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Neuropilin-1 is expressed by endothelial and tumor cells as an isoform-specific receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major regulator of angiogenesis, binds to two receptor tyrosine kinases, KDR/Flk-1 and Flt-1. We now describe the purification and the expression cloning from tumor cells of a third VEGF receptor, one that binds VEGF165 but not VEGF121. This isoform-specific VEGF receptor (VEGF165R) is identical to human neuropilin-1, a receptor for the collapsin/semaphorin family that mediates neuronal cell guidance. When coexpressed in cells with KDR, neuropilin-1 enhances the binding of VEGF165 to KDR and VEGF165-mediated chemotaxis. Conversely, inhibition of VEGF165 binding to neuropilin-1 inhibits its binding to KDR and its mitogenic activity for endothelial cells. We propose that neuropilin-1 is a novel VEGF receptor that modulates VEGF binding to KDR and subsequent bioactivity and therefore may regulate VEGF-induced angiogenesis.

Antigens, Surface↗

Neuropilin-2, a novel member of the neuropilin family, is a high affinity receptor for the semaphorins Sema E and Sema IV but not Sema III.

Semaphorins are a large family of secreted and transmembrane proteins, several of which are implicated in repulsive axon guidance. Neuropilin (neuropilin-1) was recently identified as a receptor for Collapsin-1/Semaphorin III/D (Sema III). We report the identification of a related protein, neuropilin-2, whose mRNA is expressed by developing neurons in a pattern largely, though not completely, nonoverlapping with that of neuropilin-1. Unlike neuropilin-1, which binds with high affinity to the three structurally related semaphorins Sema III, Sema E, and Sema IV, neuropilin-2 shows high affinity binding only to Sema E and Sema IV, not Sema III. These results identify neuropilins as a family of receptors (or components of receptors) for at least one semaphorin subfamily. They also suggest that the specificity of action of different members of this subfamily may be determined by the complement of neuropilins expressed by responsive cells.

Animals↗

Developmentally regulated expression of a cell surface protein, neuropilin, in the mouse nervous system.

Neuropilin (previously A5) is a cell surface glycoprotein that was originally identified in Xenopus tadpole nervous tissues. In Xenopus, neuropilin is expressed on both the presynaptic and postsynaptic elements in the visual and general somatic sensory systems, suggesting a role in neuronal cell recognition. In this study, we identified a mouse homologue of neuropilin and examined its expression in developing mouse nervous tissues. cDNA cloning and sequencing revealed that the primary structure of the mouse neuropilin was highly similar to that of Xenopus and that the extracellular segment of the molecule possessed several motifs that were expected to be involved in cell-cell interaction. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization analyses in mice indicated that the expression of neuropilin was restricted to particular neuron circuits. Neuropilin protein was localized on axons but not on the somata of neurons. The expression of neuropilin persisted through the time when axons were actively growing to form neuronal connections. These observations suggest that neuropilin is involved in growth, fasciculation, and targeting for a particular groups of axons.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Expression of a cell adhesion molecule, neuropilin, in the developing chick nervous system.

Neuropilin (previously known as the A5 protein) is a membrane protein identified in Xenopus and is presumed to be involved in the target recognition of the optic nerve fibers. We have isolated cDNAs encoding the chick homologue of neuropilin, using the Xenopus neuropilin cDNA as a hybridization probe. The predicted amino acid sequence of chick neuropilin is 75% identical to that of the Xenopus homologue. A cell aggregation assay showed that fibroblasts transfected with the chick neuropilin cDNA acquired cell adhesiveness. This adhesion is mediated by a heterophilic interaction between neuropilin and protease-sensitive molecules on fibroblasts. The expression of chick neuropilin is restricted to certain neuronal circuits and is dynamically regulated during development, as is the Xenopus homologue. However, their expression patterns differed significantly in the visual systems between the two species: In the chick optic tectum, the localization of neuropilin is confined to layers d and e of SGFS, two of the six layers receiving the retinal input; the chick optic nerve fibers do not express neuropilin; in the chick retina, amacrine cells transiently express neuropilin. Cultured neurons of the dorsal root ganglia express chick neuropilin on their neurites including growth cones. These results suggests that neuropilin functions as a cell adhesion molecule during the formation of certain neuronal circuits in vivo.

3T3 Cells↗

Roles of a neuronal cell-surface molecule, neuropilin, in nerve fiber fasciculation and guidance.

Neuropilin is a cell-surface glycoprotein that was first identified in Xenopus tadpole nervous tissues and then in chicken and mouse. The primary structure of neuropilin is highly conserved among these vertebrate species. The extracellular part of the molecule is composed of three domains referred to as a1/a2, b1/b2, and c, each of which is expected to be involved in molecular and/or cellular interactions. Neuropilin can mediate cell adhesion by heterophilic molecular interaction. In all vertebrate species examined, the neuropilin protein is restricted to axons of particular neuron classes, and at stages when axon growth is active. The gain and loss of function of neuropilin in developing mouse embryos causes defasciculation and incorrect sprouting of nerve fibers. These findings suggest that neuropilin serves in a variety of neuronal cell interactions by binding to a variety of molecules, and that it plays essential roles in nerve fiber fasciculation and guidance.

Animals↗

The membrane protein A5, a putative neuronal recognition molecule, promotes neurite outgrowth.

The A5 is an unique membrane protein that is expressed in the neurons of the visual system and general somatic sensory system of Xenopus laevis. We cultured retinal explants or trigeminal ganglion neurons on the monolayers of A5-expressing line cells obtained by transfection with the cDNA, and found that the A5-expressing transfectants promote neurite outgrowth for these A5-expressing neurons. The neurite outgrowth-promoting effect was inhibited by anti-A5 antibodies. While, the neurite outgrowth-promotion by the A5 transfectants was not observed for the vestibulocochlear ganglion neurons which lack the A5. These results indicate that the membrane protein A5 is a potent substrate for neurite extension of the A5-expressing neurons but not for the A5-negative ones, suggesting its involvement in specific neuronal interaction.

Animals↗

The A5 antigen, a candidate for the neuronal recognition molecule, has homologies to complement components and coagulation factors.

The A5 antigen is a neuronal cell surface protein of Xenopus presumed to be involved in the neuronal recognition between the optic nerve fibers and the visual centers. Analyses of cDNA clones revealed that the A5 antigen is a class I membrane protein containing two different internal repeats in the extracellular segment. The first repeat bears homology to domain III of complement components C1r and C1s, and the second repeat is homologous to the C1 and C2 domains of coagulation factors V and VIII. The mRNA for the A5 antigen was present in retinal ganglion cells and visual center neurons. Nonneuronal cells in the peripheral and central nervous systems did not express the mRNA for the A5 antigen.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Neuropilin is a receptor for the axonal chemorepellent Semaphorin III.

Extending axons in the developing nervous system are guided to their targets through the coordinate actions of attractive and repulsive guidance cues. The semaphorin family of guidance cues comprises several members that can function as diffusible axonal chemorepellents. To begin to elucidate the mechanisms that mediate the repulsive actions of Collapsin-1/Semaphorin III/D (Sema III), we searched for Sema III-binding proteins in embryonic rat sensory neurons by expression cloning. We report that Sema III binds with high affinity to the transmembrane protein neuropilin, and that antibodies to neuropilin block the ability of Sema III to repel sensory axons and to induce collapse of their growth cones. These results provide evidence that neuropilin is a receptor or a component of a receptor complex that mediates the effects of Sema III on these axons.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Neuropilin is a semaphorin III receptor.

The semaphorin family contains a large number of phylogenetically conserved proteins and includes several members that have been shown to function in repulsive axon guidance. Semaphorin III (Sema III) is a secreted protein that in vitro causes neuronal growth cone collapse and chemorepulsion of neurites, and in vivo is required for correct sensory afferent innervation and other aspects of development. The mechanism of Sema III function, however, is unknown. Here, we report that neuropilin, a type I transmembrane protein implicated in aspects of neurodevelopment, is a Sema III receptor. We also describe the identification of neuropilin-2, a related neuropilin family member, and show that neuropilin and neuropilin-2 are expressed in overlapping, yet distinct, populations of neurons in the rat embryonic nervous system.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A 70 amino acid region within the semaphorin domain activates specific cellular response of semaphorin family members.

The semaphorin family contains secreted and transmembrane signaling proteins that function in the nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems. Chick collapsin-1 is a repellent for specific growth cones. Two other secreted members of the semaphorin family, collapsin-2 and -3, are structurally similar to collapsin-1 but have different biological activities. Semaphorins contain a 500 amino acid family signature semaphorin domain. We show in this study that (1) the semaphorin domain of collapsin-1 is both necessary and sufficient for biological activity, (2) the semaphorin domain contains a 70 amino acid region that specifies the biological activity of the three family members, and (3) the positively charged carboxy terminus potentiates activity without affecting specificity. We propose that semaphorins interact with their receptors through two independent binding sites: one that mediates the biological response and one that potentiates it.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Secreted chick semaphorins bind recombinant neuropilin with similar affinities but bind different subsets of neurons in situ.

Collapsin-1, a member of the semaphorin family, activates receptors on specific growth cones, thereby inhibiting their motility. Neuropilin, a previously cloned transmembrane protein, has recently been identified as a candidate receptor for collapsin-1. We have completed the cloning of chick collapsin-3 and -5 and show that collapsin-1, -2, -3, and -5 bind to overlapping but distinct axon tracts. We infer that in situ, there are distinct receptors with different affinities for collapsin-1, -2, -3, and -5. In contrast, these four collapsins all bind recombinant neuropilin with similar affinities. Strong binding to neuropilin is mediated by the carboxy third of the collapsins, while the semaphorin domain confers their unique binding patterns in situ. We propose that neuropilin is a common component of a semaphorin receptor complex, and that additional differentially expressed receptor components interact with the semaphorin domains to confer binding specificity.

Animals↗

Neuropilin-semaphorin III/D-mediated chemorepulsive signals play a crucial role in peripheral nerve projection in mice.

Neuropilin is a neuronal cell surface protein and has been shown to function as a receptor for a secreted protein, semaphorin III/D, that can induce neuronal growth cone collapse and repulsion of neurites in vitro. The roles of neuropilin in vivo, however, are unknown. Here, we report that neuropilin-deficient mutant mice produced by targeted disruption of the neuropilin gene show severe abnormalities in the trajectory of efferent fibers of the PNS. We also describe that neuropilin-deprived dorsal root ganglion neurons are perfectly protected from growth cone collapse elicited by semaphorin III/D. Our results indicate that neuropilin-semaphorin III/D-mediated chemorepulsive signals play a major role in guidance of PNS efferents.

Animals↗

Growth-associated expression of a membrane protein, neuropilin, in Xenopus optic nerve fibers.

Neuropilin (previously referred to as A5) is a neuronal cell surface protein which is widely distributed in such vertebrate species as Xenopus, chicken and mouse. In these vertebrate species, neuropilin is expressed in particular neuron circuits at particular developmental stages when axonal growth is active. To test whether the expression patterns of neuropilin is associated with axonal growth, we examined expression patterns of neuropilin in developing and regenerating Xenopus optic nerves. In embryos, a neuropilin-specific monoclonal antibody A5 (MAbA5) bound strongly to the optic nerves, and in situ hybridization signals for neuropilin mRNA were prominent in the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), indicating that developing optic nerve fibers express neuropilin. The binding of MAbA5 to the optic nerve fibers was maximal at stages 41-43, then decreased in the subsequent tadpole life. In tadpoles after stage 50, the binding of MAbA5 to the optic nerves was extremely weak or almost nil, although RGCs expressed considerable amounts of neuropilin mRNA. When the tadpole optic nerves were crushed and prompted to regenerate, however, neuropilin protein reappeared in the optic nerve fibers. The binding of MAbA5 to the regenerating optic nerve fibers was detectable as early as the 5th day and maximal at the 2nd or 3rd weeks after the optic nerve crush, and declined thereafter. These findings suggest that the expression of neuropilin in the optic nerve fibers is regulated in an axonal growth-associated manner.

Animals↗

Overexpression of a membrane protein, neuropilin, in chimeric mice causes anomalies in the cardiovascular system, nervous system and limbs.

Neuropilin is a type 1 membrane protein, which is highly conserved among Xenopus frog, chicken and mouse. The extracellular part of the neuropilin protein is composed of three unique domains, each of which is thought to be involved in molecular and/or cellular interactions. In mice, neuropilin is expressed in the cardiovascular system, nervous system and limbs at particular developmental stages. To clarify the roles of neuropilin in morphogenesis in vivo, we generated mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell clones that constitutively expressed exogenous neuropilin, then produced chimeras using these ES cell clones. The chimeras overexpressed neuropilin and were embryonic lethal. The chimeric embryos exhibited several morphological abnormalities; excess capillaries and blood vessels, dilation of blood vessels, malformed hearts, ectopic sprouting and defasciculation of nerve fibers, and extra digits. All of these abnormalities occurred in the organs in which neuropilin is expressed in normal development. The variety of abnormalities occurring in these chimeric embryos suggested diverse functions of neuropilin in embryonic morphogenesis, which may be ascribed to multiple interaction domains identified in the molecule. Correct spatiotemporal expression of neuropilin seems to be essential for normal development of the cardiovascular system, nervous system and limbs.

Animals↗

Differential expression of two cell surface proteins, neuropilin and plexin, in Xenopus olfactory axon subclasses.

Immunohistochemistry by using monoclonal antibodies named A5 and B2, which specifically recognize cell surface proteins the neuropilin and the plexin, respectively, revealed that olfactory axons in Xenopus tadpoles were classified into several subgroups by virtue of the expression levels of these two cell surface molecules. The vomeronasal axons expressed the plexin but not the neuropilin. The plexin-positive and neuropilin-negative vomeronasal axons form a discrete fiber bundle, even after they joined with the principal olfactory axons. However, the principal olfactory axons were divided into at least two subclasses; the neuropilin-predominant axons which expressed high levels of the neuropilin and low levels of the plexin, and the plexin-predominant axons which expressed high levels of the plexin and low levels of the neuropilin. Within the olfactory nerve the pathways for these two principal olfactory axon subclasses were initially intermingled with each other, but were gradually segregated throughout their courses from the nose to the cerebrum. Eventually, the neuropilin-predominant and the plexin-predominant principal olfactory axon subclasses projected to specified glomeruli in topographically related regions within the main olfactory bulb. Neuroanatomical tracings of the olfactory projection also confirmed the gradual segregation of the pathways for the principal olfactory axons. These results allow us to speculate that both the neuropilin and the plexin are involved in axon interactions, and play roles in the organization of the precise patterns of the olfactory pathway and projection.

Animals↗