The nasal mucosa provides a non-invasive route for drug administration to the systemic circulation and potentially directly to the CNS. Nanoparticles made from biodegradable polymers, including PLGA, are of great interest for use in drug delivery systems due to their relative safety and ease of surface modification. Owing to their small size, nanoparticles may provide enhanced targeting and transport through the nasal mucosa. An improved understanding of the mechanisms and pathways of nanoparticle transfer across the nasal mucosa is needed to design effective new nasal delivery systems. This study focuses on the preparation of PLGA nanoparticles in various diameters and with varying surface characteristics followed by the in vitro investigation of the mechanisms of endocytosis and exocytosis of PLGA nanoparticles in the nasal mucosa. PLGA nanoparticles (60 nm or 125 nm) containing the lipophilic fluorescent dye, Nile Red, were prepared using a surfactant-free nanoprecipitation method. In one investigation, the inherent negative surface charge of 60 nm PLGA nanoparticles was modified to a positive charge using a 5th generation polyamidoamine dendrimer (PAMAM) during preparation of nanoparticles. In addition, 60 nm PLGA nanoparticle surfaces were coated by adding 5 % (w/v) bovine serum albumin (BSA) to the nanoparticle dispersion and allowing protein adsorption on the particle surface. Nile Red-loaded PLGA nanoparticles were transported into the epithelial layer and reached the sub-mucosal connective tissues, yet only < 5% of the PLGA nanoparticle load was transferred into the nasal mucosa. Total uptake was size dependent, where the uptake of 60 nm unmodified PLGA nanoparticles was significantly higher than uptake of 125 nm nanoparticles. The amount of Nile Red measured in the tissues after expose to the 125 nm nanoparticles was double the amount from the 60 nm nanoparticles due to differences in the carrying capabilities of the 60 and 125 nm PLGA nanoparticles. Modification of the nanoparticle surface with PAMAM or BSA decreased the uptake of 60 nm PLGA nanoparticles into the nasal mucosa. Endocytic mechanisms involved in the uptake of PLGA nanoparticles were studied using chemical inhibitors. Nanoparticle uptake in the nasal respiratory mucosa involved energy-dependent processes utilizing multiple known mechanisms, including clathrin-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis. In the olfactory mucosa, significant energy-independent nanoparticle uptake was also observed. In order to investigate how nanoparticles exit epithelial cells for further distribution to distant tissues, the exocytosis of 60 nm Nile Red-loaded PLGA nanoparticles was evaluated using three different epithelial cell line models, RPMI-2650 (nasal), Calu-3 (lung) and MDCK-II wild type (kidney) cells. Following a 30 min exposure to a 60 nm PLGA nanoparticles dispersion, nanoparticle exocytosis into a protein-free medium was evaluated for additional 30 or 60 min. Only a limited number of NP (~ 20 % of the endocytosed NP) underwent exocytosis into the medium after 60 min, while the majority of the internalized nanoparticles remained within the cells. The measurable transfer of PLGA nanoparticles into the nasal mucosal tissues indicates that they may be useful drug carriers for nasal administration. However, the limited exocytosis of 60 nm NP and the resulting potential for intracellular accumulation may raise toxicity concerns and result in potential cellular injury. While PLGA nanoparticles provide promising drug delivery systems for nasal administration, only with careful design of the nanoparticles, including their size and surface characteristics, will efficient and effective, safe drug delivery be accomplished.

Gene therapy is an approach for the treatment of acquired cancers, infectious disease, degenerative disease, and inherited genetic indications. Developments in the fields of immunotherapies and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing are revitalizing the efforts to move gene therapy to the forefront of modern medicine. However, slow progress and poor clinical outcomes have plagued the field due to regulatory and safety concerns associated with the flagship delivery vector, the recombinant virus. Immunogenicity and poor transduction in certain cell types severely limits the utility of viruses as a delivery agent of nucleic acids. As a result, significant efforts are being made to develop non-viral delivery systems that perform mechanistically similarly to viral delivery but lack immunogenic factors. Though safer, existing agents lack the efficacy inherent in the natural design of viral vectors. Clinical relevance of non-viral vectors will therefore depend on the ability to engineer optimized systems for cellular delivery in physiological environments. Progress in non-viral vector design for gene delivery requires a deep understanding of the various barriers associated with nucleic acid delivery, including cell surface interaction, internalization, endosomal escape, cytosolic transport, nuclear localization, unpackaging, etc. Further, it requires a knowledge of vector design properties (surface chemistry, charge, size, shape, etc.) and how these physical parameters affect interactions with the cellular environment. Of these interactions, charge is shown to govern how particles are internalized and subsequently processed, thereby affecting the intracellular fate and efficacy of delivery. Charge also affects the in-serum stability where negative zeta potential improves stability and circulation time. Therefore, it is important to understand the effects of polyplex charge and other parameters on the internalization and intracellular fate of polyplexes for gene therapy. In chapter 2, studies are performed to delineate the effects of polyplex charge on the cellular internalization and intracellular processing of polymer-mediated gene delivery. Charge is shown to affect the endocytic pathway involved in internalization, and the caveolin-dependent and macropinocytosis pathways lead to higher gene delivery efficacy, likely due to avoidance of acidified compartments such as late endosomes and lysosomes. In chapters 3-4, novel nanoparticles carrying DNA, RNA, and antioxidants are assessed for therapeutic effect with an emphasis on studying the internalization mechanisms and resulting effect on efficacy. Novel RNA delivery agents are shown to benefit from EGFR-targeting aptamer and nanoceria/PEI hybrids are demonstrated to provide simultaneous antioxidant and gene therapy. Finally, chapter 5 demonstrates the use of silencing RNA and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to study the prevalence of gene targets in vivo. The overall goal of this work is to contribute to the design and application of novel nanoparticles for gene delivery and offer insight into the engineering of novel polyplexes. It remains clear that route of internalization is key to successful gene delivery, and designing polyplexes to enter through non-acidified endocytic pathways is highly beneficial to transgene expression. This can be achieved through incorporation of surface chemistries that trigger internalization through targeted pathways and is the source of further work in the lab.

L'endocytose dépendante de la clathrine (EDC), c’est-à-dire la formation de vésicules recouvertes de clathrine (VRC) à partir de la membrane plasmique, est un processus essentiel dans les cellules eucaryotes. Au cours de l’EDC, la GTPase dynamine est recrutée au cou de la VRC naissante où elle s'oligomérise en hélice. Les changements de conformation induits par l'hydrolyse du GTP catalysent la scission du cou vésiculaire. Ce processus a été étudié en détail par reconstitution in vitro sur des tubules membranaires, mais il doit être établi dans des cellules vivantes, où les interactions de la dynamine avec d'autres protéines comme l'amphiphysine sont critiques. L'imagerie TIRF (Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence) avec le protocole pH pulsé (ppH) sur cellules vivantes permet la détection de la formation de VRC avec une résolution spatiale (~100 nm) et temporelle (2 s) élevée. Ce protocole a révélé que la dynamine présente un recrutement biphasique aux puits recouverts de clathrine (PRC) en maturation avec un pic au moment de la scission mais les paramètres de son recrutement dans les cellules vivantes restent peu clairs. Pour déterminer ces paramètres, j’ai utilisé des techniques d’imagerie sur cellules vivantes pour étudier le recrutement de la dynamine à l’échelle globale et à l’échelle de la molécule unique lors de perturbations aiguës de sa fonction. Mes résultats de thèse ont montré que la dynamine est recrutée à la membrane plasmique, diffuse à l'extérieur des PRC et y est transitoirement piégée. De plus, j’ai déterminé avec des dynamines mutées (1) que le domaine PRD de la dynamine est crucial pour son recrutement aux PRC ; (2) que le domaine PH est important pour la scission vésiculaire mais par pour son recrutement aux PRC ou à la membrane plasmique. Enfin, j’ai observé que la dynamine s'échange en permanence avec un pool extra-PRC, ce qui permettrait son recrutement ultérieur par l'ajout de nouveaux sites de liaison et sa capacité à rétrécir le cou des vésicules suite à l’hydrolyse du GTP. En conclusion, ces données suggèrent qu’aux PRC, les molécules de dynamine (1) sont constamment échangées ; (2) diffusent à des taux similaires tout au long du processus de formation, maturation et scission des vésicules; et (3) l'activité GTPase de la dynamine contribue à la maturation et à la scission des VRC. / Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles (CCV) from the plasma membrane, is an essential process in eukaryotic cells. During CME, the GTPase dynamin is recruited to the neck of nascent CCV where it oligomerizes into helical filaments. Conformational changes induced by the hydrolysis of GTP catalyze the scission of the vesicle neck. This process has been studied in detail with in vitro reconstitution on membrane tubules but it needs to be established in living cells, where interactions between dynamin and other proteins such as amphiphysin are critical. Live cell total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) imaging with the pulsed pH (ppH) assay allows the detection of CCV formation with high spatial (~100 nm) and temporal (2 s) resolutions. It has revealed that dynamin is recruited to maturing clathrin-coated pits (CCP) in two phases with a peak at the time of scission but the parameters of its recruitment in living cells remain unclear. To determine these parameters, we have performed live cell imaging of dynamin recruitment at collective and single molecule levels during acute perturbations of its function. My PhD results showed that dynamin is recruited to the plasma membrane, diffuses outside of CCP and is trapped at CCP. Furthermore, we determined with mutated dynamins that (1) the PRD domain of dynamin is crucial for its recruitment at CCP; (2) the PH domain is important for vesicular scission but not for recruitment to CCP or to the plasma membrane. Finally, I observed that dynamin exchanges with an extra-CCP pool at all times: this would allow for its further recruitment by addition of new binding sites and its ability to narrow the vesicle neck after GTP hydrolysis. Altogether, these data suggest that in CCP dynamin molecules (1) are constantly exchanged; (2) diffuse at similar rates throughout the entire process of vesicle formation, from maturation until scission; and (3) that dynamin’s GTPase activity contributes to CCP maturation and scission.

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) is a widely used gene therapy vector. Although a wide range of rAAV serotypes can effectively enter most cell types, their transduction efficiencies (i.e., transgene expression) can vary widely depending on the target cell type. Integrins play important roles as co-receptors for rAAV infection, however, it remains unclear how integrin-dependent and -independent mechanisms of rAAV endocytosis influence the efficiency of intracellular virus processing and ultimately transgene expression. In this thesis, I examined the contribution of integrin-mediated endocytosis to transduction of fibroblasts by rAAV2. I found that promoting AAV2/integrin binding with Mn++ greatly enhanced (~17-fold) rAAV2 transduction independently of cell binding and endocytosis. Subcellular localization studies of rAAV2 demonstrated that integrin activation by Mn++ promoted AAV2 aggregation on alpha5 and beta1 integrins and recruitment of the cytosolic integrin effector protein vinculin. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a down stream effector of integrin signals, was essential for AAV/integrin complex endocytosis and transduction, but not AAV2 recruitment to integrins. Recruitment of FAK to AAV2/integrin complexes was increased by transiently trapping the endocytic event at the plasma membrane by pharmacologic inhibition of dynasore. This also increased the size of AAV2 clusters found beneath the cell at FAK/integrin complexes resembling immature filopodia and caused a large, FAK-dependent (75-fold) increase in AAV2 transduction. These findings support a model whereby integrin activation at the cell surface can redirect rAAV2 toward a FAK-dependent entry pathway that is more productive for cellular transduction. This pathway appears to be conserved for other rAAV serotypes that contain a capsid integrin-binding domain (AAV1 and 6).

L'utilisation récente des nanoparticules (NPs) comme vecteurs pour l'imagerie et l'adressage d'agents thérapeutiques en nano-médecine nécessite la compréhension de leurs mécanismes d'internalisation et de transport au niveau des barrières biologiques. Dans ce contexte, l'objectif de cette étude est de caractériser l'interaction et la transcytose de NPs de silice fluorescentes en fonction de leur taille (15, 50 et 100 nm) dans un modèle in-vitro de barrière endothéliale pulmonaire humaine. L'internalisation et le transport trans-endothélial des NPs a été analysé quantitativement à l'échelle nanométrique par microscopie électronique à transmission (MET) combinée à de la stéréologie. Un transport trans-endothélial a été observé pour toutes les tailles de NPs. Néanmoins, l'analyse de la distribution intracellulaire révèle une tendance à l'accumulation dans les voies de dégradation cellulaires pour les NPs de 50 et 100 nm. Cette accumulation est moindre pour les NPs de 15 nm. L'internalisation des NPs a également été analysée par cytométrie en flux et MET en présence de différents inhibiteurs de l'endocytose dans le but d'identifier leurs voies d'internalisation. En fonction de la taille des NPs, les mécanismes d'endocytose varient, suggérant une dépendance du transport trans-cellulaire à certains mécanismes d'endocytose. L'internalisation des NPs de 15 nm par la voie d'endocytose cavéole dépendante pourrait ainsi expliquer l'efficacité de leur transport du côté basal. Les méthodologies développées pour l'étude du transport trans-cellulaire des NPs de silice peuvent être appliquées à l'étude de NPs synthétiques plus complexes ou de NPs biologiques, telles que les lipoprotéines de basse-densité, et ce dans un contexte pathologique. / The recent use of nanoparticles (NPs) as carriers for imaging and delivery of therapeutics agents in nanomedecine involves understanding their endocytosis and transcytosis mechanisms at biological barriers. In this context, the aim of this study was to characterize the interaction and transcytosis of fluorescent silica NPs in function of their size (15, 50, and 100 nm) in an in-vitro model of human pulmonary endothelial barrier. NPs internalization and trans-endothelial transport has been quantitatively analyzed at nanometer resolution using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with stereology. Trans-endothelial transport has been observed for each size of NPs. However cellular distribution analysis shows an accumulation in the cellular degradation pathways for 50 nm and 100 nm NPs. Whereas 15 nm NPs are less accumulated. NPs uptake was also analyzed by flow cytometry and TEM in the presence of different inhibitors to decipher NPs internalization pathways. Depending on NPs size, the involved endocytosis pathways were different, suggesting a dependency of trans-cellular transport toward endocytic mechanisms. The specific internalization of 15 nm NPs by the caveolin dependant pathway could explain the efficacy of their release at the basal side. Techniques developed for the study of the trans-cellular transport of silica NPs can also be applied to more complex synthetic NPs or biological NPs, such as low-density lipoproteins, in a pathological context.

In the post smallpox era, vaccinia virus (VACV) has emerged as an important candidate vaccine vector. As yet, the binding receptors and entry mechanisms utilised by the two infectious forms, IMV and EEV, in dendritic cells (DCs) are unknown. We have investigated the interactions between VACV and C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) that are known to be utilised by many other viruses for binding and entry in DCs. Using a variety of CLR ligands and inhibitors we were unable to inhibit IMV or EEV binding to MDDCs and we conclude that they do not bind to CLRs. We have also investigated VACV entry in MDDCs and show that both IMV and EEV enter MDDCs via an endocytic pathway. Using a variety of drugs that inhibit cellular processes we found IMV and EEV entry to be actin- and calcium-dependent. EEV entry was also cholesterol- and energy-dependent, whereas IMV entry was only partially dependent on these factors. Both IMV and EEV colocalised with endolysosomal markers. This data suggests that EEV may enter DCs via caveolin-mediated endocytosis whereas IMV entry can occur via multiple complementary mechanisms, including endocytosis and fusion. Macropinocytosis may also constitute a minor route of entry for IMV as entry was partially inhibited by dimethyl amiloride and the virus colocalised with dextran. Finally we have provided a comprehensive flow cytometric analysis of Toll-like receptor (TLR) expression at the protein level in MDDCs and monocyte-derived Langerhans cells (MDLCs) as models for different myeloid DC subsets. We found TLR expression to be cell type-specific and MDDCs expressed the full repertoire of TLRs 1-9, including small amounts of TLR8 and TLR9 on the cell surface. The expression of these TLRs that recognise nucleic acids on the surface of cells may constitute an early warning system for signalling the presence of viral invaders that would normally subvert the function of DCs. We also found TLR expression in mature cells to be dependent on the nature of the maturation stimulus (lipopolysaccharide versus cytokine/prostaglandin cocktail) and VACV infection induced profound down-regulation of all TLRs. These findings will have important implications for the rational design of VACV-vectored vaccines.

<p>Proteins belonging to the Cbl family are multidomain scaffolds that participate in numerous processes, assembling signaling complexes and mediating attachment of ubiquitin to receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinases.</p><p>We characterized a novel role for Cbl and Cbl-b in ligand-dependent internalization of growth factor receptors. Upon stimulation with epidermal growth factor (EGF), Cbl proteins associate with EGF receptor, become phosphorylated, and bind to the three SH3 domains of CIN85, which brings endophilins to the complex with active receptors. Endophilins can induce internalization of the plasma membrane, contributing to formation of clathrin-coated pits. We identified a minimal binding domain for CIN85 in the carboxyl termini of Cbl/Cbl-b and observed constitutive association between CIN85, Cbl/Cbl-b and oncogenically stimulated receptor tyrosine kinases. In addition to functioning as a ubiquitin ligase, Cbl forms a complex with CIN85 and endophilin, which is required for efficient endocytosis and downregulation of membrane receptors.</p><p>In EGF stimulated cells, we observed inducible modification of CIN85 and related CMS proteins by attachment of a single ubiquitin molecule. Monoubiquitination of CIN85 was mediated by the RING finger and dependent on the carboxyl terminal part of Cbl/Cbl-b, and demanded an intact carboxyl terminus of CIN85. Prolonged stimulation with EGF induced concomitant degradation of EGF receptors, Cbl, and monoubiquitinated forms of CIN85 in lysosomes.</p><p>Cbl regulates cytoskeletal processes in a variety of cell systems. We identified SH3P2, a protein with SH3 domain and ankyrin repeats, as a Cbl partner and described its phosphorylation by Src and its distribution in fibroblasts and osteoclasts. SH3P2 formed inducible complexes with Cbl and actin in spread cells and colocalized with dynamic actin structures.</p><p>Our data contribute to better understanding of the role of Cbl in downregulation of receptor tyrosine kinases as well as in controlling actin rearrangement.</p>

<p>The use of nano- and micro-particulate carriers as delivery systems for oral vaccines has been under investigation for several decades. Surprisingly little is known of their uptake in the human intestine, despite the fact that substantial improvement is required to achieve adequate immune responses in man after oral administration. </p><p>In this thesis, various aspects of particle transcytosis across the human intestinal epithelium were studied, in order to identify strategies for improved uptake of nano- and micro-particulate drug delivery systems. </p><p>The follicle associated epithelium (FAE) overlying Peyer´s patches contains M-cells, which have an increased capacity for uptake of particulate antigens. Therefore, a model of human FAE was developed to study mechanisms of particle uptake and transport.</p><p>Receptors that could be used for targeting to the FAE had previously not been identified in humans. By use of the model FAE, two new targets were identified on human intestinal FAE; CD9 and β1-integrin. Furthermore, studies of isolated human intestinal tissue showed that an integrin-adherent peptide motif, RGD, could be utilized to achieve selective and improved transport of nanoparticles into human Peyer´s patches.</p><p>Studies of factors influencing intestinal particle uptake and transcytosis revealed that two cytokines, TNF-α and LTα1/β2, but also one growth factor, TGF-β1, induced uptake of particles in Caco-2 cells and transcytosis of particles in the model FAE. Furthermore, it was shown that an enteric bacterium, Yersinia Pseudotuberculosis, could trigger uptake and transcytosis of particles across model absorptive epithelial cells.</p><p>In conclusion, this thesis provides a platform for further investigations of particle transcytosis across the human intestinal epithelium. The identification of two new proteins with increased expression in human FAE and a targeting sequence that improves particle uptake into Peyer’s patches, gives new hope for the development of subunit oral vaccines.</p>

The use of nano- and micro-particulate carriers as delivery systems for oral vaccines has been under investigation for several decades. Surprisingly little is known of their uptake in the human intestine, despite the fact that substantial improvement is required to achieve adequate immune responses in man after oral administration. In this thesis, various aspects of particle transcytosis across the human intestinal epithelium were studied, in order to identify strategies for improved uptake of nano- and micro-particulate drug delivery systems. The follicle associated epithelium (FAE) overlying Peyer´s patches contains M-cells, which have an increased capacity for uptake of particulate antigens. Therefore, a model of human FAE was developed to study mechanisms of particle uptake and transport. Receptors that could be used for targeting to the FAE had previously not been identified in humans. By use of the model FAE, two new targets were identified on human intestinal FAE; CD9 and β1-integrin. Furthermore, studies of isolated human intestinal tissue showed that an integrin-adherent peptide motif, RGD, could be utilized to achieve selective and improved transport of nanoparticles into human Peyer´s patches. Studies of factors influencing intestinal particle uptake and transcytosis revealed that two cytokines, TNF-α and LTα1/β2, but also one growth factor, TGF-β1, induced uptake of particles in Caco-2 cells and transcytosis of particles in the model FAE. Furthermore, it was shown that an enteric bacterium, Yersinia Pseudotuberculosis, could trigger uptake and transcytosis of particles across model absorptive epithelial cells. In conclusion, this thesis provides a platform for further investigations of particle transcytosis across the human intestinal epithelium. The identification of two new proteins with increased expression in human FAE and a targeting sequence that improves particle uptake into Peyer’s patches, gives new hope for the development of subunit oral vaccines.

In order to build a multi-cellular organism and to regulate cellular functions, cells need to communicate with each other, as well as tightly regulate their behaviour in response to environmental changes. For these purposes all eukaryotic cells express a large number of membrane spanning receptors that either themselves contain catalytic activity or via cytoplasmic effector enzymes, function to transmit “signals” from the cell exterior to induce appropriate responses within the cell. Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are important signalling molecules, represented by the transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in addition to the cytoplasmic non-receptor PTKs, which alter cell behaviour by phosphorylating target proteins. An additional requirement for proper signalling and multicellular organisation is the adhesion between cells as well as adhesion of cells to the extracellular matrix (ECM). Adhesion between cells and the ECM is mainly mediated by the integrin family of cell surface receptors, which functions as a structural link between the ECM and the actin cytoskeleton as well as important centres for signalling. Mammalian studies have implicated the cytoplasmic Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK), as a major transmitter of signalling emanating from integrins, regulating cell migration, survival, proliferation and differentiation. In our studies of the sole FAK family member in Drosophila, Fak56, we have concluded that the deletion of Fak56 from the fruit fly genome causes no obvious defects in integrin-mediated adhesion, migration or signalling in vivo. Consequently, in contrast to the embryonic lethality observed in mouse knockouts, Fak56 mutant flies are both viable and fertile. However, we do find a clear genetic interaction between Fak56 and Drosophila integrins. Additionally, overexpression studies indeed indicate Fak56 as a negative regulator of integrin adhesion, given that excess Fak56 protein phenocopies loss of integrin function, causing phenotypes such as muscle detachment and wing blistering. In Drosophila, as well as in mammals, FAK family proteins are highly abundant in the CNS and in our studies we have identified a requirement of Fak56 in synaptic transmission at neuromuscular junctions. Lack of Fak56 causes a weakening of action potential conduction, resulting in sensitivity to high-frequency mechanical and electrical stimulation, manifested by epileptic-like seizures and paralysis in Fak56 mutants, a phenotype known as Bang Sensitivity (BS) in flies. We also show that Fak56 phosphorylation is directly modulated in response to alterations in intracellular calcium levels, supporting a role for Fak56 in neurotransmission. Fak56 is directly activated by the Drosophila Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase, DAlk, receptor which was identified in our lab. We characterised DAlk as a novel RTK that is expressed in the embryonic CNS and mesoderm where it drives activation of the ERK/MAPK pathway. Indeed, we found DAlk to ectopically induce protein tyrosine phosphorylation and specifically phosphorylation of ERK, resulting in autonomous cell transformation and uncontrolled tissue growth. Subsequently, we identified a requirement for DAlk function during Drosophila embryogenesis, where it displays an essential role in gut development. Specifically, we identified the secreted molecule Jelly belly (Jeb) as a ligand for DAlk and showed that Jeb-DAlk interaction activates an ERK-mediated signalling pathway essential for visceral muscle specification and fusion, and consequently formation of the gut. The potent ability of PTKs to regulate cell behaviour, together with the strong linkage between RTK dysregulation and tumour formation, renders the negative regulation of kinase activity an important area of research. We have identified the Drosophila homologue of Cbl-interacting protein of 85kDa, dCIN85, an adaptor molecule which in mammalian cells has shown involvement in RTK endocytosis and downregulation, as well as in the regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics. In the fruit fly, dCIN85 displays essential functions, given that dCIN85 loss of function mutants display a grand-child less phenotype. Generation of a dCIN85 antibody, together with isoform-specific transgenic flies, have allowed us to observe a punctuate localization pattern of the SH3-domain containing dCIN85 variants, representing Rab5-positive endosomal structures. This, in addition to the confirmation of a direct dCIN85-dCbl interaction, indicates an evolutionary conservation of dCIN85 function. Interestingly, dCIN85 co-localises with dRICH1, a Cdc42 specific RhoGAP, in differentiated photoreceptor cells in eye imaginal discs. This may imply a role for dCIN85 in the regulation of the specialised endocytic recycling processes required for the assembly/maintenance of tight junctions and establishment of cell polarity in epithelial tissues.