Review Caveolae: Where Incoming and Outgoing Messengers Meet Richard G
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Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 90, pp. 10909-10913, December 1993 Review Caveolae: Where incoming and outgoing messengers meet Richard G. W. Anderson Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestem Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235 ABSTIRACT Plasmalemmal caveolae ing. At the same time, this information is This portable, membrane-bound com- were flrst identified as an endocytic com- used to construct several models that partment has been found to contain a partment In endothelial cells, where they illustrate the different ways that caveolae number of molecules that are known to appear to move molecules across the cell might function in both intracellular and participate in cell signaling. There are by transcytosis. More recently, they have intercellular communication. three classes of molecules: enzymes that been found to be sites where small mole- generate messengers from substrates in cules are concentrated and internalized by Caveolae the environment, high-affinity binding a process called potocytosis. A growing sites that concentrate chemical signals, body of biochemical and morphological Each caveola is a dynamic piece ofmem- and substrates that are enzymatically evidence indicates that a variety of mole- brane that is either open for receiving and converted into messengers. cules known to function directly or indi- releasing material or closed for process- GPI. Insulin was the first hormone rectly in signal transduction are enriched ing, storage, and delivery to the cell (11). suspected of using inositol phosphogly- in caveolae. This raises the possibility that The exact nature of the closed compart- can (IPG) or a molecule derived from IPG a third function for caveolae is to process ment is still unclear. In endothelial cells, as a second messenger (19-21). Since hormonal and mechanical signals for the caveolae appear to pinch off and form then, hormones as diverse as interleukin cell. Insights gained from studying poto- vesicles that sequester low molecular 2 (22), nerve growth factor (23), TGF-l31 cytosis suggest several different ways that weight tracer molecules introduced into (24), and thyroid-stimulating hormone this membrane specialization might func- the blood vessel (12-14). Similar vesicles (25) have been found to stimulate the tion to integrate incoming and outgoing have not been found during receptor- release of IPG from cells. High concen- cellular messages. mediated potocytosis, even though a trations of synthetic IPG (26), IPG from closed caveolar compartment is easily hormone-stimulated cells (21), or IPG The surfaces of most cells are studded detected by biochemical and morpholog- isolated from trypanosomes (27) can with tiny, flask-shaped membrane invagi- ical methods (11, 15). Caveolae do not mimic some ofthe effects ofeach ofthese nations called caveolae (1-5). These in- merge with other endocytic pathways but hormones. Even a GPI toxin from ma- vaginations are the preferred location for appear to remain associated with the cell laria has been identified (28). Finally, an glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-an- surface. This is significant because in antibody directed against IPG inhibits chored membrane proteins (6-8). Some many instances caveolae are grouped to- second messenger-mediated stimulation of these GPI-anchored proteins function gether in specific regions of the cell by insulin (29). These data strongly im- to concentrate small molecules and ions where they appear to open and close but plicate IPG as a messenger molecule. in the sequestered space created when remain localized. The only known cellular sources of caveolae transiently seal off from the The invagination of caveolae may be these glycans are the externally oriented, extracellular environment. The concen- controlled by the distinctive coat mate- GPI-anchored proteins and lipids of sur- trated ligands then flow into the cell rial that decorates the inner membrane face membranes (30, 31). How could an through carriers or channels embedded in surface (Fig. 1). In stromal cells such as IPG derived from these molecules ever the membrane. This process is called fibroblasts, this coat has a striated ap- get into the cell unless they were first potocytosis (9, 10). pearance (7, 16, 17), but in epithelial cells captured by an endocytic pathway? This An unexpected complexity is begin- it looks more globular (18). The caveolar is where caveolae might have an impor- ning to emerge about caveolae. In addi- coat is quite unlike other coats found on tant function. Nearly every caveolae has tion to being a site of entry for small budding membranes because it is con- a cluster of GPI anchored proteins, and molecules and ions by potocytosis, evi- structed from membrane proteins that within a cluster the protein density can dence is accumulating that they also play cannot be removed by either high salt or as as molecules a major role in coordinating the interac- high pH (7). As a consequence, the coat reach high 30,000 per tion of the cell with its environment. The may be permanently attached to caveolae ,um2 (15). Therefore, the IPG is naturally molecular composition of caveolae indi- and remain there during all phases of the at a high concentration in caveolae. Ifthe cates that they have the capability to internalization cycle. hormone-stimulated release of glycans store and process messengers such as were coordinated with the closure of the cAMP, calcium, or adenosine and to use Storage and Processing of Messengers caveolae (Fig. 2A), then just a few IPG non-receptor tyrosine kinases to initiate in Caveolae molecules generated in this space would crucial phosphorylation cascades. They be sufficient to establish a concentration may actually be able to form chemical Caveolae can either be open in direct gradient capable of driving transport synapses between non-neuronal cells. communication with the extracellular through a membrane carrier into the cell. Remarkably, the formation of these sig- space or be closed to process trapped Another possibility is that a subset of nals may be dependent on membrane molecules or store them for later use. caveolae may be kept closed and used as cholesterol, since the structure of cave- Their structure and cellular distribution IPG storage sites. Hormones such as olae is disrupted when cells are depleted suggest that caveolae are a semiperma- insulin would then allow IPG entry into of this sterol. nent component of the cell surface that In this article, I outline the data that can be moved to different locations to Abbreviations: GPI, glycosylphosphatidyli- support a role for caveolae in cell signal- meet the changing demands of the cell. nositol; IPG, inositol phosphoglycan. 10909 Downloaded by guest on September 24, 2021 10910 Review: Anderson Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90 (1993) A - Hormone -+ Caveola 0 FIG. 1. Rapid-freeze, deep-etch view of the striated coat that decorates the inside membrane surface of each human fibroblast caveola. (Bar = 50 nm.) C the cell by opening a carrier in the cave- olar membrane. cAMP-Binding Protein. Some GPI- anchored proteins might be binding sites for molecules or ions that function as messengers. Analysis ofthe folate recep- tor in MA104 monkey kidney epithelial cells suggests that GPI-anchored, high- affinity binding sites can very effectively concentrate molecules in caveolae. For example, this receptor can sequester as many as 700 molecules of folate in each FIG. 2. A model for intracellular signaling by caveolae. (A) Hormonal transduction. caveola (15). Recently a set of related Hormones (m) such as insulin bind to their receptor on the cell surface and elicit a signal. a Caveolae respond to this signal by closing off from the cell surface and opening a membrane cAMP-binding proteins that contain channel that allows molecules or ions (o), which are either sequestered or stored in the GPI anchor have been found in mamma- compartment, to enter the cell. (B) Receptor transduction. Some GPI-anchored proteins in lian (32) and yeast (33) cells. Therefore, caveolae are hormone receptors (GPI receptors). Caveolae have Src kinases (o) on their in certain cells caveolae may function as cytoplasmic surface. Ligand (m) binding causes the GPI receptor to associate with the kinase storage and release sites for cAMP (Fig. and stimulate a phosphorylation cascade. Alternatively, stimulation occurs indirectly through 2A). an intermediate generated in caveolae after ligand binding. (C) Mechanical transduction. Membrane Carriers and Pumps for Cal- Caveolae interact with elements of the cytoskeleton through actin filaments. Stretching or a second mes- compressing the cell changes the organization of the cytoskeleton, which is transmitted to the cium. Ca2+ is ubiquitous caveolae by a change in filament tension. The force applied by the actin filaments deforms the senger (34). For some time there has been caveolae, which opens membrane channels/carriers that allow messenger molecules or ions (o) speculation that caveolae might be a Ca2+ to flow into the cytoplasm. entry site, similar to the T-tubule of mus- cle cells (35). Histochemical methods time, only the amount ofCa2+ thatis stored phorylation cascade at the cell surface have even indicated that high concentra- in the vesicle would enter the cell, which (50). Several new observations suggest tions of Ca2+ are present at these sites, would help control Ca2+ toxicity and allow that this cascade might involve mem- which suggests a storage role (36, 37). for a more precise delivery of the signal brane-bound tyrosine kinases that are Two recent reports now put these obser- (41). The quantal release of Ca2+ from attached to the cytoplasmic surface of vations on a firmer footing: a form of the caveolae could also be used to generate each caveola (Fig. 2B). inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-regulated Ca2+ oscillations that code for vital intra- Three different laboratories have re- Ca2+ channel (38) and a Ca2+-pump of a ATPase have been localized to caveolae cellular messages (42, 43). A final idea is ported that the immunoprecipitation (39).