WW domain-containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 (WWP1) delays cellular senescence by promoting p27(Kip1) degradation in human diploid fibroblasts

WW domain-containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 (WWP1) plays an important role in the proliferation of tumor cells and the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans. However, the role of WWP1 in cellular senescence is still unknown. Here, we show that the expression patterns of p27(Kip1) and WWP1 are inversely correlated during cellular senescence. Moreover, the overexpression of WWP1 delayed senescence, whereas the knockdown of WWP1 led to premature senescence in human fibroblasts. Furthermore, we demonstrate that WWP1 repressed endogenous p27(Kip1) expression through ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated degradation. Additionally, WWP1 had a strong preference for catalyzing the Lys-48-linked polyubiquitination of p27(Kip1) in vitro. Finally, we demonstrate that WWP1 markedly inhibited the replicative senescence induced by p27(Kip1) by promoting p27(Kip1) degradation. Therefore, our study provides a new molecular mechanism for the regulation of cellular senescence.     

The E3 ubiquitin ligase- and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)-binding domains of the Alpha4 protein are both required for Alpha4 to inhibit PP2A degradation

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is regulated through a variety of mechanisms, including post-translational modifications and association with regulatory proteins. Alpha4 is one such regulatory protein that binds the PP2A catalytic subunit (PP2Ac) and protects it from polyubiquitination and degradation. Alpha4 is a multidomain protein with a C-terminal domain that binds Mid1, a putative E3 ubiquitin ligase, and an N-terminal domain containing the PP2Ac-binding site. In this work, we present the structure of the N-terminal domain of mammalian Alpha4 determined by x-ray crystallography and use double electron-electron resonance spectroscopy to show that it is a flexible tetratricopeptide repeat-like protein. Structurally, Alpha4 differs from its yeast homolog, Tap42, in two important ways: 1) the position of the helix containing the PP2Ac-binding residues is in a more open conformation, showing flexibility in this region; and 2) Alpha4 contains a ubiquitin-interacting motif. The effects of wild-type and mutant Alpha4 on PP2Ac ubiquitination and stability were examined in mammalian cells by performing tandem ubiquitin-binding entity precipitations and cycloheximide chase experiments. Our results reveal that both the C-terminal Mid1-binding domain and the PP2Ac-binding determinants are required for Alpha4-mediated protection of PP2Ac from polyubiquitination and degradation.     

Hsp90 (heat shock protein 90) inhibitor occupancy is a direct determinant of client protein degradation and tumor growth arrest in vivo

Several Hsp90 (heat shock protein 90) inhibitors are currently under clinical evaluation as anticancer agents. However, the correlation between the duration and magnitude of Hsp90 inhibition and the downstream effects on client protein degradation and cancer cell growth inhibition has not been thoroughly investigated. To investigate the relationship between Hsp90 inhibition and cellular effects, we developed a method that measures drug occupancy on Hsp90 after treatment with the Hsp90 inhibitor IPI-504 in living cells and in tumor xenografts. In cells, we find the level of Hsp90 occupancy to be directly correlated with cell growth inhibition. At the molecular level, the relationship between Hsp90 occupancy and Hsp90 client protein degradation was examined for different client proteins. For sensitive Hsp90 clients (e.g. HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), client protein levels directly mirror Hsp90 occupancy at all time points after IPI-504 administration. For insensitive client proteins, we find that protein abundance matches Hsp90 occupancy only after prolonged incubation with drug. Additionally, we investigate the correlation between plasma pharmacokinetics (PK), tumor PK, pharmacodynamics (PD) (client protein degradation), tumor growth inhibition, and Hsp90 occupancy in a xenograft model of human cancer. Our results indicate Hsp90 occupancy to be a better predictor of PD than either plasma PK or tumor PK. In the nonsmall cell lung cancer xenograft model studied, a linear correlation between Hsp90 occupancy and tumor growth inhibition was found. This novel binding assay was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo and could be used as a pharmacodynamic readout in the clinic.     

SEL1L protein critically determines the stability of the HRD1-SEL1L endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) complex to optimize the degradation kinetics of ERAD substrates

The mammalian HRD1-SEL1L complex provides a scaffold for endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD), thereby connecting luminal substrates for ubiquitination at the cytoplasmic surface after their retrotranslocation through the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. In this study the stability of the mammalian HRD1-SEL1L complex was assessed by performing siRNA-mediated knockdown of each of its components. Although endogenous SEL1L is a long-lived protein, the half-life of SEL1L was greatly reduced when HRD1 is silenced. Conversely, transiently expressed SEL1L was rapidly degraded but was stabilized when HRD1 was coexpressed. This was in contrast to the yeast Hrd1p-Hrd3p, where Hrd1p is destabilized by the depletion of Hrd3p, the SEL1L homologue. Endogenous HRD1-SEL1L formed a large ERAD complex (Complex I) associating with numerous ERAD components including ERAD lectin OS-9, membrane-spanning Derlin-1/2, VIMP, and Herp, whereas transiently expressed HRD1-SEL1L formed a smaller complex (Complex II) that was associated with OS-9 but not with Derlin-1/2, VIMP, or Herp. Despite its lack of stable association with the latter components, Complex II supported the retrotranslocation and degradation of model ERAD substrates α1-antitrypsin null Hong-Kong (NHK) and its variant NHK-QQQ lacking the N-glycosylation sites. NHK-QQQ was rapidly degraded when SEL1L was transiently expressed, whereas the simultaneous transfection of HRD1 diminished that effect. SEL1L unassociated with HRD1 was degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, which suggests the involvement of a ubiquitin-ligase other than HRD1 in the rapid degradation of both SEL1L and NHK-QQQ. These results indicate that the regulation of the stability and assembly of the HRD1-SEL1L complex is critical to optimize the degradation kinetics of ERAD substrates.     

Inhibitory effect of a naphthazarin derivative, S64, on heat shock factor (Hsf) activation and glutathione status following hypoxia

The presence of hypoxic cells in solid tumors has long been considered a problem in cancer treatment. Resistance of hypoxic cells to ionizing radiation and anticancer drugs has in part been attributed to changes in altered gene expression by hypoxia. We previously reported an activation of heat shock factor (Hsf) in murine tumor RIF cells following hypoxia and suggested that a subsequent accumulation of heat shock protein(s) (Hsp) is likely to contribute to the malignant progression of hypoxic tumor cells (Baek et al., 2001). In this study, we showed that hypoxia induced a DNA-binding activity of Hsf and activation of hsp70 gene expression in colon cancer Clone A cells, and that a naphthazarin derivative, S64, significantly inhibited the hypoxia-inducible hsp70 gene expression in Clone A cells. We also showed that S64 significantly reduced the cellular glutathione levels in this cell line. Considering the proposed effects of Hsp and glutathione on radiation and chemotherapy sensitivity, we suggest that the inhibitory effects of S64 on Hsf activation and cellular glutathione levels have potentially important clinical implications. We believe that the previously reported in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor effect of S64 (Song et al., 2000a, 2001) might be attributed, at least in part, to its effect on Hsf activation and/or glutathione depletion. We also believe that the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of S64 on Hsf and glutathione level following hypoxia deserve a more rigorous future study, the results of which could offer novel strategy to manipulate the resistance mechanisms of solid tumors.     

Nucleoredoxin Negatively Regulates Toll-like Receptor 4 Signaling via Recruitment of Flightless-I to Myeloid Differentiation Primary Response Gene (88)

We previously characterized nucleoredoxin (NRX) as a negative regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway through Dishevelled (Dvl). We perform a comprehensive search for other NRX-interacting proteins and identify Flightless-I (Fli-I) as a novel NRX-binding partner. Fli-I binds to NRX and other related proteins, such as Rod-derived cone viability factor (RdCVF), whereas Dvl binds only to NRX. Endogenous NRX and Fli-I in vivo interactions are confirmed. Both NRX and RdCVF link Fli-I with myeloid differentiation primary response gene (88) (MyD88), an important adaptor protein for innate immune response. NRX and RdCVF also potentiate the negative effect of Fli-I upon lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of NF-κB through the Toll-like receptor 4/MyD88 pathway. Embryonic fibroblasts derived from NRX gene-targeted mice show aberrant NF-κB activation upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation. These results suggest that the NRX subfamily of proteins forms a link between MyD88 and Fli-I to mediate negative regulation of the Toll-like receptor 4/MyD88 pathway.     

COMMD1 (copper metabolism MURR1 domain-containing protein 1) regulates Cullin RING ligases by preventing CAND1 (Cullin-associated Nedd8-dissociated protein 1) binding

Cullin RING ligases (CRLs), the most prolific class of ubiquitin ligase enzymes, are multimeric complexes that regulate a wide range of cellular processes. CRL activity is regulated by CAND1 (Cullin-associated Nedd8-dissociated protein 1), an inhibitor that promotes the dissociation of substrate receptor components from the CRL. We demonstrate here that COMMD1 (copper metabolism MURR1 domain-containing 1), a factor previously found to promote ubiquitination of various substrates, regulates CRL activation by antagonizing CAND1 binding. We show that COMMD1 interacts with multiple Cullins, that the COMMD1-Cul2 complex cannot bind CAND1, and that, conversely, COMMD1 can actively displace CAND1 from CRLs. These findings highlight a novel mechanism of CRL activation and suggest that CRL regulation may underlie the pleiotropic activities of COMMD1.