Nerve-independent formation of membrane infoldings at topologically complex postsynaptic apparatus by caveolin-3

Hui-Lam Rachel Kwan, Zora Chui-Kuen Chan, Xinyi Bi, Justyna Kutkowska, Tomasz J. Prószyński, Chi Bun Chan, Chi Wai Lee*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Junctional folds are unique membrane specializations developed progressively during the postnatal maturation of vertebrate neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), but how they are formed remains elusive. Previous studies suggested that topologically complex acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clusters in muscle cultures undergo a series of transformations, resembling the postnatal maturation of NMJs in vivo. We first demonstrated the presence of membrane infoldings at AChR clusters in cultured muscles. Live-cell super-resolution imaging further revealed that AChRs are gradually redistributed to the crest regions and spatially segregated from acetylcholinesterase along the elongating membrane infoldings over time. Mechanistically, lipid raft disruption or caveolin-3 knockdown not only inhibits membrane infolding formation at aneural AChR clusters and delays agrin-induced AChR clustering in vitro but also affects junctional fold development at NMJs in vivo. Collectively, this study demonstrated the progressive development of membrane infoldings via nerve-independent, caveolin-3–dependent mechanisms and identified their roles in AChR trafficking and redistribution during the structural maturation of NMJs.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbereadg0183
Number of pages17
JournalScience Advances
Volume9
Issue number24
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2023

Scopus Subject Areas

  • General

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