Rab35 is translocated from Arf6-positive perinuclear recycling endosomes to neurite tips during neurite outgrowth.

Small GTPase Rab35 is a key regulator of neurite outgrowth, and its activation dramatically enhances nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced neurite outgrowth. We recently reported finding that Rab35 and its effector molecules recruit EHD1, a facilitator of vesicle formation, to Arf6-positive perinuclear recycling endosomes (hereafter simply referred to as recycling endosomes) in response to NGF stimulation. Although Rab35 is likely to promote the formation of transport vesicles from recycling endosomes that contributes to neurite outgrowth, the destination of the vesicles during neurite outgrowth remains unknown. Here we report finding that Rab35 is translocated from recycling endosomes to neurite tips in a late phase of NGF stimulation. We found that Rab35 immunofluorescence signals accumulated at recycling endosomes during the first 6 h, i.e., the early phase of NGF stimulation and then translocated to neurite tips during the late phase of NGF stimulation (i.e., >6 h to <36 h after NGF stimulation). These findings suggest that Rab35 regulates membrane trafficking from recycling endosomes to neurite tips during neurite outgrowth.