Axin Regulates Dendritic Spine Morphogenesis through Cdc42-Dependent Signaling

PLoS One. 2015 Jul 23;10(7):e0133115. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133115. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

During development, scaffold proteins serve as important platforms for orchestrating signaling complexes to transduce extracellular stimuli into intracellular responses that regulate dendritic spine morphology and function. Axin ("axis inhibitor") is a key scaffold protein in canonical Wnt signaling that interacts with specific synaptic proteins. However, the cellular functions of these protein-protein interactions in dendritic spine morphology and synaptic regulation are unclear. Here, we report that Axin protein is enriched in synaptic fractions, colocalizes with the postsynaptic marker PSD-95 in cultured hippocampal neurons, and interacts with a signaling protein Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in synaptosomal fractions. Axin depletion by shRNA in cultured neurons or intact hippocampal CA1 regions significantly reduced dendritic spine density. Intriguingly, the defective dendritic spine morphogenesis in Axin-knockdown neurons could be restored by overexpression of the small Rho-GTPase Cdc42, whose activity is regulated by CaMKII. Moreover, pharmacological stabilization of Axin resulted in increased dendritic spine number and spontaneous neurotransmission, while Axin stabilization in hippocampal neurons reduced the elimination of dendritic spines. Taken together, our findings suggest that Axin promotes dendritic spine stabilization through Cdc42-dependent cytoskeletal reorganization.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Axin Protein / genetics
  • Axin Protein / physiology*
  • CA1 Region, Hippocampal / cytology
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 / metabolism
  • Cell Nucleus / chemistry
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytosol / chemistry
  • Dendritic Spines / ultrastructure*
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Morphogenesis
  • Neurogenesis
  • Post-Synaptic Density / chemistry
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Synaptic Transmission / drug effects
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology
  • Synaptosomes / metabolism
  • cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / physiology*

Substances

  • Axin Protein
  • Axin1 protein, mouse
  • Cdc42 protein, mouse
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • XAV939
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2
  • cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein

Grants and funding

This study was supported in part by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (HKUST 660110, 661111 and 661013), the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program; 2013CB530900), the Theme-based Research Scheme of the University Grants Committee (T13-607/12-R), the Shenzhen Peacock Plan, funding for establishing the Guangdong Key Laboratory and the Asia Fund for Cancer Research (AFCR14SC02).