Dynamic trafficking and turnover of JAM-C is essential for endothelial cell migration
Junctional complexes between endothelial cells form a dynamic barrier that hinders passive diffusion of blood constituents into interstitial tissues. Remodelling of junctions is an essential process during leukocyte trafficking, vascular permeability, and angiogenesis. However, for many junctional proteins, the mechanisms of junctional remodelling have yet to be determined. Here, we used receptor mutagenesis, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and ascorbate peroxidase 2 (APEX-2) proximity labelling, alongside light and electron microscopy (EM), to map the intracellular trafficking routes of junctional adhesion molecule-C (JAM-C). We found that JAM-C cotraffics with receptors associated with changes in permeability such as vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-Cadherin) and neuropilin (NRP)-1 and 2, but not with junctional proteins associated with the transmigration of leukocytes. Dynamic JAM-C trafficking and degradation are necessary for junctional remodelling during cell migration and angiogenesis. By identifying new potential trafficking machinery, we show that a key point of regulation is the ubiquitylation of JAM-C by the E3 ligase Casitas B-lineage lymphoma (CBL), which controls the rate of trafficking versus lysosomal degradation. ; TDN, CS, and KBK were funded by an MRC project grant MR/M019179/1. KBK also received funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under REA grant agreement n° 608765. AB and TPM were funded by QMUL. SN was funded by a Wellcome Trust investigator award 098291/Z/12/Z. MA was funded by Canceropôle PACA (Valo-Paca 2016) and French National Institute of Cancer (Inca, PRT-K16, #2017-24). PC and VR were funded by BBSRC (BB/M006174/1) and the Barts and The London Charity (297/2249). IJW was funded by an MRC LMCB core grant award MC_U12266B.