Mutant huntingtin impairs post-Golgi trafficking to lysosomes by delocalizing optineurin/Rab8 complex from the Golgi apparatus

Mol Biol Cell. 2009 Mar;20(5):1478-92. doi: 10.1091/mbc.e08-07-0726. Epub 2009 Jan 14.

Abstract

Huntingtin regulates post-Golgi trafficking of secreted proteins. Here, we studied the mechanism by which mutant huntingtin impairs this process. Colocalization studies and Western blot analysis of isolated Golgi membranes showed a reduction of huntingtin in the Golgi apparatus of cells expressing mutant huntingtin. These findings correlated with a decrease in the levels of optineurin and Rab8 in the Golgi apparatus that can be reverted by overexpression of full-length wild-type huntingtin. In addition, immunoprecipitation studies showed reduced interaction between mutant huntingtin and optineurin/Rab8. Cells expressing mutant huntingtin produced both an accumulation of clathrin adaptor complex 1 at the Golgi and an increase of clathrin-coated vesicles in the vicinity of Golgi cisternae as revealed by electron microscopy. Furthermore, inverse fluorescence recovery after photobleaching analysis for lysosomal-associated membrane protein-1 and mannose-6-phosphate receptor showed that the optineurin/Rab8-dependent post-Golgi trafficking to lysosomes was impaired in cells expressing mutant huntingtin or reducing huntingtin levels by small interfering RNA. Accordingly, these cells showed a lower content of cathepsin D in lysosomes, which led to an overall reduction of lysosomal activity. Together, our results indicate that mutant huntingtin perturbs post-Golgi trafficking to lysosomal compartments by delocalizing the optineurin/Rab8 complex, which, in turn, affects the lysosomal function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Eye Proteins / analysis
  • Eye Proteins / metabolism*
  • Golgi Apparatus / metabolism*
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Lysosomes / metabolism*
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Mice
  • Mutation
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / analysis
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / physiology*
  • Nuclear Proteins / analysis
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / physiology*
  • Protein Transport / physiology
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / metabolism
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins / analysis
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Eye Proteins
  • Htt protein, mouse
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Optn protein, mouse
  • Rab8 protein, mouse
  • Transcription Factor AP-1
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins