The granulin gene family: from cancer to dementia

Bateman, Andrew; Bennett, H. P. J.

doi:10.1002/bies.200900086

Cited by 295 publications

(315 citation statements)

References 95 publications

(139 reference statements)

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“…The STMC6 family includes the Shisa, Shisa-like, WBP1/VOPP1, TMEM92, CYYR1, CX, and DUF2650 protein subfamilies, and family members are implicated in a variety of biological processes and pathological conditions, including embryonic development, synaptic plasticity, apoptosis, and cancer; the current mechanistic interpretation is that many STMC6 proteins are adaptors that regulate membrane proteins such as cell surface receptors (Pei and Grishin 2012). We also note that SUP-1 also displays some intriguing structural similarities to progranulins, cysteine-rich proteins that regulate a variety of cellular processes (Bateman and Bennett 2009).…”

Section: The Function Of Sup-1mentioning

confidence: 81%

Genetic Interactions Between UNC-17/VAChT and a Novel Transmembrane Protein in Caenorhabditis elegans

et al. 2012

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The unc-17 gene encodes the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) in Caenorhabditis elegans. unc-17 reduction-offunction mutants are small, slow growing, and uncoordinated. Several independent unc-17 alleles are associated with a glycine-toarginine substitution (G347R), which introduces a positive charge in the ninth transmembrane domain (TMD) of UNC-17. To identify proteins that interact with UNC-17/VAChT, we screened for mutations that suppress the uncoordinated phenotype of UNC-17(G347R) mutants. We identified several dominant allele-specific suppressors, including mutations in the sup-1 locus. The sup-1 gene encodes a single-pass transmembrane protein that is expressed in a subset of neurons and in body muscles. Two independent suppressor alleles of sup-1 are associated with a glycine-to-glutamic acid substitution (G84E), resulting in a negative charge in the SUP-1 TMD. A sup-1 null mutant has no obvious deficits in cholinergic neurotransmission and does not suppress unc-17 mutant phenotypes. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) analysis demonstrated close association of SUP-1 and UNC-17 in synapse-rich regions of the cholinergic nervous system, including the nerve ring and dorsal nerve cords. These observations suggest that UNC-17 and SUP-1 are in close proximity at synapses. We propose that electrostatic interactions between the UNC-17(G347R) and SUP-1(G84E) TMDs alter the conformation of the mutant UNC-17 protein, thereby restoring UNC-17 function; this is similar to the interaction between UNC-17/ VAChT and synaptobrevin. C OORDINATED muscle contraction in both vertebrates and nematodes requires release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) from motor neurons. ACh is synthesized in motor neurons by the enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and transported into synaptic vesicles by the vesicular ACh transporter (VAChT). Following transmitter release, cholinergic signaling is terminated primarily through the action of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which hydrolyses the released ACh into choline and acetyl-CoA. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the ChAT and VAChT proteins are encoded by the cha-1 and unc-17 genes, respectively (Alfonso et al. , 1994b. Mutations that functionally eliminate either protein are lethal , while reduction-of-function mutations result in animals that are small, slow growing, uncoordinated, and resistant to AChE inhibitors such as aldicarb .The unc-17 missense mutation e245 replaces a glycine with an arginine (G347R) in the ninth transmembrane domain (TMD9) of the VAChT protein . Genetic screens designed to identify mutations that improve the locomotion of e245 homozygotes have identified several loci that suppress the deleterious effects of the VAChT G347R mutation. Sandoval et al. (2006) found that the sup-8 locus corresponds to the previously characterized snb-1 gene, which encodes the v-SNARE synaptobrevin. The single sup-8 allele is associated with a missense mutation that results in a charge alteration (I97D) in the TMD of synaptobrevin. T...

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Section: The Function Of Sup-1mentioning

confidence: 81%

Genetic Interactions Between UNC-17/VAChT and a Novel Transmembrane Protein in Caenorhabditis elegans

et al. 2012

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“…Granulin-epithelin precursor (GEP) is a pluripotent growth factor regulating fetal development, tissue repair, and tumorigenesis in various cancers (6). Our group has characterized GEP overexpression in more than 70% of human HCCs, and its expression was associated with aggressive HCC features (7).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Granulin–Epithelin Precursor Renders Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Resistant to Natural Killer Cytotoxicity

Cheung

Yip

Wong

et al. 2014

Cancer Immunology Research

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Immunoevasion is an emerging hallmark of cancer. Impairment of natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity is a mechanism to evade host immunosurveillance. Granulin-epithelin precursor (GEP) is a hepatic oncofetal protein regulating growth, invasion, and chemoresistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We examined the role of GEP in conferring HCC cells the ability to evade NK cytotoxicity. In HCC cell lines, GEP overexpression reduced, whereas GEP suppression enhanced sensitivity to NK cytotoxicity. GEP downregulated surface expression of MHC class I chain-related molecule A (MICA), ligand for NK stimulatory receptor NK group 2 member D (NKG2D), and upregulated human leukocyte antigen-E (HLA-E), ligand for NK inhibitory receptor CD94/NKG2A. Functionally, GEP augmented production of soluble MICA, which suppressed NK activation. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9 activity was involved partly in the GEP-regulated MICA shedding from HCC cells. In primary HCCs (n ¼ 80), elevated GEP (P < 0.001), MICA (P < 0.001), and HLA-E (P ¼ 0.089) expression was observed when compared with those in nontumor (n ¼ 80) and normal livers (n ¼ 10). Serum GEP (P ¼ 0.010) and MICA (P < 0.001) levels were higher in patients with HCC (n ¼ 80) than in healthy individuals (n ¼ 30). High serum GEP and/or MICA levels were associated with poor recurrence-free survival (log-rank test, P ¼ 0.042). Importantly, GEP blockade by mAbs sensitized HCC cells to NK cytotoxicity through MICA. In summary, GEP rendered HCC cells resistant to NK cytotoxicity by modulating MICA expression, which could be reversed by GEP blockade using antibody. Serum GEP and MICA levels are prognostic factors and can be used to stratify patients for targeted therapy.

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“…It may also be responsible for certain functions (28). Investigations in carp identified three isoforms of carp GRN (29) that were later associated with mononuclear phagocytes (30).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endogenous growth factor stimulation of hemocyte proliferation induces resistance to Schistosoma mansoni challenge in the snail host

Pila

Gordy

Phillips

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Digenean trematodes are a large, complex group of parasitic flatworms that infect an incredible diversity of organisms, including humans. Larval development of most digeneans takes place within a snail (Gastropoda). Compatibility between snails and digeneans is often very specific, such that suitable snail hosts define the geographical ranges of diseases caused by these worms. The immune cells (hemocytes) of a snail are sentinels that act as a crucial barrier to infection by larval digeneans. Hemocytes coordinate a robust and specific immunological response, participating directly in parasite killing by encapsulating and clearing the infection. Hemocyte proliferation and differentiation are influenced by unknown digenean-specific exogenous factors. However, we know nothing about the endogenous control of hemocyte development in any gastropod model. Here, we identify and functionally characterize a progranulin [Biomphalaria glabrata granulin (BgGRN)] from the snail B. glabrata, a natural host for the human blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni. Granulins are growth factors that drive proliferation of immune cells in organisms, spanning the animal kingdom. We demonstrate that BgGRN induces proliferation of B. glabrata hemocytes, and specifically drives the production of an adherent hemocyte subset that participates centrally in the anti-digenean defense response. Additionally, we demonstrate that susceptible B. glabrata snails can be made resistant to infection with S. mansoni by first inducing hemocyte proliferation with BgGRN. This marks the functional characterization of an endogenous growth factor of a gastropod mollusc, and provides direct evidence of gain of resistance in a snail-digenean infection model using a defined factor to induce snail resistance to infection.

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The granulin gene family: from cancer to dementia

Cited by 295 publications

References 95 publications

Genetic Interactions Between UNC-17/VAChT and a Novel Transmembrane Protein in Caenorhabditis elegans

Genetic Interactions Between UNC-17/VAChT and a Novel Transmembrane Protein in Caenorhabditis elegans

Granulin–Epithelin Precursor Renders Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Resistant to Natural Killer Cytotoxicity

Endogenous growth factor stimulation of hemocyte proliferation induces resistance to Schistosoma mansoni challenge in the snail host

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