Dihydropyrimidinase-related protein 1

Dihydropyrimidinase-related protein 1 (CRMP1, also known as DRP-1) is a cytoskeletal regulatory protein that mediates axon guidance and growth cone collapse through semaphorin signaling (UniProt: Q14194). It acts downstream of SEMA3A to promote remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton and plays roles in cell migration and invasive growth. The 572-amino acid protein (62 kDa) is involved in F-actin regulation and cytoskeletal dynamics essential for neuronal development and morphogenesis.

CRMP1 functions primarily in the nervous system, where its role in axon guidance and cytoskeletal remodeling is critical for proper neuronal connectivity and growth cone dynamics (UniProt: Q14194). No baseline disease associations are documented in UniProt, though the protein's involvement in neuronal structure suggests relevance to neurodegenerative processes.

In Alzheimer's disease, CRMP1 is significantly downregulated in post-mortem AD brain tissue compared to age-matched controls, with a mean log2 fold-change of −2.51 (Chaparral AD proteomics). This downregulation was observed across subcellular fractions in TMT-labeled proteomics analysis, suggesting diminished cytoskeletal dynamics and potential compromise of axonal integrity in AD pathology.