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Signaling through the dual leucine zipper-bearing kinase (DLK) is required for injured neurons to initiate new axonal growth; however, activation of this kinase also leads to neuronal degeneration and death in multiple models of injury and neurodegenerative diseases. This has spurred current consideration of DLK as a candidate therapeutic target, and raises a vital question: in what context is DLK a friend or foe to neurons? Here, we review our current understanding of DLK’s function and mechanisms in regulating both regenerative and degenerative responses to axonal damage and stress in the nervous system.

The kinesin-3 family member Unc-104/KIF1A is required for axonal transport of many presynaptic components to synapses, and mutation of this gene results in synaptic dysfunction in mice, flies and worms. Our studies at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction indicate that many synaptic defects in unc-104-null mutants are mediated independently of Unc-104’s transport function, via the Wallenda (Wnd)/DLK MAP kinase axonal damage signaling pathway. Wnd signaling becomes activated when Unc-104’s function is disrupted, and leads to impairment of synaptic structure and function by restraining the expression level of active zone (AZ) and synaptic vesicle (SV) components. This action concomitantly suppresses the buildup of synaptic proteins in neuronal cell bodies, hence may play an adaptive role to stresses that impair axonal transport. Wnd signaling also becomes activated when pre-synaptic proteins are over-expressed, suggesting the existence of a feedback circuit to match synaptic protein levels to the transport capacity of the axon., eLife digest Each nerve cell, or neuron, has a long nerve fiber – called an axon – that forms specialized sites for information exchange – called synapses – with other cells. Many molecules work at synapses to coordinate the exchange of information. These molecules are largely made in the central part of the neuron – known as the cell body – and are then transported along the axon to the synapses. The transport of these molecules is carried out by proteins known as molecular motors. One molecular motor, called KIF1A in humans and Unc-104 in fruit flies, is thought to be a major transporter of synaptic molecules. Mutations that hinder this molecular motor result in neurons failing to form synapses and, instead, synaptic components accumulate in the cell body. However, it was not clearif Unc-104 does actually carry all of the components needed to assemble synapses along axons, or if it influences synapse formation in another way. Now, Li, Zhang et al. report new evidence that supports the second of these two hypotheses. The experiments made use of fruit flies in which the gene for Unc-104 had been deleted, and revealed that inhibiting enzymes in a specific signaling pathway could reverse the synaptic problems caused by the loss of Unc-104. The signaling pathway, which is conserved between flies and humans, involves an enzyme that is called Wnd in flies and DLK in humans. The Wnd/DLK signaling pathway was previously known to regulate how neurons respond when their axons are damaged (either by growing new axons or dying, depending on the context). Further investigation by Li, Zhang et al. revealed that signaling via the Wnd enzyme becomes triggered whenever the Unc-104 molecular motor is impaired. This activation correlates with the build-up of synaptic proteins in the cell body. Once activated, the pathway then reduces the total amount of synaptic proteins that the cell makes. This reduction matches the neuron’s reduced ability to transport them along the axon, and may help the neuron to adapt when axonal transport is impaired. However, the reduction in synaptic proteins also impaired the exchange of information at the synapses. These findings suggest how DLK could be behind problems with synapses in diseases in which transport along axons is impaired. These diseases include hereditary spastic paraplegia, which has been linked to mutations in human KIF1A, and may also include ALS and Alzheimer’s disease, which have recently been linked to DLK. DLK has received recent attention as a candidate drug target because it contributes to the deterioration of damaged neurons. These new findings further expand that interest by suggesting that inhibiting DLK may help neurons to maintain working synapses, which is more useful than simply preventing damaged neurons from dying.