Syntaxin-1 is necessary for UNC5/Netrin-1-dependent macropinocytosis and chemorepulsion

Abstract

Brain connectivity requires correct axonal guidance to drive axons to their appropriate targets. This process is orchestrated by guidance cues that exert attraction or repulsion to developing axons. However, the intricacies of the cellular machinery responsible for the correct response of growth cones are just being unveiled. Netrin-1 is a bifunctional molecule involved in axon pathfinding and cell migration that induces repulsion during postnatal cerebellar development. This process is mediated by Uncoordinated locomotion 5 (UNC5) receptors located on external granule layer (EGL) tracts. Here, we demonstrate that this response is characterized by enhanced membrane internalization through macropinocytosis, but not clathrin-mediated endocytosis. We show that UNC5 receptors form a protein complex with the t-SNARE syntaxin-1 (Stx1). By combining botulinum neurotoxins, a shRNA knock-down strategy and Stx1 knock-out mice, we demonstrate that this SNARE protein is required for Netrin-1-induced macropinocytosis and chemorepulsion, suggesting that Stx1 is crucial in regulating Netrin-1-mediated axonal guidance.

TRIM9 controls growth cone responses to netrin through DCC and UNC5C

“…Interestingly, UNC5C also interacts with the exocytic t-SNARE protein syntaxin-1. Syntaxin-1 was shown to be involved in netrin dependent repulsion via a role in micropinocytosis (Martínez-Mármol et al, 2023). Syntaxin-1 and UNC5C receptors were shown to form membrane nanoclusters (Bademosi et al, 2016; Hernaiz-Llorens et al, 2021).…”