HRES-1/Rab4-mediated depletion of Drp1 impairs mitochondrial homeostasis and represents a target for treatment in SLE.

OBJECTIVE: Accumulation of mitochondria underlies T-cell dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Mitochondrial turnover involves endosomal traffic regulated by HRES-1/Rab4, a small GTPase that is overexpressed in lupus T cells. Therefore, we investigated whether (1) HRES-1/Rab4 impacts mitochondrial homeostasis and (2) Rab geranylgeranyl transferase inhibitor 3-PEHPC blocks mitochondrial accumulation in T cells, autoimmunity and disease development in lupus-prone mice. METHODS: Mitochondria were evaluated in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of 38 SLE patients and 21 healthy controls and mouse models by flow cytometry, microscopy and western blot. MRL/lpr mice were treated with 125 µg/kg 3-PEHPC or 1 mg/kg rapamycin for 10 weeks, from 4 weeks of age. Disease was monitored by antinuclear antibody (ANA) production, proteinuria, and renal histology. RESULTS: Overexpression of HRES-1/Rab4 increased the mitochondrial mass of PBL (1.4-fold; p=0.019) and Jurkat cells (2-fold; p=0.000016) and depleted the mitophagy initiator protein Drp1 both in human (-49%; p=0.01) and mouse lymphocytes (-41%; p=0.03). Drp1 protein levels were profoundly diminished in PBL of SLE patients (-86±3%; p=0.012). T cells of 4-week-old MRL/lpr mice exhibited 4.7-fold over-expression of Rab4A (p=0.0002), the murine homologue of HRES-1/Rab4, and depletion of Drp1 that preceded the accumulation of mitochondria, ANA production and nephritis. 3-PEHPC increased Drp1 (p=0.03) and reduced mitochondrial mass in T cells (p=0.02) and diminished ANA production (p=0.021), proteinuria (p=0.00004), and nephritis scores of lupus-prone mice (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data reveal a pathogenic role for HRES-1/Rab4-mediated Drp1 depletion and identify endocytic control of mitophagy as a treatment target in SLE.

SNX27 mediates retromer tubule entry and endosome-to-plasma membrane trafficking of signalling receptors.

Endocytic sorting of signalling receptors between recycling and degradative pathways is a key cellular process controlling the surface complement of receptors and, accordingly, the cell's ability to respond to specific extracellular stimuli. The ß2 adrenergic receptor (ß2AR) is a prototypical seven-transmembrane signalling receptor that recycles rapidly and efficiently to the plasma membrane after ligand-induced endocytosis. ß2AR recycling is dependent on the receptor's carboxy-terminal PDZ ligand and Rab4. This active sorting process is required for functional resensitization of ß2AR-mediated signalling. Here we show that sequence-directed sorting occurs at the level of entry into retromer tubules and that retromer tubules are associated with Rab4. Furthermore, we show that sorting nexin 27 (SNX27) serves as an essential adaptor protein linking ß2ARs to the retromer tubule. SNX27 does not seem to directly interact with the retromer core complex, but does interact with the retromer-associated Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein and SCAR homologue (WASH) complex. The present results identify a role for retromer in endocytic trafficking of signalling receptors, in regulating a receptor-linked signalling pathway, and in mediating direct endosome-to-plasma membrane traffic.

Rab GTPases bind at a common site within the angiotensin II type I receptor carboxyl-terminal tail: evidence that Rab4 regulates receptor phosphorylation, desensitization, and resensitization.

The human angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) is a member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily and represents an important target for cardiovascular therapeutic intervention. Agonist-activation of the AT1R induces ß-arrestin-dependent endocytosis to early endosomes in which the receptor resides as a protein complex with the Rab GTPase Rab5. In the present study, we examined whether other Rab GTPases that regulate receptor trafficking through endosomal compartments also bind to the AT1R. We find that Rab4, Rab7, and Rab11 all bind to the last 10 amino acid residues of the AT1R carboxyl-terminal tail. Rab11 binds AT1R more effectively than Rab5, whereas Rab4 binds less effectively than Rab5. Alanine scanning mutagenesis reveals that proline 354 and cysteine 355 contribute to Rab protein binding, and mutation of these residues does not affect G protein coupling. We find that the Rab GTPases each compete with one another for receptor binding and that although Rab4 interacts poorly with the AT1R, it effectively displaces Rab11 from the receptor. In contrast, Rab11 overexpression does not prevent Rab4 binding to the AT1R. Overexpression of wild-type Rab4, but not Rab11, facilitates AT1R dephosphorylation, and a constitutively active Rab4-Q67L mutant reduces AT1R desensitization and promotes AT1R resensitization. Taken together, our data indicate that multiple Rab GTPases bind to a motif localized to the distal end of the AT1R tail and that increased Rab4 activity may contribute to the regulation AT1R desensitization and dephosphorylation.

Rab11a and its binding partners regulate the recycling of the ß1-adrenergic receptor.

ß1-adrenergic receptors (ß1-AR) are internalized in response to agonists and then recycle back for another round of signaling. The serine 312 to alanine mutant of the ß1-AR (S312A) is internalized but does not recycle. We determined that WT ß1-AR and S312A were internalized initially to an early sorting compartment because they colocalized by >70% with the early endosomal markers rab5a and early endosomal antigen-1 (EEA1). Subsequently, the WT ß1-AR trafficked via rab4a-expressing sorting endosomes to recycling endosomes. In recycling endosomes WT ß1-AR were colocalized by >70% with the rab11 GTPase. S312A did not colocalize with either rab4a or rab11, instead they exited from early endosomes to late endosomes/lysosomes in which they were degraded. Rab11a played a prominent role in recycling of the WT ß1-AR because dominant negative rab11a inhibited, while constitutively active rab11a accelerated the recycling of the ß1-AR. Next, we determined the effect of each of the rab11-interacting proteins on trafficking of the WT ß1-AR. The recycling of the ß1-AR was markedly inhibited when myosin Vb, FIP2, FIP3 and rabphillin were knocked down. These data indicate that rab11a and a select group of its binding partners play a prominent role in recycling of the human ß1-AR.

Neuron specific Rab4 effector GRASP-1 coordinates membrane specialization and maturation of recycling endosomes.

The endosomal pathway in neuronal dendrites is essential for membrane receptor trafficking and proper synaptic function and plasticity. However, the molecular mechanisms that organize specific endocytic trafficking routes are poorly understood. Here, we identify GRIP-associated protein-1 (GRASP-1) as a neuron-specific effector of Rab4 and key component of the molecular machinery that coordinates recycling endosome maturation in dendrites. We show that GRASP-1 is necessary for AMPA receptor recycling, maintenance of spine morphology, and synaptic plasticity. At the molecular level, GRASP-1 segregates Rab4 from EEA1/Neep21/Rab5-positive early endosomal membranes and coordinates the coupling to Rab11-labelled recycling endosomes by interacting with the endosomal SNARE syntaxin 13. We propose that GRASP-1 connects early and late recycling endosomal compartments by forming a molecular bridge between Rab-specific membrane domains and the endosomal SNARE machinery. The data uncover a new mechanism to achieve specificity and directionality in neuronal membrane receptor trafficking.

Rab4 facilitates cyclic adenosine monophosphate-stimulated bile acid uptake and Na+-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide translocation.

UNLABELLED: Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) stimulates hepatic bile acid uptake by translocating sodium-taurocholate (TC) cotransporting polypeptide (Ntcp) from an endosomal compartment to the plasma membrane. Rab4 is associated with early endosomes and involved in vesicular trafficking. This study was designed to determine the role of Rab4 in cAMP-induced TC uptake and Ntcp translocation. HuH-Ntcp cells transiently transfected with empty vector, guanosine triphosphate (GTP) locked dominant active Rab4 (Rab4(GTP)), or guanosine diphosphate (GDP) locked dominant inactive Rab4 (Rab4(GDP)) were used to study the role of Rab4. Neither Rab4(GTP) nor Rab4(GDP) affected either basal TC uptake or plasma membrane Ntcp level. However, cAMP-induced increases in TC uptake and Ntcp translocation were enhanced by Rab4(GTP) and inhibited by Rab4(GDP). In addition, cAMP increased GTP binding to endogenous Rab4 in a time-dependent, but phosphoinositide-3-kinase-independent manner. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results suggest that cAMP-mediated phosphoinositide-3-kinase-independent activation of Rab4 facilitates Ntcp translocation in HuH-Ntcp cells.

Regulation of D6 chemokine scavenging activity by ligand- and Rab11-dependent surface up-regulation.

The decoy receptor D6 plays a nonredundant role in the control of inflammatory processes through scavenging of inflammatory chemokines. However it remains unclear how it is regulated. Here we show that D6 scavenging activity relies on unique trafficking properties. Under resting conditions, D6 constitutively recycled through both a rapid wortmannin (WM)-sensitive and a slower brefeldin A (BFA)-sensitive pathway, maintaining low levels of surface expression that required both Rab4 and Rab11 activities. In contrast to "conventional" chemokine receptors that are down-regulated by cognate ligands, chemokine engagement induced a dose-dependent BFA-sensitive Rab11-dependent D6 re-distribution to the cell membrane and a corresponding increase in chemokine degradation rate. Thus, the energy-expensive constitutive D6 cycling through Rab11 vesicles allows a rapid, ligand concentration-dependent increase of chemokine scavenging activity by receptor redistribution to the plasma membrane. D6 is not regulated at a transcriptional level in a variety of cellular contexts, thus ligand-dependent optimization of its scavenger performance represents a rapid and unique mechanism allowing D6 to control inflammation.

The N-Myc down regulated Gene1 (NDRG1) Is a Rab4a effector involved in vesicular recycling of E-cadherin.

Cell to cell adhesion is mediated by adhesion molecules present on the cell surface. Downregulation of molecules that form the adhesion complex is a characteristic of metastatic cancer cells. Downregulation of the N-myc down regulated gene1 (NDRG1) increases prostate and breast metastasis. The exact function of NDRG1 is not known. Here by using live cell confocal microscopy and in vitro reconstitution, we report that NDRG1 is involved in recycling the adhesion molecule E-cadherin thereby stabilizing it. Evidence is provided that NDRG1 recruits on recycling endosomes in the Trans Golgi network by binding to phosphotidylinositol 4-phosphate and interacts with membrane bound Rab4aGTPase. NDRG1 specifically interacts with constitutively active Rab4aQ67L mutant protein and not with GDP-bound Rab4aS22N mutant proving NDRG1 as a novel Rab4a effector. Transferrin recycling experiments reveals NDRG1 colocalizes with transferrin during the recycling phase. NDRG1 alters the kinetics of transferrin recycling in cells. NDRG1 knockdown cells show a delay in recycling transferrin, conversely NDRG1 overexpressing cells reveal an increase in rate of transferrin recycling. This novel finding of NDRG1 as a recycling protein involved with recycling of E-cadherin will aid in understanding NDRG1 role as a metastasis suppressor protein.

Integrin trafficking and the control of cell migration.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the observation that certain integrin heterodimers are continually internalized from the plasma membrane into endosomal compartments and subsequently recycled back to the cell surface indicated that the endocytic and recycling pathways have the potential to exert minute-to-minute control over integrin function. This insight has prompted others to study the regulation of integrin trafficking in more detail. This review aims to summarize the findings of studies revealing the molecular mechanisms controlling integrin traffic, particularly those providing indications as to how these processes contribute to cell migration and tumour cell invasiveness.

Rab4 GTP/GDP modulates amiloride-sensitive sodium channel (ENaC) function in colonic epithelia.

The sodium-selective amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) mediates electrogenic sodium re-absorption in tight epithelia. ENaC expression at the plasma membrane requires regulated transport, processing, and macromolecular assembly of subunit proteins in a defined and highly compartmentalized manner. Ras-related Rab GTPases monitor these processes in a highly regulated sequence of events. In order to evaluate the role of Rab proteins in ENaC function, Rab4 wild-type (WT), the GTPase-deficient mutant Rab4Q67L, and the dominant negative GDP-locked mutant Rab4S22N were over-expressed in the colon cancer cell line, HT-29 and amiloride-sensitive currents were recorded. Rab4 over-expression inhibited amiloride-sensitive currents. The effect was reversed by introducing Rab4-neutralizing antibody and Rab4 specific SiRNA. The GDP-locked Rab4 mutant inhibited, while GTPase-deficient mutant moderately stimulated amiloride-sensitive currents. Active status of Rab4 was confirmed by GTP overlay assay, while its expression was verified by Western blotting. Immunoprecipitation and pull-down assay suggest protein-protein interaction between Rab4 and ENaC. In addition, the functional modulation coincides with concomitant changes in ENaC expression at the cell surface and in intracellular pool. We propose that Rab4 is a critical element that regulates ENaC function by mechanisms that include GTP-GDP status, recycling, and expression level. Our observations imply that channel expression in apical membranes of epithelial cell system incorporates RabGTPase as an essential determinant of channel function and adds an exciting paradigm to ENaC therapeutics.

Trypanosoma brucei: TbRAB4 regulates membrane recycling and expression of surface proteins in procyclic forms.

TbRAB4 is the Trypanosoma brucei orthologue of the small GTPase Rab4, which is implicated in the control of early endocytosis and recycling processes. TbRAB4 is expressed constitutively in the procyclic and bloodstream stages suggesting an important function throughout the trypanosome life-cycle. Previous work from our laboratory has shown TbRAB4 to be essential in the bloodstream form. Induction of double-stranded TbRAB4 RNA expression leads to a specific reduction in TbRAB4 protein levels and inhibition of growth in procyclic form T. brucei, with alterations in uptake and recycling as measured with the fluorophore FM4-64. Trypanosomes overexpressing GTP-locked TbRAB4(QL) mutants exhibit significant perturbations of endocytic and recycling pathways as well as disruption of surface expression of GPI-anchored proteins. Most significantly, both the endogenous GPI-anchored procyclins and an ectopically expressed GPI-anchored protein, the variant surface glycoprotein, are relocated from the surface to internal sites in TbRAB4 mutant cells. These data indicate that TbRAB4 is important in maintenance of normal surface expression of lipid-anchored proteins, and implicate recycling pathways as factors for modulation of surface protein expression in the procyclic trypanosome. The conservation of function of Rab4 throughout eukaryotic evolution demonstrated here indicates that the Rab4-mediated trafficking pathway is an extremely ancient component of the endocytic system.

In vitro formation of recycling vesicles from endosomes requires adaptor protein-1/clathrin and is regulated by rab4 and the connector rabaptin-5.

The involvement of clathrin and associated adaptor proteins in receptor recycling from endosomes back to the plasma membrane is controversial. We have used an in vitro assay to identify the molecular requirements for the formation of recycling vesicles. Cells expressing the asialoglycoprotein receptor H1, a typical recycling receptor, were surface biotinylated and then allowed to endocytose for 10 min. After stripping away surface-biotin, the cells were permeabilized and the cytosol washed away. In a temperature-, cytosol-, and nucleotide-dependent manner, the formation of sealed vesicles containing biotinylated H1 could be reconstituted. Vesicle formation was strongly inhibited upon immunodepletion of adaptor protein (AP)-1, but not of AP-2 or AP-3, from the cytosol, and was restored by readdition of purified AP-1. Vesicle formation was stimulated by supplemented clathrin, but inhibited by brefeldin A, consistent with the involvement of ARF1 and a brefeldin-sensitive guanine nucleotide exchange factor. The GTPase rab4, but not rab5, was required to generate endosome-derived vesicles. Depletion of rabaptin-5/rabex-5, a known interactor of both rab4 and gamma-adaptin, stimulated and addition of the purified protein strongly inhibited vesicle production. The results indicate that recycling is mediated by AP-1/clathrin-coated vesicles and regulated by rab4 and rabaptin-5/rabex-5.

Rab4 is an essential regulator of lysosomal trafficking in trypanosomes.

Rapid endocytosis and recycling of surface proteins are important processes common to most nucleated eukaryotic cells. The best characterized membrane recycling routes are mediated by the small GTPases Rab4 and Rab11, but the precise roles that these pathways play have not been fully elucidated. The protozoan Trypanosoma brucei has a highly developed endocytic system that is similar to that found in metazoans, albeit with an accelerated rate of membrane turnover. We have used this organism to investigate the function of the trypanosome orthologue of Rab4 (TbRAB4) by a combination of RNA interference, microscopy, and quantitative trafficking assays. RNA interference-mediated suppression of TbRAB4 expression inhibited the growth of trypanosomes without affecting receptor-mediated endocytosis or ligand recycling. Ultrastructural analysis indicated a major defect in membrane transport events. The accumulation of fluorescent dextran, a fluid-phase marker, was blocked in cells lacking TbRAB4 protein. Since most fluid-phase markers are transported to the lysosome in T. brucei, the effects of TbRAB4 RNA interference on lysosomal function were investigated. By immunofluorescence, the major lysosomal protein p67 became progressively dispersed in cells lacking the TbRAB4 protein. Pulse-chase analysis demonstrated that initial proteolytic cleavage and glycan processing of p67 were unaffected but that cells failed to accumulate the later p67 proteolyzed products associated with the lysosome. To confirm the role of TbRAB4 in lysosomal trafficking, a constitutively active mutant, TbRAB4QL, was expressed. TbRAB4QL was closely associated with an enlarged multivesicular body that contained p67. In addition, cells expressing TbRAB4QL showed increased fluid-phase uptake when compared with the parental line. Taken together, these data suggest that TbRAB4 is involved in regulation of fluid-phase traffic to the lysosome in T. brucei but not in receptor-mediated endocytosis or recycling. These data have implications for the role of Rab4 in other cell systems.

Regulation of G protein-coupled receptor endocytosis and trafficking by Rab GTPases.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are integral membrane proteins that, in response to activation by extracellular stimuli, regulate intracellular second messenger levels via their coupling to heterotrimeric G proteins. GPCR activation also initiates a series of molecular events that leads to G protein-coupled receptor kinase-mediated receptor phosphorylation and the binding of beta-arrestin proteins to the intracellular face of the receptor. beta-Arrestin binding not only contributes to the G protein-uncoupling of GPCRs, but also mediates the targeting of many GPCRs for endocytosis in clathrin-coated pits. Several GPCRs internalize as a stable complex with beta-arrestin and the stability of this complex appears to regulate, at least in part, whether the receptors are dephosphorylated in early endosomes and recycled back to the cell surface as fully functional receptors, retained in early endosomes or targeted for degradation in lysosomes. More recently, it has become appreciated that the movement of GPCRs through functionally distinct intracellular membrane compartments is regulated by a variety of Rab GTPases and that the activity of these Rab GTPases may influence GPCR function. Moreover, it appears that GPCRs are not simply passive cargo molecules, but that GPCR activation may directly influence Rab GTPase activity and as such, GPCRs may directly control their own targeting between intracellular compartments. This review provides a synopsis of the current knowledge regarding the role of beta-arrestins and Rab GTPases in regulating the intracellular trafficking and function of GPCRs.

Small GTPase Rab4 regulates Ca2+-induced alpha-granule secretion in platelets.

Upon activation, platelets release many active substances stored in alpha- and dense-core granules. However, the molecular mechanisms governing regulated exocytosis are not yet fully understood. Here, we have established an assay system using permeabilized platelets to analyze the Ca(2+)-induced exocytosis of both types of granules, focusing on RabGTPases. Incubation with Rab GDP dissociation inhibitor, an inhibitory regulator of RabGTPases, reduced membrane-bound RabGTPases extensively, and caused strong inhibition of the Ca(2+)-induced secretion of von Willebrand factor (vWF) stored in alpha-granules, but not that of [(3)H]5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in dense-core granules. Specifically, Rab4 co-fractionated with vWF and P-selectin (an alpha-granule marker) upon separation of platelet organelles by density gradient centrifugation. Incubation of the permeabilized platelets with cell extracts expressing the dominant negative mutant of His-tagged Rab4S22N, but not with those of similar mutant His-Rab3BT36N, inhibited the vWF secretion, whereas neither of the cell extracts affected the [(3)H]5-HT secretion. Importantly, the inhibition of vWF secretion was rescued by depleting the cell extracts of the His-Rab4S22N with nickel beads. Thus, in platelets, the regulatory mechanisms governing alpha- and dense-core granule secretions are distinct, and Rab4 is an essential regulator of the Ca(2+)-induced exocytosis of alpha-granules.