The GTPase RAB6 is required for stem cell maintenance and cell migration in the gut epithelium

Intestinal epithelial cells, which are instrumental in nutrient absorption, fluid regulation, and pathogen defense, undergo continuous proliferation and differentiation within the intestinal crypts, migrating towards the luminal surface where they are eventually shed. RAB GTPases are key regulators of intracellular vesicular trafficking and are involved in various cellular processes, including cell migration and polarity. Here, we investigated the role of RAB6 in the development and maintenance of the gut epithelium. We generated conditional knockout mice with RAB6 specifically deleted in the gut epithelium. We found that deletion of the Rab6a gene resulted in embryonic lethality. In adult mice, RAB6 depletion led to altered villus architecture and impaired junction integrity without affecting the segregation of apical and basolateral membrane domains. Further, RAB6 depletion slowed down cell migration and adversely affected both cell proliferation and stem cell maintenance. Notably, the absence of RAB6 resulted in a diminished number of functional stem cells, as evidenced by the rapid death of isolated crypts from Rab6a KO mice when cultured as 3D organoids. Together, these results underscore the essential role of RAB6 in maintaining gut epithelial homeostasis.