title: The small GTPase ADP-ribosylation factor 6 negatively regulates dendritic spine formation.
abstract: Actin cytoskeletal reorganization and membrane trafficking are important for spine morphogenesis. Here we investigated whether the small GTPase, ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (ARF6), which regulates actin dynamics and peripheral vesicular trafficking, is involved in the regulation of spine formation. The developmental expression pattern of ARF6 in mouse hippocampus was similar to that of the post-synaptic density protein-95, and these molecules colocalized in mouse hippocampal neurons. Overexpression of a constitutively active ARF6 mutant in cultured hippocampal neurons decreased the spine density, whereas a dominant-negative ARF6 mutant increased the density. These results demonstrate a novel function for ARF6 as a key regulator of spine formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Chemistry, Graduate School of Comprehensive Sciences and Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Ten-nohdai, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maehama
authors.forename: Takeaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokozeki
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanaho
mesh_terms: D000089982:ADP-Ribosylation Factor 6; D020727:ADP-Ribosylation Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000089982:ADP-Ribosylation Factor 6; D020727:ADP-Ribosylation Factors; C000715727:Arf6 protein, mouse; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins