title: Neuron-specific Hu proteins sub-cellular localization in primary sensory neurons.
abstract: The Hu family of RNA-binding proteins is involved in many post-transcriptional mechanisms for the development and maintenance of the nervous system. Three members of the Hu family (HuB, HuC and HuD) are neuron-specific proteins. In this study, we present data using light and electron microscopy to show the sub-cellular localization of neuron-specific Hu proteins in rat primary sensory neurons taken from dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Using these techniques we morphologically revealed the presence of neuron-specific-Hu proteins in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm and discriminated the presence of Hu proteins within different cellular organelles, specifically mitochondria and Golgi apparatus, thus supporting previous ideas that NS-Hu proteins enable RNA interactions with sub-cellular organelles and may be involved in mRNA cellular localization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Ospedale San Luigi, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043 Orbassano (TO), Italy. michele.fornaro@unito.it
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fornaro
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raimondo
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Maria Giuseppina
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Giacobini-Robecchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051959:ELAV Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D000067777:ELAV-Like Protein 2; D000067778:ELAV-Like Protein 3; D000067779:ELAV-Like Protein 4; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D051959:ELAV Proteins; D000067777:ELAV-Like Protein 2; D000067778:ELAV-Like Protein 3; D000067779:ELAV-Like Protein 4; C490170:Elavl2 protein, rat; C490262:Elavl3 protein, rat; C000594136:Elavl4 protein, rat; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins