E-cadherin promotes retinal ganglion cell neurite outgrowth in a protein tyrosine phosphatase-mu-dependent manner

Mol Cell Neurosci. 2007 Mar;34(3):481-92. doi: 10.1016/j.mcn.2006.12.002. Epub 2007 Feb 2.

Abstract

During development of the visual system, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) require cell-cell adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix proteins for axon growth. In this study, we demonstrate that the classical cadherin, E-cadherin, is expressed in RGCs from E6 to E12 and promotes neurite outgrowth from all regions of the chick retina at E6, E8 and E10. E-cadherin is also expressed in the optic tectum. E-cadherin adhesion blocking antibodies specifically inhibit neurite outgrowth on an E-cadherin substrate. The receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTPmu, associates with E-cadherin. In this manuscript, we demonstrate that antisense-mediated down-regulation of PTPmu, overexpression of catalytically inactive PTPmu and perturbation of endogenous PTPmu using a specific PTPmu inhibitor peptide results in a substantial reduction in neurite outgrowth on E-cadherin. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that E-cadherin is an important adhesion molecule for chick RGC neurite outgrowth and suggest that PTPmu expression and catalytic activity are required for outgrowth on an E-cadherin substrate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Autoantigens / genetics
  • Autoantigens / metabolism*
  • Cadherins / pharmacology*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chick Embryo
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / drug effects*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / physiology
  • Growth Cones / drug effects
  • Growth Cones / physiology
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neurites / drug effects*
  • Neurites / physiology
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense / pharmacology
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / genetics
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / metabolism*
  • Receptor-Like Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Class 2
  • Receptor-Like Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Class 8
  • Retina / cytology*
  • Retina / embryology
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells / cytology*
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells / drug effects
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells / physiology
  • Superior Colliculi / drug effects
  • Superior Colliculi / embryology
  • Superior Colliculi / enzymology

Substances

  • Autoantigens
  • Cadherins
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases
  • Receptor-Like Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Class 2
  • Receptor-Like Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Class 8