RME-8 regulates trafficking of the epidermal growth factor receptor

We recently identified receptor-mediated endocytosis 8 (RME-8), a DnaJ domain protein localized to endosomes. We now demonstrate that RME-8 depletion leads to decreased levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) without influencing receptors that primarily recycle to the plasma membrane. Decreases in EGFR are detected at both surface and intracellular pools and result from increased rates of EGFR degradation. Interestingly, RME-8 depletion also decreases EGFR levels in breast cancer cell lines in which overexpression of the EGFR family member ErbB2 has been shown to protect EGFR from degradation. These data implicate RME-8 in sorting decisions influencing EGFR at the level of endosomes and point to RME-8 as a potential regulatory target in ErbB2-positive breast cancers.