Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) is a secreted morphogen that is an essential regulator of patterning and growth. The SHH protein requires cleavage of its full-length precursor (SHHFL) for secretion of biologically active SHH (SHHNp). Mutations in SHH that affect SHH processing are associated with human disease, which highlights the importance of processing for patterning in vivo. We identified Sortilin (SORT1), a member of the VPS10P receptor family, as a novel SHH interacting protein. SORT1 preferentially associates with SHHFL and SORT1 levels correlate inversely with cleavage of SHHFL. Consistent with an antagonistic relationship between SORT1 and SHH processing, loss of SORT1 results in an increase in SHH levels in axons and a partial rescue of Hedgehog-associated patterning defects in a mouse model of deficient SHH processing. Finally, we demonstrate a functional requirement for SORT1-mediated trafficking on SHH-dependent signaling from axons in the developing visual system in vivo. Our findings identify a novel role for SORT1 in the regulation of SHH processing and trafficking.

Signal termination processes of GPCRs are well established, unlike processes that regulate the assembly and intracellular trafficking of these signaling complexes. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation was used to study GPCR dimer formation in two projects. Firstly, the importance of Rab GTPases on the cell surface expression and signaling of two chemokine receptors expressed on prostate cancer cells was examined. Rab GTPases necessary for CXCR4 and CCR2 cell surface expression and signaling were different from those necessary for the CXCR4/CCR2 heterodimer. Therefore, this project emphasizes the importance of studying heterodimers as unique entities from their constituent receptors. Secondly, interactions between molecular chaperones and two coreceptors necessary for HIV infection – CCR5, a chemokine GPCR, and the main HIV receptor, CD4, a glycoprotein – were investigated. Further emphasizing the unique characteristics of GPCR dimers, this project found that molecular chaperones interact differently with CCR5 homodimers, when compared to CCR5/CD4 heterodimers.