Does neurofilament phosphorylation regulate axonal transport?

• Published in: Trends in neurosciences (Regular ed.) Vol. 26; no. 8; pp. 397 - 400
• Main Authors: Shea, Thomas B, Jung, Cheolwha, Pant, Harish C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2003; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Axonal Transport - drug effects; Axonal Transport - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects. Models. Methods; Mice; Neurofilament Proteins - drug effects; Neurofilament Proteins - metabolism; Neurology; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - enzymology; Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases - drug effects; Phosphorylation; Protein Subunits - metabolism; Sequence Deletion; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Axon; Neurofilament; Phosphorylation; Stability; Review; Axoplasmic transport
• ISSN: 0166-2236; 1878-108X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0166-2236(03)00199-1

Phosphorylation of neurofilaments has long been considered to regulate their axonal transport rate and, in doing so, to provide stability to mature axons. Interpretation of data recently obtained following C-terminal deletion experiments has prompted a challenge to this hypothesis. We present evidence that these deletion studies remain consistent with, rather than refute, a role for C-terminal phosphorylation in regulation of neurofilament axonal transport.