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Trafficking of receptor tyrosine kinases to the nucleus

Graham Carpenter1, Hong-Jun Liao

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-0146, USA. graham.carpenter@vanderbilt.edu

Experimental Cell Research
|October 28, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Growth factors trigger receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) internalization. These receptors traffic to new cellular locations like the nucleus, impacting signal transduction.

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Molecular signaling
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Growth factors induce receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) internalization.
  • Internalized RTKs are typically sorted to lysosomes or recycled to the cell surface.
  • Emerging evidence suggests novel intracellular destinations for internalized RTKs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the non-canonical intracellular trafficking pathways of internalized RTKs.
  • To investigate the biochemical mechanisms governing RTK trafficking to novel destinations.
  • To elucidate the functional implications of RTK trafficking in signal transduction.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized advanced cell imaging techniques to track RTK localization.
  • Employed biochemical assays to identify protein interactions and modifications.
  • Investigated signaling pathways affected by RTK translocation.

Main Results:

  • Confirmed RTK internalization upon growth factor stimulation.
  • Demonstrated RTK trafficking to the nucleus, mitochondria, and cytoplasm.
  • Identified proteolytic processing and translocon interactions as key trafficking mechanisms.
  • Showcased RTK's role as a signaling molecule in intracellular compartments.

Conclusions:

  • Internalized RTKs traffic to diverse intracellular locations beyond lysosomes.
  • Novel trafficking mechanisms facilitate RTK translocation to the nucleus, mitochondria, and cytoplasm.
  • RTK trafficking plays a functional role in signal transduction, extending receptor signaling capacity.

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