The New Faces of Endocytosis in Signaling

It is becoming clear that intracellular signaling events are intimately linked with the membrane transport processes. In addition to the long known role of endocytosis in downregulating plasma membrane receptors, more recent data uncover several sophisticated modes by which endocytosis affects the type and duration of signals. Particularly striking are various roles of endocytic compartments as membrane platforms for compartmentalized assembly or sequestration of specific signaling complexes. Here we review some recent examples illustrating how endosomes may mediate ligand-stimulated apoptotic signaling and how multivesicular bodies affect Wnt signaling by regulated sequestration of signaling molecules or their secretion in exosomes. We also discuss evidence documenting the involvement of endocytic proteins in the regulation of p53 activity and stability, which suggests a possible cross-talk between endocytic processes and transcriptional responses.