Axons break in animals lacking beta-spectrin.

Axons and dendrites can withstand acute mechanical strain despite their small diameter. In this study, we demonstrate that beta-spectrin is required for the physical integrity of neuronal processes in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Axons in beta-spectrin mutants spontaneously break. Breakage is caused by acute strain generated by movement because breakage can be prevented by paralyzing the mutant animals. After breaking, the neuron attempts to regenerate by initiating a new growth cone; this second round of axon extension is error prone compared with initial outgrowth. Because spectrin is a major target of calpain proteolysis, it is possible that some neurodegenerative disorders may involve the cleavage of spectrin followed by the breakage of neural processes.

Casein Kinase 1δ Stabilizes Mature Axons by Inhibiting Transcription Termination of Ankyrin.

After axon outgrowth and synapse formation, the nervous system transitions to a stable architecture. In C. elegans, this transition is marked by the appearance of casein kinase 1δ (CK1δ) in the nucleus. In CK1δ mutants, neurons continue to sprout growth cones into adulthood, leading to a highly ramified nervous system. Nervous system architecture in these mutants is completely restored by suppressor mutations in ten genes involved in transcription termination. CK1δ prevents termination by phosphorylating and inhibiting SSUP-72. SSUP-72 would normally remodel the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase in anticipation of termination. The antitermination activity of CK1δ establishes the mature state of a neuron by promoting the expression of the long isoform of a single gene, the cytoskeleton protein Ankyrin.

Loss of glial lazarillo, a homolog of apolipoprotein D, reduces lifespan and stress resistance in Drosophila.

The vertebrate Apolipoprotein D (ApoD) is a lipocalin secreted from subsets of neurons and glia during neural development and aging . A strong correlation exists between ApoD overexpression and numerous nervous system pathologies as well as obesity, diabetes, and many forms of cancer . However, the exact relationship between the function of ApoD and the pathophysiology of these diseases is still unknown. We have generated loss-of-function Drosophila mutants for the Glial Lazarillo (GLaz) gene , a homolog of ApoD in the fruit fly, mainly expressed in subsets of adult glial cells. The absence of GLaz reduces the organism's resistance to oxidative stress and starvation and shortens male lifespan. The mutant flies exhibit a smaller body mass due to a lower amount of neutral lipids stored in the fat body. Apoptotic neural cell death increases in aged flies or upon paraquat treatment, which also impairs neural function as assessed by behavioral tests. The higher sensitivity to oxidative stress and starvation and the reduced fat storage revert to control levels when a GFP-GLaz fusion protein is expressed under the control of the GLaz natural promoter. Finally, GLaz mutants have a higher concentration of lipid peroxidation products, pointing to a lipid peroxidation protection or scavenging as the mechanism of action for this lipocalin. In agreement with Walker et al. (, in this issue of Current Biology), who analyze the effects of overexpressing GLaz, we conclude that GLaz has a protective role in stress situations and that its absence reduces lifespan and accelerates neurodegeneration.

Molecular interactions of the neuronal GPI-anchored lipocalin Lazarillo.

Lazarillo, a glycoprotein involved in axon growth and guidance in the grasshopper embryo, is the only member of the lipocalin family that is attached to the cell surface by a GPI anchor. Recently, the study of Lazarillo homologous genes in Drosophila and mouse has revealed new functions in the regulation of lifespan, stress resistance and neurodegeneration. Here we report an analysis of biochemical properties of Lazarillo to gain insight into the molecular basis of its physiological function. Recombinant forms of the grasshopper protein were expressed in two different systems to test: (1) potential binding of several hydrophobic ligands; (2) protein-protein homophilic interactions; and (3) whether interaction with the function-blocking mAb 10E6 interferes with ligand binding. We tested 10 candidate ligands (retinoic acid, heme, bilirubin, biliverdin, ecdysterone, juvenile hormone, farnesol, arachidonic acid, linoleic acid and palmitic acid), and monitored binding using electrophoretic mobility shift, absorbance spectrum, and fluorimetry assays. Our work indicates binding to heme and retinoic acid, resulting in increased electrophoretic mobility, as well as to fatty acids, resulting in multimerization. Retinoic acid and fatty acids binding were confirmed by fluorescence titration, and heme binding was confirmed with absorbance spectrum assays. We demonstrate that Lazarillo oligomerizes in solution and can form clusters in the plasma membrane when expressed and GPI-anchored to the cell surface, however it is unable to mediate cell-cell adhesion. Finally, by ligand-mAb competition experiments we show that ligand-binding alone cannot be the key factor for Lazarillo to perform its function during axonal growth in the grasshopper embryo.

Apolipoprotein D is involved in the mechanisms regulating protection from oxidative stress.

Many nervous system pathologies are associated with increased levels of apolipoprotein D (ApoD), a lipocalin also expressed during normal development and aging. An ApoD homologous gene in Drosophila, Glial Lazarillo, regulates resistance to stress, and neurodegeneration in the aging brain. Here we study for the first time the protective potential of ApoD in a vertebrate model organism. Loss of mouse ApoD function increases the sensitivity to oxidative stress and the levels of brain lipid peroxidation, and impairs locomotor and learning abilities. Human ApoD overexpression in the mouse brain produces opposite effects, increasing survival and preventing the raise of brain lipid peroxides after oxidant treatment. These observations, together with its transcriptional up-regulation in the brain upon oxidative insult, identify ApoD as an acute response protein with a protective and therefore beneficial function mediated by the control of peroxidated lipids.

The IgLON protein Lachesin is required for the blood-brain barrier in Drosophila.

In the mammalian peripheral nervous system, nerve insulation depends on the integrity of paranodal junctions between axons and their ensheathing glia. Ultrastructurally, these junctions are similar to the septate junctions (SJ) of invertebrates. In Drosophila, SJ are found in epithelia and in the glia that form the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Drosophila NeurexinIV and Gliotactin, two components of SJ, play an important role in nerve ensheathment and insulation. Here, we report that Drosophila Lachesin (Lac), another SJ component, is also required for a functional BBB. In the developing nervous system, Lac is expressed in a dynamic pattern by surface glia and a subset of neurons. Ultrastructural analysis of Lac mutant embryos shows poorly developed SJ in surface glia and epithelia where Lac is expressed. Mutant embryos undergo a phase of hyperactivity, with unpatterned muscle contractions, and subsequently become paralyzed and fail to hatch. We propose that this phenotype reflects a failure in BBB function.