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Striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase expression and activity in Huntington's disease: a STEP in the resistance to excitotoxicity.

ABSTRACT: Striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (STEP) is highly expressed in striatal projection neurons, the neuronal population most affected in Huntington's disease. Here, we examined STEP expression and phosphorylation, which regulates its activity, in N-terminal exon-1 and full-length mutant huntingtin mouse models. R6/1 mice displayed reduced STEP protein levels in the striatum and cortex, whereas its phosphorylation was increased in the striatum, cortex, and hippocampus. The early increase in striatal STEP phosphorylation levels correlated with a deregulation of the protein kinase A pathway, and decreased calcineurin activity at later stages further contributes to an enhancement of STEP phosphorylation and inactivation. Accordingly, we detected an accumulation of phosphorylated ERK2 and p38, two targets of STEP, in R6/1 mice striatum at advanced stages of the disease. Activation of STEP participates in excitotoxic-induced cell death. Because Huntington's disease mouse models develop resistance to excitotoxicity, we analyzed whether decreased STEP activity was involved in this process. After intrastriatal quinolinic acid (QUIN) injection, we detected higher phosphorylated STEP levels in R6/1 than in wild-type mice, suggesting that STEP inactivation could mediate neuroprotection in R6/1 striatum. In agreement, intrastriatal injection of TAT-STEP increased QUIN-induced cell death. R6/2, Tet/HD94, and Hdh(Q7/Q111) mice striatum also displayed decreased STEP protein and increased phosphorylation levels. In Tet/HD94 mice striatum, mutant huntingtin transgene shutdown reestablished STEP expression. In conclusion, the STEP pathway is severely downregulated in the presence of mutant huntingtin and may participate in compensatory mechanisms activated by striatal neurons that lead to resistance to excitotoxicity.

SUBMITTER: Saavedra A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3472648 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase expression and activity in Huntington's disease: a STEP in the resistance to excitotoxicity.

Saavedra Ana A Giralt Albert A Rué Laura L Xifró Xavier X Xu Jian J Ortega Zaira Z Lucas José J JJ Lombroso Paul J PJ Alberch Jordi J Pérez-Navarro Esther E

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 20110601 22

Striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (STEP) is highly expressed in striatal projection neurons, the neuronal population most affected in Huntington's disease. Here, we examined STEP expression and phosphorylation, which regulates its activity, in N-terminal exon-1 and full-length mutant huntingtin mouse models. R6/1 mice displayed reduced STEP protein levels in the striatum and cortex, whereas its phosphorylation was increased in the striatum, cortex, and hippocampus. The early increas ...[more]

PMID: 21632937

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Project description:The tyrosine kinase Fyn has two regulatory tyrosine residues that when phosphorylated either activate (Tyr(420)) or inhibit (Tyr(531)) Fyn activity. Within the central nervous system, two protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) target these regulatory tyrosines in Fyn. PTP? dephosphorylates Tyr(531) and activates Fyn, while STEP (STriatal-Enriched protein tyrosine Phosphatase) dephosphorylates Tyr(420) and inactivates Fyn. Thus, PTP? and STEP have opposing functions in the regulation of Fyn; however, whether there is cross talk between these two PTPs remains unclear. Here, we used molecular techniques in primary neuronal cultures and in vivo to demonstrate that STEP negatively regulates PTP? by directly dephosphorylating PTP? at its regulatory Tyr(789). Dephosphorylation of Tyr(789) prevents the translocation of PTP? to synaptic membranes, blocking its ability to interact with and activate Fyn. Genetic or pharmacologic reduction in STEP61 activity increased the phosphorylation of PTP? at Tyr(789), as well as increased translocation of PTP? to synaptic membranes. Activation of PTP? and Fyn and trafficking of GluN2B to synaptic membranes are necessary for ethanol (EtOH) intake behaviors in rodents. We tested the functional significance of STEP61 in this signaling pathway by EtOH administration to primary cultures as well as in vivo, and demonstrated that the inactivation of STEP61 by EtOH leads to the activation of PTP?, its translocation to synaptic membranes, and the activation of Fyn. These findings indicate a novel mechanism by which STEP61 regulates PTP? and suggest that STEP and PTP? coordinate the regulation of Fyn. STEP61 , PTP?, Fyn, and NMDA receptor (NMDAR) have been implicated in ethanol intake behaviors in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) in rodents. Here, we report that PTP? is a novel substrate for STEP61. Upon ethanol exposure, STEP61 is phosphorylated and inactivated by protein kinase A (PKA) signaling in the DMS. As a result of STEP61 inhibition, there is an increase in the phosphorylation of PTP?, which translocates to lipid rafts and activates Fyn and subsequent NMDAR signaling. The results demonstrate a synergistic regulation of Fyn-NMDAR signaling by STEP61 and PTP?, which may contribute to the regulation of ethanol-related behaviors. NMDA, N-methyl-D-aspartate; PTP?, receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase alpha; STEP, STriatal-Enriched protein tyrosine Phosphatase.

Project description:Striatal-enriched tyrosine phosphatase (STEP) is an important regulator of neuronal synaptic plasticity, and its abnormal level or activity contributes to cognitive disorders. One crucial downstream effector and direct substrate of STEP is extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), which has important functions in spine stabilisation and action potential transmission. The inhibition of STEP activity toward phospho-ERK has the potential to treat neuronal diseases, but the detailed mechanism underlying the dephosphorylation of phospho-ERK by STEP is not known. Therefore, we examined STEP activity toward para-nitrophenyl phosphate, phospho-tyrosine-containing peptides, and the full-length phospho-ERK protein using STEP mutants with different structural features. STEP was found to be a highly efficient ERK tyrosine phosphatase that required both its N-terminal regulatory region and key residues in its active site. Specifically, both kinase interaction motif (KIM) and kinase-specific sequence of STEP were required for ERK interaction. In addition to the N-terminal kinase-specific sequence region, S245, hydrophobic residues L249/L251, and basic residues R242/R243 located in the KIM region were important in controlling STEP activity toward phospho-ERK. Further kinetic experiments revealed subtle structural differences between STEP and HePTP that affected the interactions of their KIMs with ERK. Moreover, STEP recognised specific positions of a phospho-ERK peptide sequence through its active site, and the contact of STEP F311 with phospho-ERK V205 and T207 were crucial interactions. Taken together, our results not only provide the information for interactions between ERK and STEP, but will also help in the development of specific strategies to target STEP-ERK recognition, which could serve as a potential therapy for neurological disorders. Regulation of phospho-ERK by STEP underlies important neuronal activities. A detailed enzymologic characterisation and cellular studies of STEP revealed that specific residues in KIM and active site mediated ERK recognition. Structural differences between the KIM-ERK interfaces and the active site among different ERK phosphatases could be targeted to develop specific STEP inhibitor, which has therapeutic potential for neurological disorders. PKA, protein kinase A & NGF, nerve growth factor.

Dataset Information

Striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase expression and activity in Huntington's disease: a STEP in the resistance to excitotoxicity.

Publications

Striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase expression and activity in Huntington's disease: a STEP in the resistance to excitotoxicity.

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