Semaphorin 4D signaling requires the recruitment of phospholipase Cγ into the plexin-B1 receptor complex

JM Swiercz, T Worzfeld… - Molecular and cellular …, 2009 - Taylor & Francis
JM Swiercz, T Worzfeld, S Offermanns
Molecular and cellular biology, 2009Taylor & Francis
The semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) receptor plexin-B1 constitutively interacts with particular Rho
guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RhoGEFs) and thereby mediates Sema4D-induced
RhoA activation, a process which involves the tyrosine phosphorylation of plexin-B1 by ErbB-
2. It is, however, unknown how plexin-B1 phosphorylation regulates RhoGEF activity. We
show here that activation of plexin-B1 by Sema4D and its subsequent tyrosine
phosphorylation creates docking sites for the SH2 domains of phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ) …
The semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) receptor plexin-B1 constitutively interacts with particular Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RhoGEFs) and thereby mediates Sema4D-induced RhoA activation, a process which involves the tyrosine phosphorylation of plexin-B1 by ErbB-2. It is, however, unknown how plexin-B1 phosphorylation regulates RhoGEF activity. We show here that activation of plexin-B1 by Sema4D and its subsequent tyrosine phosphorylation creates docking sites for the SH2 domains of phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ). PLCγ is thereby recruited into the plexin-B1 receptor complex and via its SH3 domain activates the Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor PDZ-RhoGEF. PLCγ-dependent RhoGEF activation is independent of its lipase activity. The recruitment of PLCγ has no effect on the R-Ras GTPase-activating protein activity of plexin-B1 but is required for Sema4D-induced axonal growth cone collapse as well as for the promigratory effects of Sema4D on cancer cells. These data demonstrate a novel nonenzymatic function of PLCγ as an important mechanism of plexin-mediated signaling which links tyrosine phosphorylation of plexin-B1 to the regulation of a RhoGEF protein and downstream cellular processes.
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