Cereblon is expressed in the retina and binds to voltage-gated chloride channels

The function of the central nervous system depends on the correct regulation of ion channels by interacting proteins. Here, we identified cereblon as a new interactor of the voltage-gated chloride channel CIC-2. A distal region of the CIC-2 C-terminus interacts with the Lon domain of cereblon. Cereblon is expressed in several brain regions including the retina. There, we detected cereblon in nuclear and synaptic layers and localized the protein in the same subcellular region of bipolar cell bodies previously reported to express CIC-2. Our data suggest that cereblon might be associated with voltage-gated chloride channels in the central nervous system. (C) 2009 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.