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2009;29:12787C12794. increase the available RTN3 monomer and is therefore a promising potential therapeutic strategy for enhancing cognitive function in AD patients. evidence showing that DNs can be formed independent of either amyloid deposition or neurofibrillary tangles in animals. Clearly, RTN3 plays a dual role in AD pathogenesis. Reticulon/Nogo Proteins The reticulon (RTN) family has four homologous genes (to mining uncovered paralogous genes in invertebrates, plants and fungi (Nziengui et al., 2007). Mice deficient in RTN4, also called Nogo, are healthy and fertile, but fail to yield the definitive function of Nogo (Lee et al., 2009). Instead, genetic studies using model Triciribine Triciribine organisms appear more advantageous in revealing the functions of RTNs. Complete deficiency of RTN genes in suggests that RTNs shape the tubular structure of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (Voeltz et al., 2006). RTNs have also been implicated in the regulation of nuclear envelope growth (Anderson and Hetzer, 2008; Kiseleva et al., 2007). Although RTNs are largely present in the ER (Roebroek et al., 1996), confocal examination has also revealed the presence of these proteins on the cell surface, in the Golgi, lipid rafts, axons and growth cones (Chen et al., 2000; Dodd et al., 2005; GrandPre et al., 2000; Hu et al., 2007; Oertle et al., 2003). In accordance with their Triciribine dynamic localizations, additional functions of RTNs such as regulation of the cellular trafficking of proteins and cholesterol (Harrison et al., 2009; Iwahashi and Hamada, 2003; Liu et al., 2007; Steiner et al., Triciribine 2004; Wakana et al., 2005) as well as of protein translocation (Zhao and Jantti, 2009) have also been suggested. The initial connection of RTNs to AD pathogenesis was made with the finding that RTNs interact with Alzheimers -secretase (He et al., 2004). The increased interaction between these two proteins reduces the proteolytic activity of -secretase (He et al., 2004; Murayama et al., 2006; Wojcik et al., 2007). -secretase, now widely recognized as BACE1 (Hussain et al., 1999; Lin et al., 2000; Sinha et al., 1999; Vassar et al., 1999; Yan et al., 1999), initiates cleavage of APP to release A, and its production is almost abolished in mice deficient in BACE1, (Vassar et al., 2009). Although BACE1 interacts with all four RTNs in cultured cells, immunohistochemical staining of brain sections shows that RTN3 is mainly co-localized with BACE1 in various neurons (He et al., 2004). Based on this observation, the studies of RTNs in AD have currently focused on RTN3. RTN3 as a negative modulator of BACE1 activity Despite the suggested presence of multiple spliced isoforms (Cai et al., 2005; di Scala et al., 2005), the RTN3 isoform encoding 231 amino acids is the most predominant isoform and is expressed by many cells, including neurons. A membrane topological study as illustrated in Figure 1 revealed that RTN3 adopts a -shape structure in which two long hydrophobic segments partially pass within the lipid bilayer and both the N- and C-terminal domains face the cytosolic side of the membrane (He et al., 2007). This topology is similar to the reported membrane topology of RTN4-C (Voeltz et al., 2006). A subtle change in membrane sequence can disrupt the docking of RTN3 within the membrane (He et al., 2007). For instance, the first membrane-anchoring domain of RTN3 possesses a signal peptide sequence that governs the proper insertion of this protein into the lipid bilayer. Mutant RTN3 with a deletion of this domain will be mostly degraded due Mouse monoclonal to V5 Tag to misfolding (He et al., 2007). Disruption of the second long hydrophobic stretch may still insert RTN3 into the membrane, but the mutant protein is unstable and degraded rapidly (He et al., 2007). Open in a separate window Figure 1 Interaction of RTN3 with BACE1 on the membraneRTN3 adopts a -shape membrane topology. The C-terminal region specified in red block mediates the interaction between BACE1 and RTN3. The sequence with two transmembrane domains affects the folding of RTN3 and is consequently important for proper interaction to occur. Increased expression of RTN3 will not only cause reduced levels of BACE1 on the cell surface, but will also create a spatial hindrance between BACE1 and its APP substrate. Both can result in reduction of sAPP, CTF99 and A. A physical interaction between RTN3 and BACE1 in the cellular membrane is a prerequisite for RTN3 to exert its inhibition of BACE1 activity (Figure 1). The highly conserved QID motif located at the C-terminal tail may mediate the interaction between RTN3 and BACE1, as deletion of this motif significantly weakens the interaction (He et al., 2006). Disrupting RTN3 docking on the membrane by mutations in RTN3 transmembrane domains also affects its interaction with BACE1 (Kume et al., 2009b). Consistently, the sequences near the transmembrane domain of BACE1 within the C-terminus mediate the optimal BACE1/RTN3 interaction (He et al.,.