Transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β） signaling is tightly regulated to ensure its proper physiological functions in different cells and tissues. Like other cell surface receptors, TGF-β receptors are internalized...Transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β） signaling is tightly regulated to ensure its proper physiological functions in different cells and tissues. Like other cell surface receptors, TGF-β receptors are internalized into the cell, and this process plays an important regulatory role in TGF-β signaling. It is well documented that TGF-β receptors are endocytosed via clathrin-coated vesicles as TGF-β endocytosis can be blocked by potassium depletion and the GTPasedeficient dynamin K44A mutant. TGF-β receptors may also enter cells via cholesterol-rich membrane microdomain lipid rafts/caveolae and are found in caveolin-l-positive vesicles. Although receptor endocytosis is not essential for TGF-β signaling, clathrin-mediated endocytosis has been shown to promote TGF-β-induced Smad activation and transcriptional responses. Lipid rafts/caveolae are widely regarded as signaling centers for G protein-coupled recep- tors and tyrosine kinase receptors, but they are indicated to facilitate the degradation of TGF-β receptors and there- fore turnoff of TGF-β signaling. This review summarizes current understanding of TGF-β receptor endocytosis, the possible mechanisms underlying this process, and the role of endocytosis in modulation of TGF-β signaling.展开更多
基金The work in Ye-Guang Chen＇s laboratory is supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China （30430360, 30671033） and the Ministry of Sciences and Technology of China 973 Program （2004CB720002, 2006CB943401, 2006CB910102） and 863 Program （2006AA02Z 172）.
文摘Transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β） signaling is tightly regulated to ensure its proper physiological functions in different cells and tissues. Like other cell surface receptors, TGF-β receptors are internalized into the cell, and this process plays an important regulatory role in TGF-β signaling. It is well documented that TGF-β receptors are endocytosed via clathrin-coated vesicles as TGF-β endocytosis can be blocked by potassium depletion and the GTPasedeficient dynamin K44A mutant. TGF-β receptors may also enter cells via cholesterol-rich membrane microdomain lipid rafts/caveolae and are found in caveolin-l-positive vesicles. Although receptor endocytosis is not essential for TGF-β signaling, clathrin-mediated endocytosis has been shown to promote TGF-β-induced Smad activation and transcriptional responses. Lipid rafts/caveolae are widely regarded as signaling centers for G protein-coupled recep- tors and tyrosine kinase receptors, but they are indicated to facilitate the degradation of TGF-β receptors and there- fore turnoff of TGF-β signaling. This review summarizes current understanding of TGF-β receptor endocytosis, the possible mechanisms underlying this process, and the role of endocytosis in modulation of TGF-β signaling.
