Kalirin, a GDP/GTP exchange factor of the Dbl family, is localized to nerve, muscle, and endocrine tissue during embryonic rat development.

Kalirin, a homologue of trio and UNC-73, has been previously demonstrated to cause cytoskeletal rearrangements, enhanced outgrowth of neuritic processes, and altered secretion. In the adult rat, kalirin is specifically localized to the central nervous system, with the main adult isoform, kalirin-7, concentrated in neuronal postsynaptic densities. In this study we examined the expression of kalirin in rat tissue from embryonic Day 10 (E10) through E18, using an antibody that detects all known kalirin isoforms. Kalirin expression in the embryo was more widespread than in the adult, with localization of kalirin protein to both neuronal and non-neuronal tissue, such as muscle, lung, intestinal epithelium, and pancreas. In neurons, kalirin was localized both in cell bodies and axon processes; in muscle tissue, kalirin was highly localized to migrating myogenic cells and at muscle attachment sites. Western blotting analysis indicated that kalirin-7, the major adult isoform, was a minor component of embryonic kalirin; the main isoform expressed in the embryo was kalirin-9. This is the first identification of kalirin expression in embryonic tissue and the first demonstration of non-neuronal expression of kalirin. (J Histochem Cytochem 49:833-844, 2001)

Activation of the erythropoietin receptor is not required for internalization of bound erythropoietin.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is required for the survival and expansion of red blood cell progenitor cells and supports continued differentiation of these committed progenitors to mature red blood cells. After binding to its cognate receptor, EPO promotes receptor homodimerization, activation of receptor-associated JAK2, subsequent receptor tyrosine phosphorylation, and transduction of signal. EPO is also internalized and degraded in lysosomes. The contribution of EPO-induced receptor internalization to modulation of EPO signals has not been determined. To examine this question, we generated a panel of hematopoietic cell lines containing progressively truncated isoforms of the erythropoietin receptor (EPO-R) and determined the rate and extent of EPO internalization and receptor downregulation. We demonstrated that a membrane-proximal domain of the cytoplasmic tail of the EPO-R was the minimal region required for EPO-induced receptor internalization. This cytoplasmic domain is also the minimal domain required for activation of JAK2, a cytosolic tyrosine kinase essential for the function of the EPO-R. However, neither EPO activation of cytosolic JAK2 tyrosine kinase activity nor tyrosine phosphorylation of the EPO-R cytoplasmic tail was required for EPO-induced receptor downregulation. Both functional and nonfunctional cell surface receptor isoforms were internalized equally. These results suggest that, for downregulation of cell surface ligand occupied EPO-R and possibly for signaling receptors of the cytokine receptor superfamily in general, internalization of cell surface ligand occupied receptors may follow a pathway distinct from signaling receptors of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family.