The kinesin KIF21B participates in the cell surface delivery of ?2 subunit-containing GABAA receptors.

Authors:
Labonté D, Thies E, Kneussel M.
In:
Source: Eur J Cell Biol
Publication Date: (2014)
Issue: 93(8-9): 338-346
Research Area:
Basic Research
Cells used in publication:
Neuron, hippocampal, mouse
Species: mouse
Tissue Origin: brain
Experiment
Mouse hippocampal neurons in PNGM.
Abstract
KIF21B, a kinesin family (KIF) protein, is a plus end-directed microtubule motor. The KIF21B gene is highly expressed in neuronal tissue and spleen and is a susceptibility locus for multiple sclerosis. KIF21B motility is regulated through TRIM3, a member of the cytoskeleton-associated-recycling or transport (CART) complex, involved in vesicular receptor recycling. Here we show that the GABAA receptor ?2-subunit co-precipitates and co-localizes with KIF21B in cultured hippocampal neurons. Knockdown of KIF21B gene expression through small hairpin (sh) RNA reduces the number of ?2-subunit-containing GABAA receptor (GABAARs) clusters in neurites and at the cell surface. Our data suggest that KIF21B participates in the delivery of GABAAR transport vesicles into dendrites.