Search

ADAM12 (A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease 12), a member of the ADAMs family of transmembrane proteins, is involved in ectodomain shedding, cell-adhesion and signaling, with important implications in cancer. Therefore, mechanisms that regulate the levels and activity of ADAM12 at the cell-surface are possibly crucial in these contexts. We here investigated internalization and subsequent recycling or degradation of ADAM12 as a potentially important regulatory mechanism. Our results show that ADAM12 is constitutively internalized primarily via the clathrin-dependent pathway and is subsequently detected in both early and recycling endosomes. The protease activity of ADAM12 does not influence this internalization mechanism. Analysis of essential elements for internalization established that proline-rich regions in the cytoplasmic domain of ADAM12, previously shown to interact with Src-homology 3 domains, were necessary for proper internalization. These sites in the ADAM12 cytoplasmic domain interacted with the adaptor protein growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) and knockdown of Grb2 markedly reduced ADAM12 internalization. These studies establish that internalization is indeed a mechanism that regulates ADAM cell surface levels and show that ADAM12 internalization involves the clathrin-dependent pathway and Grb2., (© 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an important regulator of normal growth and differentiation, and it is involved in the pathogenesis of many cancers. Endocytic downregulation is central in terminating EGFR signaling after ligand stimulation. It has been shown that p38 MAPK activation also can induce EGFR endocytosis. This endocytosis lacks many of the characteristics of ligand-induced EGFR endocytosis. We compared the two types of endocytosis with regard to the requirements for proteins in the internalization machinery. Both types of endocytosis require clathrin, but while epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced EGFR internalization also required Grb2, p38 MAPK-induced internalization did not. Interestingly, AP-2 knock down blocked p38 MAPK-induced EGFR internalization, but only mildly affected EGF-induced internalization. In line with this, simultaneously mutating two AP-2 interaction sites in EGFR affected p38 MAPK-induced internalization much more than EGF-induced EGFR internalization. Thus, it seems that EGFR in the two situations uses different sets of internalization mechanisms., (© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)