PCAF-primed EZH2 acetylation regulates its stability and promotes lung adenocarcinoma progression

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a key epigenetic regulator that catalyzes the trimethylation of H3K27 and is modulated by post-translational modifications (PTMs). However, the precise regulation of EZH2 PTMs remains elusive. We, herein, report that EZH2 is acetylated by acetyltransferase P300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF) and is deacetylated by deacetylase SIRT1. We identified that PCAF interacts with and acetylates EZH2 mainly at lysine 348 (K348). Mechanistically, K348 acetylation decreases EZH2 phosphorylation at T345 and T487 and increases EZH2 stability without disrupting the formation of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). Functionally, EZH2 K348 acetylation enhances its capacity in suppression of the target genes and promotes lung cancer cell migration and invasion. Further, elevated EZH2 K348 acetylation in lung adenocarcinoma patients predicts a poor prognosis. Our findings define a new mechanism underlying EZH2 modulation by linking EZH2 acetylation to its phosphorylation that stabilizes EZH2 and promotes lung adenocarcinoma progression.     

Nuclear translocation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is regulated by acetylation

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is considered a housekeeping glycolitic enzyme that recently has been implicated in cell signaling. Under apoptotic stresses, cells activate nitric oxide formation leading to S-nitrosylation of GAPDH that binds to Siah and translocates to the nucleus. The GAPDH–Siah interaction depends on the integrity of lysine 227 in human GAPDH, being the mutant K227A unable to associate with Siah. As lysine residues are susceptible to be modified by acetylation, we aimed to analyze whether acetylation could mediate transport of GAPDH from cytoplasm to the nucleus. We observed that the acetyltransferase P300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF) interacts with and acetylates GAPDH. We also found that over-expression of PCAF induces the nuclear translocation of GAPDH and that for this translocation its intact acetylase activity is needed. Finally, the knocking down of PCAF reduces nuclear translocation of GAPDH induced by apoptotic stimuli. By spot mapping analysis we first identified Lys 117 and 251 as the putative GAPDH residues that could be acetylated by PCAF. We further demonstrated that both Lys were necessary but not sufficient for nuclear translocation of GAPDH after apoptotic stimulation. Finally, we identified Lys 227 as a third GAPDH residue whose acetylation is needed for its transport from cytoplasm to the nucleus. Thus, results reported here indicate that nuclear translocation of GAPDH is mediated by acetylation of three specific Lys residues (117, 227 and 251 in human cells). Our results also revealed that PCAF participates in the GAPDH acetylation that leads to its translocation to the nucleus.     

The Wnt connection to tumorigenesis

Wnt signaling has been identified as one of the key signaling pathways in cancer, regulating cell growth, motility and differentiation. Because of its widespread activation in diverse human tumor diseases, the Wnt pathway has gained considerable and growing interest in tumor research over recent years. Evidence that altered Wnt signaling is important for human tumor development came from three major findings: (i) the tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) binds to the Wnt pathway component beta-catenin and is involved in its degradation, (ii) mutations of APC in colon tumors lead to stabilization of the beta-catenin protein and (iii) tumor-associated mutations of beta-catenin in colorectal cancer as well as in other tumor types lead to its stabilisation, qualifying beta-catenin as a proto-oncogene. Here we will describe the biochemical interactions which shape the Wnt pathway and focus on its role in tumorigenesis.