Association of calnexin with mutant peripheral myelin protein-22 ex vivo: A basis for “gain-of-function” ER diseases

KM Dickson, JJM Bergeron, I Shames… - Proceedings of the …, 2002 - National Acad Sciences
KM Dickson, JJM Bergeron, I Shames, J Colby, DT Nguyen, E Chevet, DY Thomas
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2002National Acad Sciences
Schwann cell-derived peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP-22) when mutated or
overexpressed causes heritable neuropathies with a previously unexplained “gain-of-
function” endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention phenotype. In wild-type sciatic nerves, PMP-
22 associates in a specific, transient (t 1/2≈ 11 min), and oligosaccharide processing-
dependent manner with the lectin chaperone calnexin (CNX), but not calreticulin nor BiP. In
Trembler-J (Tr-J) sciatic nerves, prolonged association of mutant PMP-22 with CNX is found …
Schwann cell-derived peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP-22) when mutated or overexpressed causes heritable neuropathies with a previously unexplained “gain-of-function” endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention phenotype. In wild-type sciatic nerves, PMP-22 associates in a specific, transient (t1/2 ≈ 11 min), and oligosaccharide processing-dependent manner with the lectin chaperone calnexin (CNX), but not calreticulin nor BiP. In Trembler-J (Tr-J) sciatic nerves, prolonged association of mutant PMP-22 with CNX is found (t1/2 > 60 min). In 293A cells overexpressing PMP-22Tr-J, CNX and PMP-22 colocalize in large intracellular structures identified at the electron microscopy level as myelin-like figures with CNX localization in the structures dependent on PMP-22 glucosylation. Similar intracellular myelin-like figures were also present in Schwann cells of sciatic nerves from homozygous Trembler-J mice with no detectable activation of the stress response pathway as deduced from BiP and CHOP expression. Sequestration of CNX in intracellular myelin-like figures may be relevant to the autosomal dominant Charcot–Marie–Tooth-related neuropathies.
National Acad Sciences