This article may be too technical for most readers to understand.(December 2011) |
Slit-Robo is the name of a cell signaling protein complex with many diverse functions including axon guidance and angiogenesis.
Slit refers to a secreted protein that is most widely known as a repulsive axon guidance cue, and Robo refers to its transmembrane protein receptor. There are four different Robos and three Slits in vertebrates: Robo1, Robo2, Robo3/Rig-1, and Robo4, and Slit1, Slit2, Slit3. [1] There are three Robos and a single Slit in Drosophila . The corresponding Slit and Robo homologues in C. elegans are Slt and Sax-3, respectively. [2]
Slits are characterized by four distinct domains, each containing variable numbers of leucine-rich repeats (LRRs), [3] seven to nine EGF repeats, [4] [5] an ALPS domain (Agrin, Perlecan, Laminin, Slit), and a cysteine knot. [6] Robos are characterized by five Ig-like domains, three fibronectin type III (FNIII) repeats, a transmembrane portion, and an intracellular tail with up to four conserved cytoplasmic motifs: CC0 (a potential site of tyrosine phosphorylation), [7] CC1 (also a potential site of tyrosine phosphorylation and binds P3 domain of netrin-1 receptor DCC), [8] CC2 (polyproline stretch; consensus binding site for Ena/Vasp proteins), [7] and CC3 (polyproline stretch). [9]
In the developing nervous system of bilaterians, most axons cross over to the opposite (contralateral) side of the body. What are the genes that ensure that this process occurs appropriately? This fundamental question in axon guidance led researchers to Robo, which was identified in a large-scale screening of Drosophila mutants in the early 1990s. [10] Robo expression was shown to be required for repulsion of axons from the midline, both in ipsilateral axons that never cross the midline and in commissural axons that had already crossed. [9] Another protein Commissureless (Comm) was found to be an essential regulator of Robo: in comm mutants, Robo activity is too high, and no axons cross the midline. [11] Several years later, genetic evidence, [12] biochemical binding experiments, and explant assays [13] identified Slits as the repulsive ligands for Robo receptors in both Drosophila and vertebrates. Slit was also found to act as a repulsive cue in olfactory bulb guidance. [14] [15] The high conservation of Slit and Robo structures [16] and the similarities in their function among vertebrates and invertebrates [17] make a strong case for an evolutionarily conserved requirement for Slit/Robo signaling in the developing nervous system.
The functional region of Slit proteins is located within the leucine-rich repeats (LRRs). [18] [19] Slit2 binds Robo1 in a flexible linkage between its D2 domain and the first two Ig-like domains of Robo1. [20] Research suggests that heparan sulfate proteoglycans, which are required for Slit signaling in Drosophila, [21] may support this interaction through stabilization of the Slit-Robo complex or by acting as co-receptors that present Slits to Robos. [22]
Function of Slit-Robo signaling is influenced by binding of intracellular factors to the cytoplasmic domains of Robo.
In Drosophila, the two proteins Abelson tyrosine kinase (Abl) and Enabled (Ena) mediate cytoskeletal remodeling downstream of Slit-Robo signaling. Abl can phosphorylate Robo's CC0 and CC1 domains thereby down-regulating Robo activity, while Ena interacts with CC0 and CC2 to mediate repulsive signaling. [7] Abl is also thought to promote repulsive signaling by binding to adenylyl cyclase associated proteins (CAP), which regulate actin polymerization. [23]
Binding of Slit to Robo induces binding of SrGAP1 to the CC3 domain of Robo1, which leads to downstream deactivation of Cdc42, a Rho GTPase which mediates actin polymerization, and activation of RhoA, a Rho GTPase which mediates actin depolymerization. [24] In Drosophila, the SH3-SH2 adaptor protein Dock binds directly to the CC2 and CC3 domains of Robo, recruiting p21-activated protein kinase (Pak) and Sos, resulting in increased Rac activity. This Robo-Dock association is increased by Slit-Robo binding, as is the recruitment of Sos. [25] Drosophila Robo also directly interacts with the GAP Vilse or CrossGAP, which may function to down-regulate Rac activity. [26]
Another way Slit-Robo signaling might mediate repulsion from the midline is by silencing the receptor of the attractive guidance cue netrin-1, Deleted in Colorectal Cancer (DCC), thereby inactivating netrin-1-mediated attraction to the midline. [8] Robo binds directly to the cytoplasmic domain of DCC and experiments with Xenopus explants have shown that this interaction silences netrin-mediated attraction; however, in vivo experiments have not yet confirmed the relevance of this mechanism for commisural axon guidance in embryos.
Drosophila Commissureless (Comm) is a transmembrane protein expressed in commissural neurons. Comm promotes midline crossing by down-regulating Robo. A LPSY sorting signal motif has been shown to be required for Comm to sort Robo to endosomes, preventing it from accessing the surface of the growth cone. Thus, when Comm is expressed, axons are unaffected by the presence of Slit and are able to cross the midline. [27] Comm expression is tightly regulated to ensure that axons down-regulate Robo at the correct time. In the absence of Comm, Robo is not appropriately down-regulated and all axons fail to cross the midline.
Slits mediate cell communication in many diverse systems, regulating the guidance, cell migration and polarization of many different cell types. [16]
Slit-Robo interactions regulate axon guidance at the midline for commissural, [28] retinal, [29] olfactory, [30] cortical, [31] and precerebellar axons. [32] Deletions of individual robos do not phenotypically match Slit mutants, indicating that Robos1-3 play distinct, complementary but not entirely overlapping roles in axon guidance. In Drosophila, Slit interactions with Robo1 and Robo2 function together in determining whether an axon will cross the midline, and both are necessary for proper crossing. [33] Robo2 and Robo3 function together to specify the lateral position of the axon relative to the midline. The overlapping expression gradients of Robos along longitudinal tracts in the Central Nervous System (CNS) have been referred to as the "Robo-code," but it is unknown whether the formation of specific longitudinal tracts, mediated in this way by Robo, involves Slit signaling. [34] It has been speculated that homophilic and heterophilic binding among Robos may be sufficient to mediate this effect.
In vertebrates, Robo1 and Robo2 work together to mediate repulsion from Slit ligands expressed at the floor plate, while Robo3/Rig-1 has the opposite activity, and functions to promote attraction to the midline (most likely by inhibiting the other two Robo receptors, via an unknown mechanism). Mice lacking all three Robos or all three Slits exhibit a phenotype similar to the Drosophila Slit mutant. [35]
Slit2 and Slit1 have been shown to function as potential positive regulators of axon collateral formation during establishment or remodeling of neural circuits. In fact Slit2-N, an N-terminal fragment of Slit2, has been shown to induce Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) elongation and branching, whereas full length Slit2 antagonizes this effect. [36] In central trigeminal sensory axons, however, full length Slit2, through interactions with semaphorin receptor plexin-A4 regulates axonal branching. [37] Interactions between Slit and Robo in this process are unclear, but DRG express Robo2 and trigeminal axons express Robo1-2. [38] Slit-Robo interactions are highly implicated, however, in the dendritic development of cortical neurons in that exposure to Slit1 leads to increased dendritic outgrowth and branching while inhibition of Slit-robo interactions attenuates dendritic branching. [39]
Axonal targeting by Slit-Robo appears to play an important role in the organization of topographic projections of axons which correspond to somatosensory receptive fields. In the Drosophila visual system, Slit and Robo prevent mixing of lamaina and lobula cells. [40] Variable expression of Robo receptors on Drosophila olfactory neurons controls axonal organization in the olfactory lobes. [41] In vertebrates, Slit1 plays an important role in vomeronasal organ (VNO) axonal targeting to the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB). [42] In 2009, a combination of Slit-Robo and Netrin-Frazzled signaling in Drosophila was shown to govern the establishment of myotopic maps, which describe the innervation of motorneuron dendrites in the muscle field. [43] [44]
Slit-Robo has been shown to influence the migration of neurons and glia, leukocytes, [45] and endothelial cells. [46] Slit1 and Slit2 mediate the repulsive activity of the septum and choroid plexus which orient the migration of undifferentiated cells of the subventricular zone (SVZ) on the rostral migratory stream (RMS) to the olfactory bulb, where they differentiate into olfactory neurons. [47] The contribution of Robo signaling in this system is unclear, but it is known that migrating neuroblasts do express Robo2 and Robo3 mRNAs. [48]
During the developmental of mouse peripheral auditory system, Slit/Robo signaling imposes a restriction force on spiral ganglia neurons to ensure their precise positioning for correct spiral ganglia-cochlear hair cells innervations. [49]
Inhibition of Robo1, which colocalizes with von Willebrand factor in tumor endothelial cells, leads to reduced micro-vessel density and tumor mass of malignant melanoma. Slit2 is known to mediate this effect. [50] Robo4, also known as magic roundabout, [51] is an endothelial specific Robo which, upon binding Slit2, blocks Src family kinase activation, thereby inhibiting VEGF-165-induced migration and permeability in vitro and vascular leak in vivo. [52] This suggests that combined VEGF/Slit2 therapies could be useful in preventing tumor angiogenesis and vascular leak or edema after heart attack or stroke. [53]
The homozygous Robo3 mutations have been associated with typical ophthalmologic horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis, which is characterized by oculomotor problems and general disturbances in innervation. [54]
Robo1 has been implicated as one of 14 different candidate genes for dyslexia, and one of 10 that fit into a theoretical molecular network involved in neuronal migration and neurite outgrowth. Slit2 is predicted to play a role in the network. [55]
A retinal ganglion cell (RGC) is a type of neuron located near the inner surface of the retina of the eye. It receives visual information from photoreceptors via two intermediate neuron types: bipolar cells and retina amacrine cells. Retina amacrine cells, particularly narrow field cells, are important for creating functional subunits within the ganglion cell layer and making it so that ganglion cells can observe a small dot moving a small distance. Retinal ganglion cells collectively transmit image-forming and non-image forming visual information from the retina in the form of action potential to several regions in the thalamus, hypothalamus, and mesencephalon, or midbrain.
Axon guidance is a subfield of neural development concerning the process by which neurons send out axons to reach their correct targets. Axons often follow very precise paths in the nervous system, and how they manage to find their way so accurately is an area of ongoing research.
Netrins are a class of proteins involved in axon guidance. They are named after the Sanskrit word "netr", which means "one who guides". Netrins are genetically conserved across nematode worms, fruit flies, frogs, mice, and humans. Structurally, netrin resembles the extracellular matrix protein laminin.
The floor plate is a structure integral to the developing nervous system of vertebrate organisms. Located on the ventral midline of the embryonic neural tube, the floor plate is a specialized glial structure that spans the anteroposterior axis from the midbrain to the tail regions. It has been shown that the floor plate is conserved among vertebrates, such as zebrafish and mice, with homologous structures in invertebrates such as the fruit fly Drosophila and the nematode C. elegans. Functionally, the structure serves as an organizer to ventralize tissues in the embryo as well as to guide neuronal positioning and differentiation along the dorsoventral axis of the neural tube.
Netrin receptor DCC, also known as DCC, or colorectal cancer suppressor is a protein which in humans is encoded by the DCC gene. DCC has long been implicated in colorectal cancer and its previous name was Deleted in colorectal carcinoma. Netrin receptor DCC is a single transmembrane receptor.
Semaphorins are a class of secreted and membrane proteins that were originally identified as axonal growth cone guidance molecules. They primarily act as short-range inhibitory signals and signal through multimeric receptor complexes. Semaphorins are usually cues to deflect axons from inappropriate regions, especially important in the neural system development. The major class of proteins that act as their receptors are called plexins, with neuropilins as their co-receptors in many cases. The main receptors for semaphorins are plexins, which have established roles in regulating Rho-family GTPases. Recent work shows that plexins can also influence R-Ras, which, in turn, can regulate integrins. Such regulation is probably a common feature of semaphorin signalling and contributes substantially to our understanding of semaphorin biology.
Pioneer axon is the classification given to axons that are the first to grow in a particular region. They originate from pioneer neurons, and have the main function of laying down the initial growing path that subsequent growing axons, dubbed follower axons, from other neurons will eventually follow.
Neuropilin 2 (NRP2) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the NRP2 gene.
Neuropilin-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the NRP1 gene. In humans, the neuropilin 1 gene is located at 10p11.22. This is one of two human neuropilins.
Slit homolog 2 protein is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SLIT2 gene.
Semaphorin-3A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SEMA3A gene.
Roundabout homolog 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ROBO1 gene.
Netrin-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the NTN1 gene.
Roundabout homolog 2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ROBO2 gene.
Plexin-A4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the PLXNA4 gene.
The Roundabout (Robo) family of proteins are single-pass transmembrane receptors that are highly conserved across many branches of the animal kingdom, from C. elegans to humans. They were first discovered in Drosophila, through a mutant screen for genes involved in axon guidance. The Drosophila roundabout mutant was named after its phenotype, which resembled the circular traffic junctions. The Robo receptors are most well known for their role in the development of the nervous system, where they have been shown to respond to secreted Slit ligands. One well-studied example is the requirement for Slit-Robo signaling in regulation of axonal midline crossing. Slit-Robo signaling is also critical for many neurodevelopmental processes including formation of the olfactory tract, the optic nerve, and motor axon fasciculation. In addition, Slit-Robo signaling contributes to cell migration and the development of other tissues such as the lung, kidney, liver, muscle and breast. Mutations in Robo genes have been linked to multiple neurodevelopmental disorders in humans.
Slit is a family of secreted extracellular matrix proteins which play an important signalling role in the neural development of most bilaterians. While lower animal species, including insects and nematode worms, possess a single Slit gene, humans, mice and other vertebrates possess three Slit homologs: Slit1, Slit2 and Slit3. Human Slits have been shown to be involved in certain pathological conditions, such as cancer and inflammation.
Guidepost cells are cells which assist in the subcellular organization of both neural axon growth and migration. They act as intermediate targets for long and complex axonal growths by creating short and easy pathways, leading axon growth cones towards their target area.
The growth cone is a highly dynamic structure of the developing neuron, changing directionality in response to different secreted and contact-dependent guidance cues; it navigates through the developing nervous system in search of its target. The migration of the growth cone is mediated through the interaction of numerous trophic and tropic factors; netrins, slits, ephrins and semaphorins are four well-studied tropic cues (Fig.1). The growth cone is capable of modifying its sensitivity to these guidance molecules as it migrates to its target; this sensitivity regulation is an important theme seen throughout development.
Alain Chédotal is a French researcher specialising in the development of neural circuits. He has been a member of the French Academy of sciences since 2017.