Targeting the Oncogenic E3 Ligase Skp2 in Prostate and Breast Cancer Cells with a Novel Energy Restriction-Mimetic Agent

Substantial evidence supports the oncogenic role of the E3 ubiquitin ligase S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2) in many types of cancers through its ability to target a broad range of signaling effectors for ubiquitination. Thus, this oncogenic E3 ligase represents an important target for cancer drug discovery. In this study, we report a novel mechanism by which CG-12, a novel energy restriction-mimetic agent (ERMA), down-regulates the expression of Skp2 in prostate cancer cells. Pursuant to our previous finding that upregulation of β-transducin repeat-containing protein (β-TrCP) expression represents a cellular response in cancer cells to ERMAs, including CG-12 and 2-deoxyglucose, we demonstrated that this β-TrCP accumulation resulted from decreased Skp2 expression. Evidence indicates that Skp2 targets β-TrCP for degradation via the cyclin-dependent kinase 2-facilitated recognition of the proline-directed phosphorylation motif ⁴¹²SP. This Skp2 downregulation was attributable to Sirt1-dependent suppression of COP9 signalosome (Csn)5 expression in response to CG-12, leading to increased cullin 1 neddylation in the Skp1-cullin1-F-box protein complex and consequent Skp2 destabilization. Moreover, we determined that Skp2 and β-TrCP are mutually regulated, providing a feedback mechanism that amplifies the suppressive effect of ERMAs on Skp2. Specifically, cellular accumulation of β-TrCP reduced the expression of Sp1, a β-TrCP substrate, which, in turn, reduced Skp2 gene expression. This Skp2-β-TrCP-Sp1 feedback loop represents a novel crosstalk mechanism between these two important F-box proteins in cancer cells with aberrant Skp2 expression under energy restriction, which provides a proof-of-concept that the oncogenic Csn5/Skp2 signaling axis represents a “druggable” target for this novel ERMA.