Cited by 808Axon Guidance and Neuronal SignalingNeurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsDevelopmental Biology and Gene Regulation

Reelin Is a Ligand for Lipoprotein Receptors

Open access
D'Arcangelo, Gabriella, Homayouni, Ramin, Keshvara, Lakhu, Rice, Dennis S, Sheldon, Michael, Curran, Tom·1999·Neuron

Abstract

A signaling pathway involving the extracellular protein Reelin and the intracellular adaptor protein Disabled-1 (Dab1) controls cell positioning during mammalian brain development. Here, we demonstrate that Reelin binds directly to lipoprotein receptors, preferably the very low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) and apolipoprotein E receptor 2 (ApoER2). Binding requires calcium, and it is inhibited in the presence of apoE. Furthermore, the CR-50 monoclonal antibody, which inhibits Reelin function, blocks the association of Reelin with VLDLR. After binding to VLDLR on the cell surface, Reelin is internalized into vesicles. In dissociated neurons, apoE reduces the level of Reelin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Dab1. These data suggest that Reelin directs neuronal migration by binding to VLDLR and ApoER2.

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This study reports that Reelin acts as a ligand for the lipoprotein receptors VLDLR and ApoER2, with binding dependent on calcium and inhibited by apoE. The authors propose that Reelin binding to these receptors leads to Reelin internalization and altered Dab1 tyrosine phosphorylation, thereby influencing neuronal positioning during brain development.

Key findings

  • Reelin associated with cells expressing VLDLR or ApoER2, and to a lesser extent LDLR, but not with mock-transfected cells or cells expressing APLP1. Under the assay conditions, VLDLR- or ApoER2-expressing cells bound about 26% of applied Reelin, whereas LDLR-expressing cells bound about 8%; full-length Reelin bound more efficiently than truncated forms (32% for full-length, 17% for the 250 kDa form, and 9% for the 180 kDa form).
  • Binding required calcium: EGTA or EDTA abolished Reelin association with VLDLR and ApoER2, and added calcium restored it. The CR-50 anti-Reelin antibody reduced binding to VLDLR by 64% at 115 µg/ml and by 84% at 300 µg/ml, while G10 antibody or control IgG did not inhibit.
  • Reelin was internalized after binding VLDLR, appearing in vesicular structures at 37°C but not at 4°C. Recombinant apoE3 inhibited Reelin binding to ApoER2 by about 50%; apoE3 and apoE4 inhibited binding to VLDLR by about 60%, whereas apoE2 inhibited by about 10%.
  • In embryonic cortical neurons, Reelin alone caused a 3-fold increase in Dab1 tyrosine phosphorylation; apoE3 reduced this Reelin-induced increase by about 50% and slightly lowered basal Dab1 phosphorylation by about 10%. Half-maximum binding to VLDLR occurred at 0.7 nM Reelin, an apparent affinity comparable to that of RAP.

Methods

  • 293T cells were transfected with VLDLR, ApoER2, LDLR, APLP1, or no DNA, then incubated with Reelin-containing conditioned medium from pCrl-transfected 293T cells. Bound Reelin was detected by Western blotting, with additional assays for time course, dose dependence, antibody inhibition, calcium dependence, and apoE competition.
  • COS-7 cells expressing VLDLR were used for immunocytochemistry after Reelin treatment at 37°C or 4°C to assess cell-surface binding and internalization.
  • Dissociated cortical neurons from embryonic day 16.5 mice were treated with Reelin with or without recombinant apoE3; Dab1 was immunoprecipitated and analyzed by Western blotting for phosphotyrosine and total Dab1.

Limitations

  • The paper states that a purified Reelin preparation with known concentration and activity was unavailable, so the affinity for lipoprotein receptors could not be measured accurately; the reported value is an apparent affinity estimate.
  • The authors state they cannot formally exclude participation of other cell-surface molecules in Reelin signal transduction, although their binding studies found no evidence for a required coreceptor.
  • The paper notes that the kinase responsible for Reelin-induced Dab1 tyrosine phosphorylation remains unidentified, and it is unclear which tyrosine kinases are involved.
  • Evident from the text: most binding and internalization experiments used transfected non-neuronal cell lines with overexpressed receptors, and the neuronal signaling data are in vitro, so the findings may not fully capture endogenous receptor behavior or in vivo function.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/s0896-6273(00)80860-0

Cites

50 of 50 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 1 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingnone given

    Reelin bound to VLDLR at the cell surface is internalized into vesicles.

    “After binding to VLDLR on the cell surface, Reelin is internalized into vesicles.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    No coreceptor was evident because Reelin did not bind 293T or COS cells without transfected lipoprotein receptors.

    “We did not find any evidence for a coreceptor molecule in our binding studies since Reelin did not associate with 293T or COS cells in the absence of transfected lipoprotein receptors.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Study design and conductown data

    Reelin was not depleted from conditioned medium during the binding experiments, according to dot blot analysis.

    “We determined that Reelin was not depleted from the conditioned medium during the course of the experiments by dot blot analysis.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 3
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 1
  • May combine two claims. The quote only partly states this claim.

    Findingown data

    Reelin binding to VLDLR is rapid, reaching about 16% within 5 minutes and nearing saturation by 1 hour.

    “Binding approached saturation within 1 hr.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    RAP is an intracellular chaperone, not a physiological extracellular ligand.

    “However, RAP is an intracellular chaperone and not a physiological extracellular ligand (Willnow et al., 1996).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Willnow et al., 1996 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    The simplest reading of the data is that VLDLR and ApoER2 serve as Reelin receptors.

    “the simplest interpretation of our data is that VLDLR and ApoER2 function as receptors for Reelin.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: The binding of Reelin to transfected lipoprotein receptors in cultured cells reflects the physiological receptor interaction that directs neuronal positioning in vivo.
3 of 3
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The binding of Reelin to transfected lipoprotein receptors in cultured cells reflects the physiological receptor interaction that directs neuronal positioning in vivo.

    “Although we cannot formally rule out the possibility that other cell surface molecules participate in Reelin signal transduction, the simplest interpretation of our data is that VLDLR and ApoER2 function as receptors for Reelin.”
1 of 1

Claims other papers make about this one

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Cites

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2 of the 52 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Willnow, 1998, Receptor-associated protein (RAP), Biol. Chem., 379, 1025

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Authors
D'Arcangelo, G., Homayouni, R., Keshvara, L., Rice, D. S., Sheldon, M., & Curran, T.
Affiliations
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (US)
Corresponding author
Curran, Tom
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1999-10
Volume
24
Issue
2
Pages
471-479
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2033822739
Cited by
808
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 33
FWCI
15.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Cancer Institute (T32CA09346, T32CA009346, P 30CA 21765, P30CA021765)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01 NS36558, R01NS036558)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Axon Guidance and Neuronal Signaling
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
Keywords
reelin, lipoprotein receptors, VLDLR, ApoER2, Disabled-1, receptor binding, calcium-dependent binding, apolipoprotein E, neuronal migration, brain development, receptor internalization, tyrosine phosphorylation
MeSH terms
Reelin Protein, Animals, Calcium, Cell Line, Cells, Humans, Ligands, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Receptors, LDL, Serine Endopeptidases, Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal, Extracellular Matrix Proteins, Receptors, Lipoprotein, COS Cells, Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-1, Mice

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