DLK makes neuronal cutbacks

DLK makes neuronal cutbacks

DLK induces developmental neuronal degeneration via selective regulation of proapoptotic JNK activity

The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway is essential for neuronal degeneration in multiple contexts but also regulates neuronal homeostasis. It remains unclear how neurons are able to dissociate proapoptotic JNK signaling from physiological JNK activity. In this paper, we show that the mixed lineage kinase dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK) selectively regulates the JNK-based stress r...

JNK-mediated phosphorylation of DLK suppresses its ubiquitination to promote neuronal apoptosis

Neurons are highly polarized cells that often project axons a considerable distance. To respond to axonal damage, neurons must transmit a retrograde signal to the nucleus to enable a transcriptional stress response. Here we describe a mechanism by which this signal is propagated through injury-induced stabilization of dual leucine zipper-bearing kinase (DLK/MAP3K12). After neuronal insult, spec...

Novel DLK-independent neuronal regeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans shares links with activity-dependent ectopic outgrowth.

During development, a neuron transitions from a state of rapid growth to a stable morphology, and neurons within the adult mammalian CNS lose their ability to effectively regenerate in response to injury. Here, we identify a novel form of neuronal regeneration, which is remarkably independent of DLK-1/DLK, KGB-1/JNK, and other MAPK signaling factors known to mediate regeneration in Caenorhabdit...

DLK cause close to hand

Dr Hoffman and colleagues were frustrated and perplexed after a persistent epidemic of diffuse lamellar keratitis at the Oregon Eye Institute, Eugene, Oregon.The incidence of DLK during the epidemic ranged from 16% to 85% per surgical day, he told a session of the XXII Congress of the ESCRS. Previous outbreaks of DLK have been attributed by other investigators to everything from bacterial endot...