NMD逃逸机制及其在疾病治疗中的应用

无义介导的mRNA降解(nonsense-mediated mRNA decay, NMD)是指在病理或正常生理情况下mRNA上出现了提前终止密码子(premature termination codon, PTC),从而导致mRNA降解。它是一种广泛存在的mRNA质量监控机制。近年来,在多种疾病中发现某些PTC并未触发NMD,这种现象被称为NMD逃逸(NMD escape),然而其确切机制尚不十分清楚。目前公认的两个学说为:(1) PTC通读,即蛋白的翻译可以顺利通过PTC直至正常的终止密码子,产生全长蛋白;(2)翻译的重新启动,即蛋白翻译在PTC下游的潜在起始点重新开始直至终止密码子,产生N端截短蛋白。目前,通过利用PTC通读,越来越多的药物或小分子已被成功用于无义变异相关疾病的治疗。本文主要综述了NMD逃逸的机制及其在疾病治疗中的应用和进展,以期为进一步了解NMD逃逸及其相关应用概况提供参考。     

Mechanism of escape from nonsense-mediated mRNA decay of human beta-globin transcripts with nonsense mutations in the first exon

The degradation of nonsense-mutated β-globin mRNA by nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) limits the synthesis of C-terminally truncated dominant negative β-globin chains and thus protects the majority of heterozygotes from symptomatic β-thalassemia. β-globin mRNAs with nonsense mutations in the first exon are known to bypass NMD, although current mechanistic models predict that such mutations should activate NMD. A systematic analysis of this enigma reveals that (1) β-globin exon 1 is bisected by a sharp border that separates NMD-activating from NMD-bypassing nonsense mutations and (2) the ability to bypass NMD depends on the ability to reinitiate translation at a downstream start codon. The data presented here thus reconcile the current mechanistic understanding of NMD with the observed failure of a class of nonsense mutations to activate this important mRNA quality-control pathway. Furthermore, our data uncover a reason why the position of a nonsense mutation alone does not suffice to predict the fate of the affected mRNA and its effect on protein expression.     

Nonsense-mediated decay of glutathione peroxidase 1 mRNA in the cytoplasm depends on intron position

mRNA for glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1) is subject to cytoplasmic nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) when the UGA selenocysteine (Sec) codon is recognized as nonsense. Here, we demonstrate by moving the sole intron of the GPx1 gene that either the Sec codon or a TAA codon in its place elicits NMD when located >/=59 bp but not 相似文献   

Failsafe nonsense-mediated mRNA decay does not detectably target eIF4E-bound mRNA

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) generally eliminates messenger RNAs that prematurely terminate translation and occurs in all eukaryotes that have been studied, although with mechanistic variations. In mammals, NMD seems to be restricted to newly synthesized mRNA that is bound by the cap-binding heterodimer CBP80-CBP20 (CBP80/20) and typically has at least one exon junction complex (EJC) situated downstream of the nonsense codon and added post-splicing. However, mammalian NMD can also target spliced mRNA lacking an EJC downstream of the nonsense codon. Here we provide evidence that this additional pathway, known as failsafe NMD, likewise seems to be restricted to CBP80/20-bound mRNA and does not detectably target its subsequently remodeled product, eIF4E-bound mRNA. Our studies, including analyses of factor dependence, reveal important shared features of the two mammalian-cell NMD pathways as well as fundamental differences between NMD in mammals and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.     

Interactions between UPF1, eRFs, PABP and the exon junction complex suggest an integrated model for mammalian NMD pathways

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) represents a key mechanism to control the expression of wild-type and aberrant mRNAs. Phosphorylation of the protein UPF1 in the context of translation termination contributes to committing mRNAs to NMD. We report that translation termination is inhibited by UPF1 and stimulated by cytoplasmic poly(A)-binding protein (PABPC1). UPF1 binds to eRF1 and to the GTPase domain of eRF3 both in its GTP- and GDP-bound states. Importantly, mutation studies show that UPF1 can interact with the exon junction complex (EJC) alternatively through either UPF2 or UPF3b to become phosphorylated and to activate NMD. On this basis, we discuss an integrated model where UPF1 halts translation termination and is phosphorylated by SMG1 if the termination-promoting interaction of PABPC1 with eRF3 cannot readily occur. The EJC, with UPF2 or UPF3b as a cofactor, interferes with physiological termination through UPF1. This model integrates previously competing models of NMD and suggests a mechanistic basis for alternative NMD pathways.     

Proximity of the poly(A)-binding protein to a premature termination codon inhibits mammalian nonsense-mediated mRNA decay

mRNA surveillance pathways selectively clear defective mRNAs from the cell. As such, these pathways serve as important modifiers of genetic disorders. Nonsense-mediated decay (NMD), the most intensively studied surveillance pathway, recognizes mRNAs with premature termination codons (PTCs). In mammalian systems the location of a PTC more than 50 nucleotides 5' to the terminal exon-exon junction is a critical determinant of NMD. However, mRNAs with nonsense codons that fulfill this requirement but are located very early in the open reading frame can effectively evade NMD. The unexpected resistance of such mRNAs with AUG-proximal PTCs to accelerated decay suggests that important determinants of NMD remain to be identified. Here, we report that an NMD-sensitive mRNA can be stabilized by artificially tethering the cytoplasmic poly(A) binding protein 1, PABPC1, at a PTC-proximal position. Remarkably, the data further suggest that NMD of an mRNA with an AUG-proximal PTC can also be repressed by PABPC1, which might be brought into proximity with the PTC during cap-dependent translation and 43S scanning. These results reveal a novel parameter of NMD in mammalian cells that can account for the stability of mRNAs with AUG-proximal PTCs. These findings serve to expand current mechanistic models of NMD and mRNA translation.     

The mammalian nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway: To decay or not to decay! Which players make the decision?

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) degrades mRNAs carrying premature translation termination codons (PTCs). Although the core process and several NMD effectors are conserved among species, the involvement of a splicing-dependent signal seems to be specific for mammalian PTC definition. Still, recent data shed new light on physical parameters and mechanistic pathways involved in NMD. Here, we examine these findings, updating the roles for potential NMD players, such as the exon junction complex and the cytoplasmic poly(A)-binding protein 1 - the former acting as enhancer rather than an essential factor and the latter functioning as NMD repressor.     

Dual function of UPF3B in early and late translation termination

Nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a cellular surveillance pathway that recognizes and degrades mRNAs with premature termination codons (PTCs). The mechanisms underlying translation termination are key to the understanding of RNA surveillance mechanisms such as NMD and crucial for the development of therapeutic strategies for NMD‐related diseases. Here, we have used a fully reconstituted in vitro translation system to probe the NMD proteins for interaction with the termination apparatus. We discovered that UPF3B (i) interacts with the release factors, (ii) delays translation termination and (iii) dissociates post‐termination ribosomal complexes that are devoid of the nascent peptide. Furthermore, we identified UPF1 and ribosomes as new interaction partners of UPF3B. These previously unknown functions of UPF3B during the early and late phases of translation termination suggest that UPF3B is involved in the crosstalk between the NMD machinery and the PTC‐bound ribosome, a central mechanistic step of RNA surveillance.     

Interaction of PABPC1 with the translation initiation complex is critical to the NMD resistance of AUG-proximal nonsense mutations

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a surveillance pathway that recognizes and rapidly degrades mRNAs containing premature termination codons (PTC). The strength of the NMD response appears to reflect multiple determinants on a target mRNA. We have previously reported that mRNAs containing PTCs in close proximity to the translation initiation codon (AUG-proximal PTCs) can substantially evade NMD. Here, we explore the mechanistic basis for this NMD resistance. We demonstrate that translation termination at an AUG-proximal PTC lacks the ribosome stalling that is evident in an NMD-sensitive PTC. This difference is associated with demonstrated interactions of the cytoplasmic poly(A)-binding protein 1, PABPC1, with the cap-binding complex subunit, eIF4G and the 40S recruitment factor eIF3 as well as the ribosome release factor, eRF3. These interactions, in combination, underlie critical 3'-5' linkage of translation initiation with efficient termination at the AUG-proximal PTC and contribute to an NMD-resistant PTC definition at an early phase of translation elongation.     

SMG1 is an ancient nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay effector

Nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a eukaryotic process that targets selected mRNAs for destruction, for both quality control and gene regulatory purposes. SMG1, the core kinase of the NMD machinery in animals, phosphorylates the highly conserved UPF1 effector protein to activate NMD. However, SMG1 is missing from the genomes of fungi and the model flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana, leading to the conclusion that SMG1 is animal‐specific and questioning the mechanistic conservation of the pathway. Here we show that SMG1 is not animal‐specific, by identifying SMG1 in a range of eukaryotes, including all examined green plants with the exception of A. thaliana. Knockout of SMG1 by homologous recombination in the basal land plant Physcomitrella patens reveals that SMG1 has a conserved role in the NMD pathway across kingdoms. SMG1 has been lost at various points during the evolution of eukaryotes from multiple lineages, including an early loss in the fungal lineage and a very recent observable gene loss in A. thaliana. These findings suggest that the SMG1 kinase functioned in the NMD pathway of the last common eukaryotic ancestor.     

Splicing‐dependent NMD does not require the EJC in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a translation‐linked process that destroys mRNAs with premature translation termination codons (PTCs). In mammalian cells, NMD is also linked to pre‐mRNA splicing, usually PTCs trigger strong NMD only when positioned upstream of at least one intron. The exon junction complex (EJC) is believed to mediate the link between splicing and NMD in these systems. Here, we report that in Schizosaccharomyces pombe splicing also enhances NMD, but against the EJC model prediction, an intron stimulated NMD regardless of whether it is positioned upstream or downstream of the PTC and EJC components are not required. Still the effect of splicing seems to be direct—we have found that the important NMD determinant is the proximity of an intron to the PTC, not just the occurrence of splicing. On the basis of these results, we propose a new model to explain how splicing could affect NMD.     

Inhibition of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) by a new chemical molecule reveals the dynamic of NMD factors in P-bodies

In mammals, nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a quality-control mechanism that degrades mRNA harboring a premature termination codon to prevent the synthesis of truncated proteins. To gain insight into the NMD mechanism, we identified NMD inhibitor 1 (NMDI 1) as a small molecule inhibitor of the NMD pathway. We characterized the mode of action of this compound and demonstrated that it acts upstream of hUPF1. NMDI 1 induced the loss of interactions between hSMG5 and hUPF1 and the stabilization of hyperphosphorylated isoforms of hUPF1. Incubation of cells with NMDI 1 allowed us to demonstrate that NMD factors and mRNAs subject to NMD transit through processing bodies (P-bodies), as is the case in yeast. The results suggest a model in which mRNA and NMD factors are sequentially recruited to P-bodies.