CCM3/PDCD10 stabilizes GCKIII proteins to promote Golgi assembly and cell orientation.

Mutations in CCM3/PDCD10 result in cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), a major cause of cerebral hemorrhage. Despite intense interest in CCMs, very little is known about the function of CCM3. Here, we report that CCM3 is located on the Golgi apparatus, forming a complex with proteins of the germinal center kinase III (GCKIII) family and GM130, a Golgi-resident protein. Cells depleted of CCM3 show a disassembled Golgi apparatus. Furthermore, in wound-healing assays, CCM3-depleted cells cannot reorient the Golgi and centrosome properly, and demonstrate impaired migration. Golgi disassembly after either depletion of CCM3 or dissociation of CCM3 from the GM130-GCKIII complex is the result of destabilization of GCKIII proteins and dephosphorylation of their substrate, 14-3-3zeta. Significantly, the phenotype induced by CCM3 depletion can be reverted by expression of wild-type CCM3, but not by disease-associated mutants. Our findings suggest that Golgi dysfunction and the ensuing abnormalities of cell orientation and migration resulting from CCM3 mutations contribute to CCM pathogenesis.