Distribution of p120 catenin during rat brain development: potential role in regulation of cadherin-mediated adhesion and actin cytoskeleton organization.
p120 catenin (p120ctn) is implicated in the regulation of cadherin-mediated adhesion and actin cytoskeleton remodeling. The interaction of cytoplasmic p120ctn with the guanine exchange factor Vav2 is one of the signaling pathways implicated in cytoskeleton dynamics. We show here that p120ctn is regulated during rat brain development and is distributed at the membrane and within the cytoplasm where it associates with N-cadherin and Vav2, respectively. p120ctn shifts progressively from an axonal expression to a punctuate staining localized to a subset of synapses. In cultured hippocampal neurons, p120ctn redistributes from growth cones to synapses, where it partly colocalizes with N-cadherin or Vav2 and filamentous actin. In the adult forebrain, we show that p120ctn and Vav2 are highly expressed by neuroblasts migrating from the lateral subventricular zone to the olfactory bulb. The dynamic expression pattern of p120ctn and the biochemical evidences of its association with N-cadherin and Vav2 strongly suggest that p120ctn plays a major role in neuronal migration, neurite outgrowth and synapse formation, and plasticity.
INSERM U336, Université de Montpellier II, Place E. Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France. chauvet@univ-montp2.fr
Norbert
N
Chauvet
Monica
M
Prieto
Christine
C
Fabre
Nicole K
NK
Noren
Alain
A
Privat
D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051177:Catenins; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D002451:Cell Compartmentation / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005333:Fetus; D020439:Growth Cones / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051567:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-vav; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000095002:Delta Catenin
D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D051567:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-vav; C490564:Vav2 protein, rat; D000095002:Delta Catenin; C000722355:Ctnnd1 protein, rat