Regulation of Exocytosis from Immune Cells

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

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Abstract

SNAP-23 is a key modulator of regulated exocytosis (and other membrane-membrane fusion events) in mast cells, platelets, neurons, epithelial cells, and endothelial cells. We have generated a conditional knock-out of the SNAP-23 gene using Cre/lox technology and found the deletion of SNAP-23 in any given cell type leads to the death of those cells. By transiently deleting SNAP-23 in fibroblasts we have found that SNAP-23 deletion leads to rapid cell death, demonstrating an essential role for SNAP-23 in regulating cell survival. We have previously identified phosphorylation sites on SNAP-23, have raised phospho-SNAP-23 specificities antibodies, and provide these to collaborators to investigate the role of post-translational modifications of SNAP-23 in regulation of exocytosis.