Semaphorins signaling serves as a path-finding control for the development and homeostasis of the nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems. The pleiotropic functions of Semaphorins are mediated by their cell surface receptors Plexins, and in many cases aided by the co-receptors Neuropilins. Semaphorins and their receptors are large families of glycoproteins whose respective structures and functions are conserved across the animal kingdom. Dysregulation of Semaphorin signaling has been associated with many pathological conditions, including tumor angiogenesis and progression, neurodegenerative diseases, and multiple sclerosis. The modulation of Semaphorin signaling has therapeutic potential, but is limited by the lack of structural information on Semaphorin-receptor recognition and the activation of Semaphorin receptors. We propose three specific aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms in Semaphorin signaling: 1) Delineate the basis of class-specific Semaphorin- Plexin recognition;2) Elucidate the role of Neuropilins in the assembly of class 3 Semaphorin signaling complexes;3) Understand the mode of Plexin auto-inhibition and the Plexin conformational change induced by Semaphorin binding. Recombinant protein expression and engineering, X-ray crystallography, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and biophysical and cellular assays will be used to accomplish these specific aims. The structural information about Semaphorins and their receptors can serve as a basis for designing potential applications such as anti-angiogenesis and anti- metastasis in cancer treatments, and directional nerve growth at the injury sites. Our research team is highly experienced and has a track record in projects similar to this proposed study. The structural information from this study will be highly novel, and likely will lay the groundwork for novel biochemical and cell biological research in the Semaphorin field.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM098259-04
Application #
8737910
Study Section
Macromolecular Structure and Function C Study Section (MSFC)
Program Officer
Flicker, Paula F
Project Start
2011-08-01
Project End
2015-07-31
Budget Start
2014-08-01
Budget End
2015-07-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Northwestern University at Chicago
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60611
Chen, Xiaoyan; Chen, Po-Han; He, Xiaolin (2017) Expression and Purification of Class 7 Semaphorin and Its PlexinC1 Receptor Using Baculovirus-Mediated Mammalian Cell Gene Transduction. Methods Mol Biol 1493:41-56
Chen, Po-Han; Unger, Vinzenz; He, Xiaolin (2015) Structure of Full-Length Human PDGFR? Bound to Its Activating Ligand PDGF-B as Determined by Negative-Stain Electron Microscopy. J Mol Biol 427:3921-34
Chen, Po-Han; Chen, Xiaoyan; He, Xiaolin (2013) Platelet-derived growth factors and their receptors: structural and functional perspectives. Biochim Biophys Acta 1834:2176-86
Chen, Po-Han; Chen, Xiaoyan; Lin, Zhenghong et al. (2013) The structural basis of R-spondin recognition by LGR5 and RNF43. Genes Dev 27:1345-50
Liu, Heli; Juo, Z Sean; Shim, Ann Hye-Ryong et al. (2010) Structural basis of semaphorin-plexin recognition and viral mimicry from Sema7A and A39R complexes with PlexinC1. Cell 142:749-61