Roles of RabGEF1/Rabex-5 domains in regulating FcϵRI surface expression and FcϵRI-dependent responses in mast cells

J Kalesnikoff, EJ Rios, CC Chen… - Blood, The Journal …, 2007 - ashpublications.org
J Kalesnikoff, EJ Rios, CC Chen, M Alejandro Barbieri, M Tsai, SY Tam, SJ Galli
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2007ashpublications.org
Abstract RabGEF1/Rabex-5, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for the endocytic
pathway regulator, Rab5, contains a Vps9 domain, an A20-like zinc finger (ZnF) domain,
and a coiled coil domain. To investigate the importance of these domains in regulating
receptor internalization and cell activation, we lentivirally delivered RabGEF1 mutants into
RabGEF1-deficient (−/−) mast cells and examined FcϵRI-dependent responses. Wild-type
RabGEF1 expression corrected phenotypic abnormalities in−/− mast cells, including …
Abstract
RabGEF1/Rabex-5, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for the endocytic pathway regulator, Rab5, contains a Vps9 domain, an A20-like zinc finger (ZnF) domain, and a coiled coil domain. To investigate the importance of these domains in regulating receptor internalization and cell activation, we lentivirally delivered RabGEF1 mutants into RabGEF1-deficient (−/−) mast cells and examined FcϵRI-dependent responses. Wild-type RabGEF1 expression corrected phenotypic abnormalities in −/− mast cells, including decreased basal FcϵRI expression, slowed FcϵRI internalization, elevated IgE + Ag–induced degranulation and IL-6 production, and the decreased ability of −/− cytosol to support endosome fusion. We showed that RabGEF1's ZnF domain has ubiquitin ligase activity. Moreover, the coiled coil domain of RabGEF1 is required for Rabaptin-5 binding and for maintaining basal levels of Rabaptin-5 and surface FcϵRI. However, mutants lacking either of these domains normalized phenotypic abnormalities in IgE + antigen–activated −/− mast cells. By contrast, correction of these −/− phenotypes required a functional Vps9 domain. Thus, FcϵRI-mediated mast cell functional activation is dependent on RabGEF1's GEF activity.
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