Dystrophin-associated protein scaffolding in brain requires alpha-dystrobrevin

Neuroreport. 2010 Jul 14;21(10):695-9. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e32833b0a3b.

Abstract

Dystrophin and the alpha-dystrobrevins bind directly to the adapter protein syntrophin to form membrane-associated scaffolds. At the blood-brain barrier, alpha-syntrophin colocalizes with dystrophin and the alpha-dystrobrevins in perivascular glial endfeet and is required for localization of the water channel aquaporin-4. Earlier we have shown that localization of the scaffolding proteins gamma2-syntrophin, alpha-dystrobrevin-2, and dystrophin to glial endfeet is also dependent on the presence of alpha-syntrophin. In this study, we show that the expression levels of alpha-syntrophin, gamma2-syntrophin, and dystrophin at the blood-brain barrier are reduced in alpha-dystrobrevin-null mice. This is the first demonstration in which assembly of an astroglial protein scaffold containing syntrophin and dystrophin in perivascular astrocytes is dependent on the presence of alpha-dystrobrevin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Astrocytes / metabolism*
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism*
  • Brain / blood supply
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Cerebellum / blood supply
  • Cerebellum / metabolism
  • Dystrophin / metabolism*
  • Dystrophin-Associated Proteins / deficiency
  • Dystrophin-Associated Proteins / genetics
  • Dystrophin-Associated Proteins / metabolism*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Muscle Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Dystrophin
  • Dystrophin-Associated Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Muscle Proteins
  • dystrobrevin
  • syntrophin alpha1