title: F3/contactin-related proteins in Helix pomatia nervous tissue (HCRPs): distribution and function in neurite growth and neurotransmitter release.
abstract: By using antibodies against mouse F3/contactin, we found immunologically related glycoproteins expressed in the nervous tissue of the snail Helix pomatia. Helix contactin-related proteins (HCRPs) include different molecules ranging in size from 90 to 240 kD. Clones isolated from a cDNA expression library allowed us to demonstrate that these proteins are translated from a unique 6.3-kb mRNA, suggesting that their heterogeneity depends on posttranslational processing. This is supported by the results of endoglycosidase F treatment, which indicate that the high-molecular-weight components are glycosylation variants of the 90-kD chain. In vivo and in cultures, HCRPs antibodies label neuronal soma and neurite extensions, giving the appearance of both cytoplasmic and cell surface immunostaining. On the other hand, no expression is found on nonneural tissues. Functionally, HCRPs are involved in neurite growth control and appear to modulate neurotransmitter release, as indicated by the inhibiting effects of specific antibodies on both functions. These data allow the definition of HCRPs glycoproteins as growth-promoting molecules, suggesting that they play a role in neurite development and presynaptic terminal maturation in the invertebrate nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Torino, Italy. chiara.milanese@unito.it
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milanese
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiumara
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bizzoca
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giachello
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leitinger
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gennarini
authors.forename: Pier Giorgio
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Montarolo
authors.forename: Mirella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghirardi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D058966:Contactins; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate / Q000378:metabolism*; D015723:Gene Library; D006372:Helix, Snails / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger
chemical_list: D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D058966:Contactins; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger