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Background
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SLIT and NTRK-like proteins comprise a six member protein family consisting of homologous transmembrane proteins (Slitrk1-6) that share two conserved leucine-rich repeat domains in the extracellular domain and have significant homology to Slit, a secreted axonal growth-controlling protein. These proteins are also homologous to trk neurotrophin receptors in their intracellular domains. Expression of Slitrk proteins is highly restricted to neural and brain tumor tissues, but varies within the family. For example, Slitrk1 is expressed primarily in mature neurons and Slitrk2 is expressed primarily in neurons in the ventricular layer of the brain. Overexpression of Slitrk1 in transfected neuronal cells induced unipolar neurites, while expression of the other Slitrk proteins inhibited neurite outgrowth, suggesting that these proteins are involved in the control of neurite outgrowth. Deletion analysis of Slitrk2 indicated that the functional difference between Slitrk2 and Slitrk1 is within their intracellular domains. While Slitrk1 variants have been suggested associated with Tourettes Syndrome, it is thought to play only a minor role if at all.
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