery can occur and may involve spared areas of the cerebral cortex reorganizing to assume functions previously controlled by the damaged cortical areas. No studies have specifically assessed gene expression changes in remote neurons with axonal processes that terminate in the infarcted tissue, i.e., the subset of neurons most likely to be involved in regenerative processes. By physiologically identifying the primary motor area controlling forelimb function in adult rats (caudal forelimb area = CFA), and injecting a retrograde tract-tracer, we labeled neurons within the non-primary motor cortex (rostral forelimb area = RFA) that project to CFA. Then, 7 days after a CFA infarct (n = 6), we used laser capture microdissection techniques to harvest labeled neurons in RFA. Healthy, uninjured rats served as controls (n = 6). Biological interactions and functions of gene profiling were investigated by Affymetrix Microarray, and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. A total of 143 up- and 128 down-regulated genes showed significant changes (fold change ≥1.3 and p < 0.05). The canonical pathway, "Axonal Guidance Signaling," was overrepresented (p value = 0.002). Significantly overrepresented functions included: branching of neurites, organization of cytoskeleton, dendritic growth and branching, organization of cytoplasm, guidance of neurites, development of cellular protrusions, density of dendritic spines, and shape change (p = 0.000151-0.0487). As previous studies have shown that spared motor areas are important in recovery following injury to the primary motor area, the results suggest that these gene expression changes in remote, interconnected neurons may underlie reorganization and recovery mechanisms.

Development and evolution of cerebellar neural circuits

The cerebellum controls smooth and skillful movements and it is also involved in higher cognitive and emotional functions. The cerebellum is derived from the dorsal part of the anterior hindbrain and contains two groups of cerebellar neurons: glutamatergic and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons. Purkinje cells are GABAergic and granule cells are glutamatergic. Granule and Purkinje cells receive input from outside of the cerebellum from mossy and climbing fibers. Genetic analysis of mice and zebrafish has revealed genetic cascades that control the development of the cerebellum and cerebellar neural circuits. During early neurogenesis, rostrocaudal patterning by intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as Otx2, Gbx2 and Fgf8, plays an important role in the positioning and formation of the cerebellar primordium. The cerebellar glutamatergic neurons are derived from progenitors in the cerebellar rhombic lip, which express the proneural gene Atoh1. The GABAergic neurons are derived from progenitors in the ventricular zone, which express the proneural gene Ptf1a. The mossy and climbing fiber neurons originate from progenitors in the hindbrain rhombic lip that express Atoh1 or Ptf1a. Purkinje cells exhibit mediolateral compartmentalization determined on the birthdate of Purkinje cells, and linked to the precise neural circuitry formation. Recent studies have shown that anatomy and development of the cerebellum is conserved between mammals and bony fish (teleost species). In this review, we describe the development of cerebellar neurons and neural circuitry, and discuss their evolution by comparing developmental processes of mammalian and teleost cerebellum.

Getting neural circuits into shape with semaphorins

Semaphorins are key players in the control of neural circuit development. Recent studies have uncovered several exciting and novel aspects of neuronal semaphorin signalling in various cellular processes--including neuronal polarization, topographical mapping and axon sorting--that are crucial for the assembly of functional neuronal connections. This progress is important for further understanding the many neuronal and non-neuronal functions of semaphorins and for gaining insight into their emerging roles in the perturbed neural connectivity that is observed in some diseases. This Review discusses recent advances in semaphorin research, focusing on novel aspects of neuronal semaphorin receptor regulation and previously unexplored cellular functions of semaphorins in the nervous system.

Semaphorin signaling in vertebrate neural circuit assembly

Neural circuit formation requires the coordination of many complex developmental processes. First, neurons project axons over long distances to find their final targets and then establish appropriate connectivity essential for the formation of neuronal circuitry. Growth cones, the leading edges of axons, navigate by interacting with a variety of attractive and repulsive axon guidance cues along their trajectories and at final target regions. In addition to guidance of axons, neuronal polarization, neuronal migration, and dendrite development must be precisely regulated during development to establish proper neural circuitry. Semaphorins consist of a large protein family, which includes secreted and cell surface proteins, and they play important roles in many steps of neural circuit formation. The major semaphorin receptors are plexins and neuropilins, however other receptors and co-receptors also mediate signaling by semaphorins. Upon semaphorin binding to their receptors, downstream signaling molecules transduce this event within cells to mediate further events, including alteration of microtubule and actin cytoskeletal dynamics. Here, I review recent studies on semaphorin signaling in vertebrate neural circuit assembly, with the goal of highlighting how this diverse family of cues and receptors imparts exquisite specificity to neural complex connectivity.

More than nervous: the emerging roles of plexins

Plexins are the receptors for semaphorins, a large family of axon guidance cues. Accordingly, the role of plexins in the development of the nervous system was the first to be acknowledged. However, the expression of plexins is not restricted to neuronal cells, and recent research has been increasingly focused on the roles of plexin-semaphorin signalling outside of the nervous system. During embryogenesis, plexins regulate the development of many organs, including the cardiovascular system, skeleton and kidney. They have also been shown to be involved in immune system functions and tumour progression. Analyses of the plexin signalling in different tissues and cell types have provided new insight to the versatility of plexin interactions with semaphorins and other cell-surface receptors. In this review we try to summarise the current understanding of the roles of plexins in non-neural development and immunity.

Plexin-B2 negatively regulates macrophage motility, Rac, and Cdc42 activation

Plexins are cell surface receptors widely studied in the nervous system, where they mediate migration and morphogenesis though the Rho family of small GTPases. More recently, plexins have been implicated in immune processes including cell-cell interaction, immune activation, migration, and cytokine production. Plexin-B2 facilitates ligand induced cell guidance and migration in the nervous system, and induces cytoskeletal changes in overexpression assays through RhoGTPase. The function of Plexin-B2 in the immune system is unknown. This report shows that Plexin-B2 is highly expressed on cells of the innate immune system in the mouse, including macrophages, conventional dendritic cells, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells. However, Plexin-B2 does not appear to regulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines, phagocytosis of a variety of targets, or directional migration towards chemoattractants or extracellular matrix in mouse macrophages. Instead, Plxnb2^−/− macrophages have greater cellular motility than wild type in the unstimulated state that is accompanied by more active, GTP-bound Rac and Cdc42. Additionally, Plxnb2^−/− macrophages demonstrate faster in vitro wound closure activity. Studies have shown that a closely related family member, Plexin-B1, binds to active Rac and sequesters it from downstream signaling. The interaction of Plexin-B2 with Rac has only been previously confirmed in yeast and bacterial overexpression assays. The data presented here show that Plexin-B2 functions in mouse macrophages as a negative regulator of the GTPases Rac and Cdc42 and as a negative regulator of basal cell motility and wound healing.