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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Localization of the netrin guidance receptor, DCC, in the developing peripheral and enteric nervous systems.

Over recent years the secreted guidance cue, netrin-1, and its receptor, DCC, have been shown to be an essential guidance system driving axon pathfinding within the developing vertebrate central nervous system (CNS). Mice lacking DCC exhibit severe defects in commissural axon extension towards the floor plate demonstrating that the DCC-netrin guidance system is largely responsible for directing axonal projections toward the ventral midline in the developing spinal cord (Fazeli et al., Nature 386 (1997) 796). In addition, these mutants lack several major commissures within the forebrain, including the corpus callosum and the hippocampal commissure. In contrast to the CNS, the role of the DCC guidance receptor in the development of the mammalian peripheral and enteric nervous systems (PNS and ENS) has not been investigated. Here we demonstrate using immunohistochemical analysis that the DCC receptor is present in the developing mouse PNS where it is found on spinal, segmental, and sciatic nerves, and in developing sensory ganglia and their associated axonal projections. In addition, DCC is present in the ENS throughout the early developmental phase.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

The expression patterns of guidance receptors, DCC and Neogenin, are spatially and temporally distinct throughout mouse embryogenesis.

To gain a better understanding of the role of DCC and Neogenin in neural and nonneural tissues during vertebrate development we have carried out in situ hybridization studies to determine their expression patterns throughout the mid to late stages of mouse embryogenesis. This analysis revealed striking contrasts in both the spatial and temporal expression patterns of these closely related molecules. While DCC mRNA expression was predominantly restricted to the developing central nervous system (CNS), Neogenin mRNA was detected in a broad spectrum of embryonic tissues. Outside the CNS, Neogenin expression was observed mainly in mesodermal derivatives such as organ primordia and cartilage condensations of many developing embryonic structures. Within the CNS, initiation of DCC expression correlated with the onset of neurogenesis and was maintained at high levels in all regions of the developing CNS actively undergoing neurogenesis. By E18.5, DCC expression was detected only in structures such as the olfactory bulb, the hippocampus, and the cerebellum, that are known to sustain active neurogenesis well into postnatal life. In contrast, Neogenin expression was weak in the early developing CNS but broadened and intensified as neurogenesis proceeded. In summary, these observations indicate that Neogenin is the predominant member of this subfamily in mesodermal tissues, while DCC and Neogenin may play complementary roles in the generation of the fully functional CNS.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Expression of Netrin-1 and its two receptors DCC and UNC5H2 in the developing mouse lung.

The ligand Netrin-1 and its receptors DCC and UNC5H2 are critical for the regulation of neuronal migration in nervous system development. Here we demonstrate expression of these molecules in lung development. The mRNA expression profiles of Netrin-1, DCC and UNC5H2 are developmentally regulated during embryonic mouse lung formation. Netrin-1 shows a bimodal expression pattern with elevated mRNA levels early followed by a second peak in late gestation. Peak expression of DCC occurs early in development whereas expression of UNC5H2 peaks late in development. We also demonstrate localization of Netrin-1, DCC and UNC5H2 during the stages of lung development. We present evidence that these proteins are modulated spatially in the mesenchyme and epithelium during lung organogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Rac1 and Cdc42 but not RhoA or Rho kinase activities are required for neurite outgrowth induced by the Netrin-1 receptor DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) in N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells.

Netrins are chemotropic guidance cues that attract or repel growing axons during development. DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer), a transmembrane protein that is a receptor for netrin-1, is implicated in mediating both responses. However, the mechanism by which this is achieved remains unclear. Here we report that Rho GTPases are required for embryonic spinal commissural axon outgrowth induced by netrin-1. Using N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells, we found that both Rac1 and Cdc42 activities are required for DCC-induced neurite outgrowth. In contrast, down-regulation of RhoA and its effector Rho kinase stimulates the ability of DCC to induce neurite outgrowth. In Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts, DCC was found to trigger actin reorganization through activation of Rac1 but not Cdc42 or RhoA. We detected that stimulation of DCC receptors with netrin-1 resulted in a 4-fold increase in Rac1 activation. These results implicate the small GTPases Rac1, Cdc42, and RhoA as essential components that participate in signaling the response of axons to netrin-1 during neural development.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed2003

The dependence receptors DCC and UNC5H as a link between neuronal guidance and survival.

Netrins are secreted proteins that play a crucial role in neuronal migration and in axon guidance during the development of the nervous system. Netrin-1 has been shown to interact with the transmembrane receptors DCC and UNC5H and these receptors appeared of key importance in mediating the chemotropic activity of netrin-1. Before the discovery of DCC as a netrin-1 receptor, the gene encoding DCC was proposed as a putative tumor suppressor gene because one DCC allele was deleted in roughly 70% of colorectal cancers and its expression was often reduced or absent in colorectal cancer tissues. A putative explanation for such dual roles has recently emerged with the observation that DCC belongs to the growing family of dependence receptors. Such receptors share the property of inducing apoptosis in the absence of ligand, hence creating a cellular state of dependence on the ligand. The other netrin-1 receptors UNC5H were also subsequently proposed to be dependence receptors, suggesting that netrin-1 may not only be a chemotropic factor for neurons but also a survival factor. We describe here netrin-1 and its receptors, together with the molecular signaling pathways initiated upon netrin-1 binding or upon netrin-1 withdrawal leading respectively to axonal/neuronal guidance or cell death induction. We then conclude to the possible roles of DCC and UNC5H pro-apoptotic activities in both nervous system development and tumorigenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

The spatial and temporal expression patterns of netrin receptors, DCC and neogenin, in the developing mouse retina.

Recently it has been demonstrated that the guidance of retinal ganglion cell (rgc) axons through the optic disc is dependent on the DCC/netrin-1 axonal guidance system. To gain further insight into the function of the netrin receptors, DCC and Neogenin, in retinal development we have studied the expression patterns of these receptors in the embryonic mouse retina. Neogenin mRNA was restricted to a single neural cell type, the rgc. However, strong Neogenin mRNA expression was observed in the extending fiber cells of the developing lens suggesting a role for Neogenin in the migration events shaping the early lens. Our studies demonstrated that DCC mRNA was expressed at high levels in chains of closely opposed neurons as they migrated towards the emerging mantle layer in the early retina (E12.5-E13.5) suggesting a role for DCC in the migration of neurons out of the ventricular zone. DCC protein expression was high on rgc axons as they actively navigated through the optic disc into the optic nerve. At birth, when the majority of rgc axons had projected through the optic disc, DCC protein was no longer detectable on the distal axonal segments within the optic nerve despite significant DCC protein expression on the proximal axonal membranes in the nerve fiber layer. These observations suggest that a localized down-regulation of DCC protein occurs on projecting axonal membranes once the DCC guidance function is no longer required. We also demonstrated that DCC mRNA and protein were expressed by amacrine cells and Müller glial cells while DCC mRNA was detected in horizontal cells. Taken together, these expression patterns suggest a role for DCC in axon outgrowth and/or pathfinding for a variety of retinal neurons and in the migration of newly born neurons within the developing retina.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Turning of retinal growth cones in a netrin-1 gradient mediated by the netrin receptor DCC.

Netrin-1 promotes outgrowth of axons in vitro through the receptor Deleted in Colorectal Cancer (DCC) and elicits turning of axons within embryonic explants when presented as a point source. It is not known whether netrin-1 alone can elicit turning nor whether DCC mediates the turning response. We show that Xenopus retinal ganglion cell growth cones orient rapidly toward a pipette ejecting netrin-1, an effect blocked by antibodies to DCC. In vitro, netrin-1 induces a complex growth cone morphology reminiscent of that at the optic nerve head, a site of netrin-1 expression in vivo. These results demonstrate that netrin-1 can function alone to induce turning, implicate DCC in this response, and support the idea that netrin-1 contributes to steering axons out of the retina.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2006

The dependence receptor DCC requires lipid raft localization for cell death signaling.

DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) is a putative tumor suppressor gene whose expression is lost in numerous cancers. DCC also encodes the main receptor for the neuronal navigation cue netrin-1. It has been shown that DCC belongs to the so-called family of dependence receptors. Such receptors induce apoptosis when their ligand is absent, thus conferring a state of cellular dependence on ligand availability. We recently proposed that DCC is a tumor suppressor because it induces the death of tumor cells that grow in settings of ligand unavailability. Moreover, it seems that the DCC/netrin-1 pair may also regulate neuron survival during nervous system development. However, the mechanisms by which DCC triggers cell death are still unknown. We show here that the localization of DCC to lipid rafts is a prerequisite for its proapoptotic activity, both in immortalized cells and in primary neurons. The presence of DCC in lipid rafts probably allows the formation of an adequate submembrane complex, because the interaction of caspase-9 with DCC is inhibited by the disorganization of lipid rafts. Thus, dependence receptors may require lipid raft localization for cell death signaling.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Expression of netrin-1 and its receptors DCC and UNC-5H2 after axotomy and during regeneration of adult rat retinal ganglion cells.

Netrins are a family of chemotropic factors that guide axon outgrowth during development; however, their function in the adult CNS remains to be established. We examined the expression of the netrin receptors DCC and UNC5H2 in adult rat retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) after grafting a peripheral nerve (PN) to the transected optic nerve and following optic nerve transection alone. In situ hybridization revealed that both Dcc and Unc5h2 mRNAs are expressed by normal adult RGCs. In addition, netrin-1 was found to be constitutively expressed by RGCs. Quantitative analysis using in situ hybridization demonstrated that both Dcc and Unc5h2 were down-regulated by RGCs following axotomy. In the presence of an attached PN graft, Dcc and Unc5h2 were similarly down-regulated in surviving RGCs regardless of their success in regenerating an axon. Northern blot analysis demonstrated expression of netrin-1 in both optic and sciatic nerve, and Western blot analysis revealed the presence of netrin protein in both nerves. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that netrin protein was closely associated with glial cells in the optic nerve. These results suggest that netrin-1, DCC, and UNC5H2 may contribute to regulating the regenerative capacity of adult RGCs.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Role of the dependence receptor DCC in colorectal cancer pathogenesis.

More than a decade ago, the DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) gene was proposed as a putative tumor suppressor gene. Data supporting this proposal included observations that one DCC allele was deleted in roughly 70% of colorectal cancers, some cancers had somatic mutations of the DCC gene, and DCC expression was often reduced or absent in colorectal cancer tissues and cell lines. Despite subsequent studies which have supported DCC's potential role as a tumor suppressor gene, the rarity of point mutations identified in DCC coding sequences, the lack of a tumor predisposition phenotype in mice heterozygous for DCC inactivating mutations, and the presence of other known and candidate tumor suppressor genes on chromosome 18q have raised questions about DCC's candidacy. Following its initial characterization, the DCC protein was identified as a transmembrane receptor for netrins, key factors in axon guidance in the developing nervous system. At first glance, the established role of DCC and netrin-1 during organization of the spinal cord could be viewed as a further challenge to the position that DCC inactivation might play a significant role in tumorigenesis. However, recent observations on DCC's functions in intracellular signaling have renewed interest in the potential contribution of DCC inactivation to cancer. In particular, data indicate that, when engaged by netrin ligands, DCC may activate downstream signaling pathways. Moreover, in settings where netrin is absent or at low levels, DCC can promote apoptosis. Here, we review DCC's candidacy as a tumor suppressor gene, with an emphasis on how recent molecular analyses of DCC have offered support for the notion that DCC may function as a tumor suppressor gene.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2001

The dependence receptor DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) defines an alternative mechanism for caspase activation.

The expression of DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) is often markedly reduced in colorectal and other cancers. However, the rarity of point mutations identified in DCC coding sequences and the lack of a tumor predisposition phenotype in DCC hemizygous mice have raised questions about its role as a tumor suppressor. DCC also mediates axon guidance and functions as a dependence receptor; such receptors create cellular states of dependence on their respective ligands by inducing apoptosis when unoccupied by ligand. We now show that DCC drives cell death independently of both the mitochondria-dependent pathway and the death receptor/caspase-8 pathway. Moreover, we demonstrate that DCC interacts with both caspase-3 and caspase-9 and drives the activation of caspase-3 through caspase-9 without a requirement for cytochrome c or Apaf-1. Hence, DCC defines an additional pathway for the apoptosome-independent caspase activation.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2002

Expression of netrin-1 and netrin-1 receptor, DCC, in the rat olfactory nerve pathway during development and axonal regeneration.

Netrin-1 is a bifunctional secreted protein that directs axon extension in various groups of developing axonal tracts. The transmembrane DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) receptor is described as netrin-1 receptor and is involved in the attractive effects of netrin-1. In this study, we examined the spatio-temporal expression patterns of both netrin-1 and DCC in the rat olfactory system at different stages of development and during axonal regeneration following unilateral bulbectomy. High DCC expression was detected on the pioneer olfactory axons as they are extending toward the telencephalon. This expression was transient since from embryonic day 16 onwards, DCC was no longer detected along the olfactory nerve path. From embryonic day 14 until birth, DCC was also expressed within the mesenchyme surrounding the olfactory epithelium. During the same period, netrin-1 protein was detected along the trajectory of olfactory axons up to the olfactory bulb and its expression pattern in the nasal mesenchyme largely overlapped that of DCC. Moreover, netrin-1 continued to be present during the two first post-natal weeks, and a weak protein expression still persisted in the dorso-medial region of the olfactory epithelium in adult rats. While unilateral bulbectomy induced a transient up-regulation of netrin-1 in the lamina propria, particularly in the dorso-medial region of the neuroepithelium, no DCC expression was detected on the regenerating olfactory axons. In the developing olfactory bulb, the extension of mitral cell axons was associated with DCC presence while netrin-1 was absent along this axonal path. DCC was also highly expressed in the newly formed glomeruli after birth, and a weak DCC expression was still detected in the glomerular layer in adult rats. Taken together, these data support the notion that netrin-1, via DCC expressed on axons, may play a role in promoting outgrowth and/or guidance of pioneering olfactory axons toward the olfactory bulb primordium. Moreover, association of netrin-1 with mesenchymal DCC may provide a permissive environment to the growth of both pioneer and later-growing axons. The maintenance of netrin-1 expression in the nasal mesenchyme of adult rats as well as its regional up-regulation following unilateral bulbectomy infer that netrin-1, even in the absence of DCC, may be involved in the process of axonal growth of newly differentiated olfactory receptor neurons probably through the use of other receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Upregulation of the netrin receptor (DCC) gene during activation of b lymphocytes and modulation by interleukins.

The DCC (deleted in colon cancer) gene has a brain restricted high expression pattern. It encodes a transmembrane protein of the immunoglobulin superfamily identified as the netrin-1 receptor. It might be a member of the so called "brain-lymphoid" molecules, which control key cell surface events. To test this hypothesis we have assessed the DCC mRNA level in human normal and malignant myeloid and lymphoid cells. A high mRNA content has been observed only in mature B cells at the secreting or presecreting stage. Expression of DCC was also assessed in the anti-CD40 model of immunopoiesis. Activation of purified tonsillar B cells by anti-CD 40 antibody strongly increased the DCC mRNA level and this effect was dramatically enhanced by the association of IL-2 + IL-10, which is a potent and selective in vitro inducer of the B cell memory phenotype. In contrast no effect has been detected after activation of T cells by anti-CD3. These data suggest that the DCC encoded netrin receptor is involved in B cell immunopoiesis.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

The netrin-1 receptor DCC promotes filopodia formation and cell spreading by activating Cdc42 and Rac1.

Netrins are a family of secreted proteins that function as tropic cues directing cell and axon migration during neural development. We show that the netrin-1 receptor, deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC), is present at filopodia tips in growth cones of embryonic rat spinal commissural neurons. To further investigate DCC function, we characterized the expression of netrins and netrin receptors in HEK293T cells and NG108-15 cells and found that they express netrin-1 but do not express DCC. Ectopic expression of DCC produced a netrin-1-dependent increase in the number of filopodia and in cell surface area. Coexpression of DCC and dominant negative Cdc42 or dominant negative Rac1 blocked the increase in filopodia number and cell surface area, respectively. Furthermore, addition of netrin-1 to cells expressing DCC caused a persistent activation of Cdc42 and Rac1. These findings suggest that netrin-1, via DCC, influences cellular motility by regulating actin-based membrane extension through the activation of Cdc42 and Rac1.

Actins↗
PubMed2005

[Dependence receptors DCC and UNC5H: the role of apoptosis in the control of tumorigenesis].

Recent studies have led a different view about membrane receptors. While a receptor used to be considered as inactive until bound by its ligand, it has been proposed that some receptors may also be active in the absence of their ligand. These so-called dependence receptors induce a specific death signal when the ligand is absent from the cell. Therefore, the expression of one of these receptors drives the cell to become dependent on the presence of the ligand for its survival. We have hypothesized that this mechanism allows inhibition of tumor growth, by inducing apoptosis of "abnormal" cells that would usually grow when ligand are unavailable--i.e., during local growth of tumor cells or growth beyond primary tumor site -. Along this line, back in the early 90s, Vogelstein and colleagues suggested that a gene called DCC (for "deleted in colorectal cancer") could be a tumor suppressor gene because it was found to be deleted in more than 70 % of colorectal cancers, as well as in many other cancers. During the last fifteen years, controversial data have failed to firmly establish whether DCC is indeed a tumor suppressor gene. However, our observation that DCC behaves as a dependence receptor that induces cell death unless its ligand netrin-1 is present, together with the fact that mice engineered to block DCC-induced cell death by overexpressing netrin-1 are predisposed to develop colorectal tumors, strengthen the role of dependence receptors as tumor suppressors. In this review, we will describe the implication of the netrin-1/receptor pairs as novel negative regulators of tumor development.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

The adaptor protein Nck-1 couples the netrin-1 receptor DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) to the activation of the small GTPase Rac1 through an atypical mechanism.

Netrins are a family of secreted proteins that guide the migration of cells and axonal growth cones during development. DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) is a receptor for netrin-1 implicated in mediating these responses. Here, we show that DCC interacts constitutively with the SH3/SH2 adaptor Nck in commissural neurons. This interaction is direct and requires the SH3 but not SH2 domains of Nck-1. Moreover, both DCC and Nck-1 associate with the actin cytoskeleton, and this association is mediated by DCC. A dominant negative Nck-1 inhibits the ability of DCC to induce neurite outgrowth in N1E-115 cells and to activate Rac1 in fibroblasts in response to netrin-1. These studies provide evidence for an important role of mammalian Nck-1 in a novel signaling pathway from an extracellular guidance cue to changes in the actin-based cytoskeleton responsible for axonal guidance.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed2000

Aberrant development of hippocampal circuits and altered neural activity in netrin 1-deficient mice.

Diffusible factors, including netrins and semaphorins, are believed to be important cues for the formation of neural circuits in the forebrain. Here we have examined the role of netrin 1 in the development of hippocampal connections. We show that netrin 1 and its receptor, Dcc, are expressed in the developing fimbria and in projection neurons, respectively, and that netrin 1 promotes the outgrowth of hippocampal axons in vitro via DCC receptors. We also show that the hippocampus of netrin 1-deficient mice shows a misorientation of fiber tracts and pathfinding errors, as detected with antibodies against the surface proteins TAG-1, L1 and DCC. DiI injections show that hippocampal commissural axons do not cross the midline in these mutants. Instead, when axons approach the midline, they turn ventrally and form a massive aberrant projection to the ipsilateral septum. In addition, both the ipsilateral entorhino-hippocampal and the CA3-to-CA1 associational projections show an altered pattern of layer-specific termination in netrin 1-deficient mice. Finally, optical recordings with the Ca(2+) indicator Fura 2-AM show that spontaneous neuronal activity is reduced in the septum of netrin 1-mutant mice. We conclude that netrin 1 is required not only for the formation of crossed connections in the forebrain, but also for the appropriate layer-specific targeting of ipsilateral projections and for the control of normal levels of spontaneous neural activity.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Netrin-1 and slit-2 regulate and direct neurite growth of ventral midbrain dopaminergic neurons.

We investigated the roles of netrin-1 and slit-2 in regulation and navigation of dopamine (DA) axon growth using an explant culture preparation of embryonic ventral midbrain (embryonic day 14) and a co-culture system. We found that netrin-1 protein significantly enhanced DA axonal outgrowth and promoted DA axonal outgrowth in a co-culture system of netrin-1 expressing cells. Such effects were mediated by the receptor DCC as demonstrated by antibody perturbation of the DCC receptor. In contrast, slit-2 inhibited DA neuron extensions and repelled DA neurite growth. These slit-2 activities required robo receptors since the reduced neurite extension was abolished by addition of excess robo receptors. In this system, netrin-1 stimulated and slit-2 opposed DA neurite growth. Such regulation may be important for DA axonal maintenance, regeneration, and phenotypic target recognition.

Animals↗