PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Yves Jossin
AU  - Nina Ignatova
AU  - Thomas Hiesberger
AU  - Joachim Herz
AU  - Catherine Lambert de Rouvroit
AU  - André M. Goffinet
TI  - The Central Fragment of Reelin, Generated by Proteolytic Processing <em>In Vivo</em>, Is Critical to Its Function during Cortical Plate Development
AID  - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3408-03.2004
DP  - 2004 Jan 14
TA  - The Journal of Neuroscience
PG  - 514--521
VI  - 24
IP  - 2
4099  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/24/2/514.short
4100  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/24/2/514.full
SO  - J. Neurosci.2004 Jan 14; 24
AB  - Reelin is a large extracellular protein that controls cortical development. It binds to lipoprotein receptors very-low-density lipoprotein receptor and apolipoprotein-E receptor type 2, thereby inducing phosphorylation of the adapter Dab1. In vivo, Reelin is cleaved into three fragments, but their respective function is unknown. Here we show the following: (1) the central fragment is necessary and sufficient for receptor binding in vitro and for Dab1 phosphorylation in neuronal cultures; (2) Reelin does not bind the protocadherin cadherin-related neuronal receptor (CNR1) as reported previously; (3) Reelin and its central fragment are equally able to rescue the reeler phenotype in a slice culture assay; and (4) anti-receptor antibodies can induce Dab1 phosphorylation but do not correct the reeler phenotype in slices. These observations show that the function of Reelin is critically dependent on the central fragment generated by processing but primarily independent of interactions with CNR1 and on the N-terminal region. They also indicate that events acting in parallel to Dab1 phosphorylation might be required for full activity.