4m4r

Structural highlights

Function

[EPHA4_HUMAN] Receptor tyrosine kinase which binds membrane-bound ephrin family ligands residing on adjacent cells, leading to contact-dependent bidirectional signaling into neighboring cells. The signaling pathway downstream of the receptor is referred to as forward signaling while the signaling pathway downstream of the ephrin ligand is referred to as reverse signaling. Highly promiscuous, it has the unique property among Eph receptors to bind and to be physiologically activated by both GPI-anchored ephrin-A and transmembrane ephrin-B ligands including EFNA1 and EFNB3. Upon activation by ephrin ligands, modulates cell morphology and integrin-dependent cell adhesion through regulation of the Rac, Rap and Rho GTPases activity. Plays an important role in the development of the nervous system controlling different steps of axonal guidance including the establishment of the corticospinal projections. May also control the segregation of motor and sensory axons during neuromuscular circuit development. Beside its role in axonal guidance plays a role in synaptic plasticity. Activated by EFNA1 phosphorylates CDK5 at 'Tyr-15' which in turn phosphorylates NGEF regulating RHOA and dendritic spine morphogenesis. In the nervous system, plays also a role in repair after injury preventing axonal regeneration and in angiogenesis playing a role in central nervous system vascular formation. Additionally, its promiscuity makes it available to participate in a variety of cell-cell signaling regulating for instance the development of the thymic epithelium.^[1] [EFNA5_HUMAN] Cell surface GPI-bound ligand for Eph receptors, a family of receptor tyrosine kinases which are crucial for migration, repulsion and adhesion during neuronal, vascular and epithelial development. Binds promiscuously Eph receptors residing on adjacent cells, leading to contact-dependent bidirectional signaling into neighboring cells. The signaling pathway downstream of the receptor is referred to as forward signaling while the signaling pathway downstream of the ephrin ligand is referred to as reverse signaling. Induces compartmentalized signaling within a caveolae-like membrane microdomain when bound to the extracellular domain of its cognate receptor. This signaling event requires the activity of the Fyn tyrosine kinase. Activates the EPHA3 receptor to regulate cell-cell adhesion and cytoskeletal organization. With the receptor EPHA2 may regulate lens fiber cells shape and interactions and be important for lens transparency maintenance. May function actively to stimulate axon fasciculation. The interaction of EFNA5 with EPHA5 also mediates communication between pancreatic islet cells to regulate glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Cognate/functional ligand for EPHA7, their interaction regulates brain development modulating cell-cell adhesion and repulsion.^{[2] [3]}

See Also

• Ephrin
• Ephrin receptor

References

1. ↑ Fu WY, Chen Y, Sahin M, Zhao XS, Shi L, Bikoff JB, Lai KO, Yung WH, Fu AK, Greenberg ME, Ip NY. Cdk5 regulates EphA4-mediated dendritic spine retraction through an ephexin1-dependent mechanism. Nat Neurosci. 2007 Jan;10(1):67-76. Epub 2006 Dec 3. PMID:17143272 doi:10.1038/nn1811
2. ↑ Davy A, Gale NW, Murray EW, Klinghoffer RA, Soriano P, Feuerstein C, Robbins SM. Compartmentalized signaling by GPI-anchored ephrin-A5 requires the Fyn tyrosine kinase to regulate cellular adhesion. Genes Dev. 1999 Dec 1;13(23):3125-35. PMID:10601038
3. ↑ Lawrenson ID, Wimmer-Kleikamp SH, Lock P, Schoenwaelder SM, Down M, Boyd AW, Alewood PF, Lackmann M. Ephrin-A5 induces rounding, blebbing and de-adhesion of EphA3-expressing 293T and melanoma cells by CrkII and Rho-mediated signalling. J Cell Sci. 2002 Mar 1;115(Pt 5):1059-72. PMID:11870224
4. ↑ Xu K, Tzvetkova-Robev D, Xu Y, Goldgur Y, Chan YP, Himanen JP, Nikolov DB. Insights into Eph receptor tyrosine kinase activation from crystal structures of the EphA4 ectodomain and its complex with ephrin-A5. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Sep 3;110(36):14634-9. doi:, 10.1073/pnas.1311000110. Epub 2013 Aug 19. PMID:23959867 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1311000110