Syndecan-2 induces filopodia and dendritic spine formation via the neurofibromin–PKA–Ena/VASP pathway

YL Lin, YT Lei, CJ Hong, YP Hsueh - The Journal of cell biology, 2007 - rupress.org
YL Lin, YT Lei, CJ Hong, YP Hsueh
The Journal of cell biology, 2007rupress.org
Syndecan-2 induced filopodia before spinogenesis; therefore, filopodia formation was used
here as a model to study the early downstream signaling of syndecan-2 that leads to
spinogenesis. Screening using kinase inhibitors indicated that protein kinase A (PKA) is
required for syndecan-2–induced filopodia formation in both human embryonic kidney cells
and hippocampal neurons. Because neurofibromin, a syndecan-2–binding partner, activates
the cyclic adenosine monophosphate pathway, the role of neurofibromin in syndecan-2 …
Syndecan-2 induced filopodia before spinogenesis; therefore, filopodia formation was used here as a model to study the early downstream signaling of syndecan-2 that leads to spinogenesis. Screening using kinase inhibitors indicated that protein kinase A (PKA) is required for syndecan-2–induced filopodia formation in both human embryonic kidney cells and hippocampal neurons. Because neurofibromin, a syndecan-2–binding partner, activates the cyclic adenosine monophosphate pathway, the role of neurofibromin in syndecan-2–induced filopodia formation was investigated by deletion mutant analysis, RNA interference, and dominant-negative mutant. The results showed that neurofibromin mediates the syndecan-2 signal to PKA. Among actin-associated proteins, Enabled (Ena)/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) were predicted as PKA effectors downstream of syndecan-2, as Ena/VASP, which is activated by PKA, induces actin polymerization. Indeed, when the activities of Ena/VASP were blocked, syndecan-2 no longer induced filopodia formation. Finally, in addition to filopodia formation, neurofibromin and Ena/VASP contributed to spinogenesis. This study reveals a novel signaling pathway in which syndecan-2 activates PKA via neurofibromin and PKA consequently phosphorylates Ena/VASP, promoting filopodia and spine formation.
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