26S Proteasome Complex Research Articles

Recent progress in the investigation of ubiquitination aberrance in osteosarcoma

Ubiquitination is one of the most important post-translational modification processes in eukaryotic cells, in which the ubiquitin molecules and/or ubiquitin chains are covalently transferred to the substrate after a series of enzymatic cascade reactions involving the activating (E1), conjugating (E2) and ligating (E3) enzymes. Coupling to the 26S proteasome complex to form the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS), ubiquitination plays an essential role in controlling protein stability, thereby maintaining the dynamic balance of the key cellular proteins. Besides, ubiquitination is also involved in a wide range of protein degradation-independent events, such as gene transcription and translation, signal transduction, DNA repair and endocytosis, exerting a key function in response to exogenous stimuli and the cellular homeostasis. Similar to kinases, components of the ubiquitination system are often dysregulated, leading to a variety of diseases, such as cancer. Recently, accumulating evidence has shown an increasing number of dysregulated ubiquitination processes in osteosarcoma (OS). Herein, this review briefly provides current perspectives on the aberrance of ubiquitination-associated factors and their roles in OS, providing novel insight into potential therapeutic targets of OS.

Top-down protein identification using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer and data independent acquisition

Top-down mass spectrometry and direct dissociation of gas phase intact proteins have been demonstrated to be a powerful platform for identifying proteins from complex mixtures and for elucidating post-translational modifications (PTMs). Fragmentation of proteins in the atmospheric pressure/vacuum interface of the electrospray ionization mass spectrometer is an effective dissociation technique that can be utilized for on-line HPLC top-down analysis. We demonstrate the capability to perform intact protein identifications in a single-stage time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer in a data independent (DIA) acquisition fashion by rapidly switching the in-source dissociation (ISD) energy during protein elution from a liquid chromatography (LC) column. The intact protein and product ion masses obtained at low and high ISD energies, respectively, were measured using a TOF mass analyzer. By coupling on-line protein separations to dissociation in the atmospheric pressure/vacuum interface region of the mass spectrometer, we identified proteins in simple complexity mixtures, including subunits from the human 20S proteasome complex, and PTMs such as phosphorylation and N-terminal acetylation events. This proof-of-principle study demonstrates that a data-independent pseudo-MS/MS method could be a relatively inexpensive platform for top-down MS.

Oncogenic addiction to high 26S proteasome level

Proteasomes are large intracellular complexes responsible for the degradation of cellular proteins. The altered protein homeostasis of cancer cells results in increased dependency on proteasome function. The cellular proteasome composition comprises the 20S catalytic complex that is frequently capped with the 19S regulatory particle in forming the 26S proteasome. Proteasome inhibitors target the catalytic barrel (20S) and thus this inhibition does not allow the deconvolution of the distinct roles of 20S versus 26S proteasomes in cancer progression. We examined the degree of dependency of cancer cells specifically to the level of the 26S proteasome complex. Oncogenic transformation of human and mouse immortalized cells with mutant Ras induced a strong posttranscriptional increase of the 26S proteasome subunits, giving rise to high 26S complex levels. Depletion of a single subunit of the 19S RP was sufficient to reduce the 26S proteasome level and lower the cellular 26S/20S ratio. Under this condition the viability of the Ras-transformed MCF10A cells was severely compromised. This observation led us to hypothesize that cancer cell survival is dependent on maximal utilization of its 26S proteasomes. We validated this possibility in a large number of cancer cell lines and found that partial reduction of the 26S proteasome level impairs viability in all cancer cells examined and was not correlated with cell doubling time or reduction efficiency. Interstingly, normal human fibroblasts are refractory to the same type of 26S proteasome reduction. The suppression of 26S proteasomes in cancer cells activated the UPR and caspase-3 and cells stained positive with Annexin V. In addition, suppression of the 26S proteasome resulted in cellular proteasome redistribution, cytoplasm shrinkage, and nuclear deformation, the hallmarks of apoptosis. The observed tumor cell-specific addiction to the 26S proteasome levels sets the stage for future strategies in exploiting this dependency in cancer therapy.

Secretagogin protects Pdx1 from proteasomal degradation to control a transcriptional program required for β cell specification

ObjectiveSpecification of endocrine cell lineages in the developing pancreas relies on extrinsic signals from non-pancreatic tissues, which initiate a cell-autonomous sequence of transcription factor activation and repression switches. The steps in this pathway share reliance on activity-dependent Ca2+ signals. However, the mechanisms by which phasic Ca2+ surges become converted into a dynamic, cell-state-specific and physiologically meaningful code made up by transcription factors constellations remain essentially unknown. MethodsWe used high-resolution histochemistry to explore the coincident expression of secretagogin and transcription factors driving β cell differentiation. Secretagogin promoter activity was tested in response to genetically manipulating Pax6 and Pax4 expression. Secretagogin null mice were produced with their pancreatic islets morphologically and functionally characterized during fetal development. A proteomic approach was utilized to identify the Ca2+-dependent interaction of secretagogin with subunits of the 26S proteasome and verified in vitro by focusing on Pdx1 retention. ResultsHere, we show that secretagogin, a Ca2+ sensor protein that controls α and β cell turnover in adult, is in fact expressed in endocrine pancreas from the inception of lineage segregation in a Pax4-and Pax6-dependent fashion. By genetically and pharmacologically manipulating secretagogin expression and interactome engagement in vitro, we find secretagogin to gate excitation-driven Ca2+ signals for β cell differentiation and insulin production. Accordingly, secretagogin−/− fetuses retain a non-committed pool of endocrine progenitors that co-express both insulin and glucagon. We identify the Ca2+-dependent interaction of secretagogin with subunits of the 26S proteasome complex to prevent Pdx1 degradation through proteasome inactivation. This coincides with retained Nkx6.1, Pax4 and insulin transcription in prospective β cells. ConclusionsIn sum, secretagogin scales the temporal availability of a Ca2+-dependent transcription factor network to define β cell identity.

Relevance of the Non‐canonical Complex Formed by Proteasome Subunit α4

The 20S proteasome plays an essential role in maintaining protein homeostasis as part of the larger 26S proteasome complex. It is composed of seven distinct α subunits and seven distinct β subunits arranged as a stack of four heptameric rings in an α7β7β7α7 manner. Assembly of these 28 subunits is very efficient and aided by assembly chaperones that function, in part, to prevent off‐pathway interactions. Certain α‐subunits of the proteasome form non‐canonical ring complexes in vitro. The significance of such complexes is not known but they could simply represent dead‐end, or off‐pathway, assemblies. We recently provided the first in vivo evidence of such a non‐canonical ring complex formed by the yeast α4 subunit. Levels of this complex increase when proteasome function is compromised. Here, we aim to further investigate the relevance of this α4 high molecular weight complex (α4HMWC). Using a salt bridge disruption strategy, we achieved destabilization of the α4HMWC without affecting proteasome assembly. If the α4 HMWCs are important physiologically, we may observe growth phenotypes of the resulting yeast mutant lacking this complex. Our results will help determine whether this complex is an off‐pathway, or dead‐end, product or whether it may have an independent function within the cell.Support or Funding InformationResearch Support Funds Grant from Indiana University‐Purdue University Indianapolis to A.R.KThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

In Situ Structure of Neuronal C9orf72 Poly-GA Aggregates Reveals Proteasome Recruitment

Protein aggregation and dysfunction of the ubiquitin-proteasome system are hallmarks of many neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we address the elusive link between these phenomena by employing cryo-electron tomography to dissect the molecular architecture of protein aggregates within intact neurons at high resolution. We focus on the poly-Gly-Ala (poly-GA) aggregates resulting from aberrant translation of an expanded GGGGCC repeat in C9orf72, the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. We find that poly-GA aggregates consist of densely packed twisted ribbons that recruit numerous 26S proteasome complexes, while other macromolecules are largely excluded. Proximity to poly-GA ribbons stabilizes a transient substrate-processing conformation of the 26S proteasome, suggesting stalled degradation. Thus, poly-GA aggregates may compromise neuronal proteostasis by driving the accumulation and functional impairment of a large fraction of cellular proteasomes.

Interference with PSMB4 Expression Exerts an Anti-Tumor Effect by Decreasing the Invasion and Proliferation of Human Glioblastoma Cells

Background/Aims: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant brain tumor with a poor prognosis. Proteasome subunit beta type-4 (PSMB4) is an essential subunit that contributes to the assembly of the 20S proteasome complex. However, the role of PSMB4 in glioblastomas remains to be clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PSMB4 in GBM tumor progression. Methods: We first analyzed the PSMB4 protein and mRNA expression in 80 clinical brain specimens and 77 datasets from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Next, we inhibited the PSMB4 expression by siRNA in cellular and animal models to explore PSMB4’s underlying mechanisms. The cell survival after siPSMB4 transfection was assayed by MTT assay. Annexin V and propidium iodide staining was used to monitor the apoptosis by flow cytometric analysis. Moreover, the migration and invasion were evaluated by wound healing and Transwell assays. The expression of migration-related and invasion-related proteins after PSMB4 inhibition was detected by Western blotting. In addition, an orthotropic xenograft mouse model was used to assay the effect of PSMB4 knockdown in the in vivo study. Results: Basis on the results of bioinformatics study, glioma patients with higher PSMB4 expression had a shorter survival time than those with lower PSMB4 expression. The staining of clinical brain tissues showed elevated PSMB4 expression in GBM tissues compared with normal brain tissues. The PSMB4 inhibition decreased proliferation, migration and invasion abilities in human GBM cells. Downregulated PSMB4 resulted in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro. In an orthotropic xenograft mouse model, the glioma tumors progression was reduced when PSMB4 was down-regulated. The decreased PSMB4 enhanced the anti-tumor effect of temozolomide (TMZ) on tumor growth. In addition, the absence of PSMB4 decreased the expression of phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase and matrix metallopeptidase 9 in vivo. Conclusion: PSMB4 inhibition in combination with TMZ may exert an anti-tumor effect by decreasing cell proliferation and invasion as well as by promoting apoptosis in human glioblastoma cells. This research may improve the therapeutic efficacy of glioblastoma treatment.

Comparative Proteomics and Functional Analysis of Red Blood Cell Membrane Proteins in the Rare in(Lu) Blood Type

KLF1 is an essential erythroid transcription factor (EKLF) involved both in the ß-globin switch from fetal to adult and in definitive erythropoiesis. KLF1 also activates genes encoding heme biosynthetic enzymes, as well as genes involved in the cell cycle and the synthesis of membrane proteins. Heterozygosity for one or several nucleotide changes in KLF1 may be responsible for the so-called dominant Lu(a-b-) phenotype, also known as In(Lu) for “Inhibitor Lutheran” and characterized by a dramatic reduction in the expression levels of the Lutheran blood group antigens and a slight elevation in hemoglobin F (HbF). Several other blood group antigens are also under the direct control of KLF1, but their number and expression level in In(Lu) red blood cells (RBCs) remain a matter of debate. In addition, mutations in KLF1 in humans lead to anemia, acantocytosis and some of these variants, such as CDA type IV, are characterized by ineffective terminal differentiation and defects in enucleation. Given the major role of KLF1 in erythropoiesis, it would not be surprising that In(Lu) RBCs show abnormal properties. In this work, we performed proteomic studies to quantify membrane proteins in In(Lu) vs control RBCs.Results: using label-free mass spectrometry, we analyzed the expression levels of membrane proteins in 5 In(Lu) and 4 control RBCs. Hierarchical clustering allowed to identify two modulation profiles of protein expression (Figure 1). The first profile (red color) is composed of 49 proteins over-expressed in In(Lu) RBCs, with the majority of them corresponding to the “26S proteasome complex” (PSMA, PSMB, PSMD, and PSME). In addition, we confirmed the overexpression of the 26S proteasome complex in In(Lu) RBCs by western blot analyses.The second profile (green color) includes 23 membrane proteins with a lower expression level in In(Lu) RBCs; these proteins correspond to blood group antigens (e.g. Lu/BCAM, CD44), and to cytoskeletal proteins (e.g. dematin, flotillin). Five proteins carrying blood group systems show a decrease of expression in In(Lu) RBCs over 40%: Chido/Rodgers, Xg, Indian, Duffy and Lutheran: antigens. While our results indicating of decreased expression of Indian and Chido/Rodgers systems are consistent with previous reports, the Duffy expression was unexpectedly found to be decreased by 86%.Since we evidenced an important increase in the proteasome complex, and taking into account that KLF1 is involved in the regulation or erythropoiesis, we, investigated the expression profile of the 26 S proteasome expression during erythropoiesis. We observed an important decrease of all proteins of the proteasome complex during erythropoiesis.Conclusion: from our preliminary results reported in this study, we hypothesized that the increase of the 26S proteasome in the In(Lu) individuals may result from defects in organelle loss and could explain the profound dyserytropoiesis observed in the “nan” mice null for KLF1.Figure 1: Comparative proteomics of red blood cell membrane proteins in In(Lu) blood group type. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Proteasome beta-4 subunit contributes to the development of melanoma and is regulated by miR-148b.

The proteasome beta-4 subunit is required for the assembly of 20S proteasome complex, forming a pivotal component for the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Emerging evidence indicates that proteasome beta-4 subunit may be involved in underlying progression and mechanisms of malignancies. However, the role of proteasome beta-4 subunit in melanoma is currently unknown. Here, we reported that proteasome beta-4 subunit was markedly upregulated in human melanoma tissues and cells, compared with normal skin samples. High proteasome beta-4 subunit levels were significantly associated with poor overall survival in patients with melanoma. Proteasome beta-4 subunit knockdown strongly decreased melanoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo. We further identified miR-148b as a negative regulator of proteasome beta-4 subunit. Enforced expression of miR-148b resulted in vitro growth inhibition of melanoma cells, whereas this inhibition was further abolished by enforced expression of proteasome beta-4 subunit. Our findings, for the first time, indicated that the miR-148b/proteasome beta-4 subunit axis contributed to the development of melanoma, revealing novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of melanoma.

Molecular Details Underlying Dynamic Structures and Regulation of the Human 26S Proteasome

The 26S proteasome is the macromolecular machine responsible for ATP/ubiquitin dependent degradation. As aberration in proteasomal degradation has been implicated in many human diseases, structural analysis of the human 26S proteasome complex is essential to advance our understanding of its action and regulation mechanisms. In recent years, cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS) has emerged as a powerful tool for elucidating structural topologies of large protein assemblies, with its unique capability of studying protein complexes in cells. To facilitate the identification of cross-linked peptides, we have previously developed a robust amine reactive sulfoxide-containing MS-cleavable cross-linker, disuccinimidyl sulfoxide (DSSO). To better understand the structure and regulation of the human 26S proteasome, we have established new DSSO-based in vivo and in vitro XL-MS workflows by coupling with HB-tag based affinity purification to comprehensively examine protein-protein interactions within the 26S proteasome. In total, we have identified 447 unique lysine-to-lysine linkages delineating 67 interprotein and 26 intraprotein interactions, representing the largest cross-link dataset for proteasome complexes. In combination with EM maps and computational modeling, the architecture of the 26S proteasome was determined to infer its structural dynamics. In particular, three proteasome subunits Rpn1, Rpn6, and Rpt6 displayed multiple conformations that have not been previously reported. Additionally, cross-links between proteasome subunits and 15 proteasome interacting proteins including 9 known and 6 novel ones have been determined to demonstrate their physical interactions at the amino acid level. Our results have provided new insights on the dynamics of the 26S human proteasome and the methodologies presented here can be applied to study other protein complexes.

Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras: Harnessing the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System to Induce Degradation of Specific Target Proteins

The ubiquitin-proteasome system plays a central role in regulating protein homeostasis in mammalian cells. It is a multistep process involving the polyubiquitination of proteins prior to their proteolytic degradation by the 26S proteasome complex. Blockade of this process results in the accumulation of proteins that are deleterious to the survival of cancer cells and has led to the approval of the proteasome inhibitors bortezomib and carfilzomib for the treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are bifunctional molecules designed to recruit an E3 ubiquitin ligase to a specific target protein, thereby providing a mechanism to ubiquitinate and degrade specific pathological proteins. A significant body of preclinical data, generated since PROTACs were first introduced 15 years ago, demonstrates that PROTACs provide a robust approach to expose new cell biology and to generate novel therapeutics with the potential to target currently undruggable proteins.

Label-free Proteomic Analysis of Exosomes Derived from Inducible Hepatitis B Virus-Replicating HepAD38 Cell Line

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major health problem worldwide. Recent evidence suggests that some viruses can manipulate the infection process by packing specific viral and cellular components into exosomes, small nanometer-sized (30-150 nm) vesicles secreted from various cells. However, the impact of HBV replication on the content of exosomes produced by hepatocytes has not been fully delineated. In this work, an HBV-inducible cell line HepAD38 was used to directly compare changes in the protein content of exosomes secreted from HepAD38 cells with or without HBV replication. Exosomes were isolated from supernantants of HepAD38 cells cultured with or without doxycycline (dox) and their purity was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Western immunoblotting assays. Ion-intensity based label-free LC-MS/MS quantitation technologies were applied to analyze protein content of exosomes from HBV replicating cells [referred as HepAD38 (dox-)-exo] and from HBV nonreplicating cells [referred as HepAD38 (dox+)-exo]. A total of 1412 exosomal protein groups were identified, among which the abundance of 35 proteins was significantly changed following HBV replication. Strikingly, 5 subunit proteins from the 26S proteasome complex, including PSMC1, PSMC2, PSMD1, PSMD7 and PSMD14 were consistently enhanced in HepAD38 (dox-)-exo. Bioinformatic analysis of differential exosomal proteins confirmed the significant enrichment of components involved in the proteasomal catabolic process. Proteasome activity assays further suggested that HepAD38 (dox-)-exo had enhanced proteolytic activity compared with HepAD38 (dox+)-exo. Furthermore, human peripheral monocytes incubated with HepAD38 (dox-)-exo induced a significantly lower level of IL-6 secretion compared with IL-6 levels from HepAD38 (dox+)-exo. Irreversible inhibition of proteasomal activity within exosomes restored higher production of IL-6 by monocytes, suggesting that transmission of proteasome subunit proteins by HepAD38 (dox-)-exo might modulate the production of pro-inflammatory molecules in the recipient monocytes. These results revealed the composition and potential function of exosomes produced during HBV replication, thus providing a new perspective on the role of exosomes in HBV-host interaction.

Structural Analysis of the 26S Proteasome Complex to Understand Its Function and Regulation

The ubiquitin‐proteasome system (UPS) represents the major pathway for regulated degradation of intracellular proteins in eukaryotes, which plays an important role in regulating many biological processes such as cell cycle progression, signal transduction and DNA repair. The 26S proteasome is the macromolecular machine responsible for ATP/ubiquitin dependent degradation, and is composed of at least 33 subunits that form two subcomplexes, 20S core particle and 19S regulatory particle. Disruption of proteasomal degradation has been implicated in many human diseases, and components in the UPS have become attractive therapeutic targets in recent years. Therefore, structural analysis of the human 26S proteasome complex will not only advance our understanding of its action and regulation mechanisms, but also will uncover potential targets for future cancer therapeutics. However, characterization of the 26S proteasome complex using conventional structural tools has been an extremely challenging task due to its dynamics and heterogeneity. Recently, cross‐linking mass spectrometry (XL‐MS) has emerged as a powerful and alternative structural tool to for studying protein‐protein interactions and elucidating architectures of protein complexes. In addition to capture protein‐protein interactions in cells, XL‐MS experiments allow the identification of cross‐linked peptides and define protein physical contacts at the amino‐acid level resolution. The information obtained can be used to derive protein interaction network topology and structural models of protein complexes. Although effective, XL‐MS studies have several inherent limitations. Here we present a novel cross‐linking mass spectrometry (XL‐MS) strategy based on our newly developed MS‐cleavable cross‐linking reagents and multistage tandem mass spectrometry to define protein‐protein interactions of the human 26S proteasome, especially as they occur in living cells. With this new approach, we have determined structural dynamics of the 26S proteasome and identified cross‐links between proteasome subunits and their interacting proteins. Our results have provided structural details on how protein‐protein interactions are involved in modulating proteasomal functions. The methodology presented here can be adopted for the study of other protein complexes in vitro and in vivo.Support or Funding InformationThis work is supported by NIH RO1GM074830 to L.H, and R01GM106003 to L.H. and S. R..

Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (hTERT) Positively Regulates 26S Proteasome Activity.

Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is the catalytic subunit of telomerase, an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase that elongates telomeric DNA. hTERT displays several extra-telomeric functions that are independent of its telomere-regulatory function, including tumor progression, and neuronal cell death regulation. In this study, we evaluated these additional hTERT non-telomeric functions. We determined that hTERT interacts with several 19S and 20S proteasome subunits. The 19S regulatory particle and 20S core particle are part of 26S proteasome complex, which plays a central role in ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. In addition, hTERT positively regulated 26S proteasome activity independent of its enzymatic activity. Moreover, hTERT enhanced subunit interactions, which may underlie hTERT's ability of hTERT to stimulate the 26S proteasome. Furthermore, hTERT displayed cytoprotective effect against ER stress via the activation of 26S proteasome in acute myeloid leukemia cells. Our data suggest that hTERT acts as a novel chaperone to promote 26S proteasome assembly and maintenance. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 2083-2093, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

De Novo Disruption of the Proteasome Regulatory Subunit PSMD12 Causes a Syndromic Neurodevelopmental Disorder

Degradation of proteins by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is an essential biological process in the development of eukaryotic organisms. Dysregulation of this mechanism leads to numerous human neurodegenerative or neurodevelopmental disorders. Through a multi-center collaboration, we identified six de novo genomic deletions and four de novo point mutations involving PSMD12, encoding the non-ATPase subunit PSMD12 (aka RPN5) of the 19S regulator of 26S proteasome complex, in unrelated individuals with intellectual disability, congenital malformations, ophthalmologic anomalies, feeding difficulties, deafness, and subtle dysmorphic facial features. We observed reduced PSMD12 levels and an accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins without any impairment of proteasome catalytic activity. Our PSMD12 loss-of-function zebrafish CRISPR/Cas9 model exhibited microcephaly, decreased convolution of the renal tubules, and abnormal craniofacial morphology. Our data support the biological importance of PSMD12 as a scaffolding subunit in proteasome function during development and neurogenesis in particular; they enable the definition of a neurodevelopmental disorder due to PSMD12 variants, expanding the phenotypic spectrum of UPS-dependent disorders.

Abstract 3071: Proteasome subunit composition contributes to unusually poor sensitivity of H727 cells to carfilzomib

Abstract Background: While proteasome inhibitors (PIs) have significantly improved the survival of multiple myeloma (MM) patients, significant subsets of MM patients do not respond to the PI- based therapy. Currently, mechanisms of de novo PI resistance in these patients remain completely unknown. In this study, we aim to identify previously unexplored mechanisms of de novo carfilzomib (Cfz) resistance using H727 cancer cells with poor sensitivity to carfilzomib. Results: Our carfilzomib sensitivity investigation in a panel of 16 cancer cell lines revealed that H727 lung cancer cells are markedly resistant to Cfz compared to other cell lines. H727 cells displayed no detectable P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression and subsequently were not sensitized by reversin 121 (a P-gp inhibitor) to Cfz, ruling out the involvement of P-gp in the resistance of H727 cells to Cfz. Interestingly, we found that H727 cells are killed by PYR-41 (ubiquitin activating enzyme E1 inhibitor) and WP-1130 (deubiquitinase inhibitor) as effectively as Cfz- sensitive H23 cells, suggesting that ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is essential in H727 cells as in H23 cells. In addition, knock-down of proteasome α7 subunit, a component required for the assembly of a proteasome α-ring and thereby a 20S proteasome complex, resulted in an almost complete cell death, indicating that the proteasome is indispensable for the survival of H727 cells. Intriguingly, despite their poor sensitivity to Cfz, H727 cells were highly sensitive to other structurally distinguished PIs such as bortezomib, epoxomicin, and UK-101. Finally, exposure of H727 cells to interferon-γ (IFN-γ), which has been widely used as a biochemical tool to switch cellular proteasome catalytic subunit composition to the one containing immunoproteasome subunits, sensitized H727 cells to Cfz (Changing IC50 values from 1,355 nM to 185 nM). On the contrary, IFN-γ pretreatment did not affect the sensitivity of H23 cells to Cfz. Conclusion: We report that H727 cells have a poor sensitivity to carfilzomib (or de novo resistance to Cfz), and that previously reported resistance mechanism involving P-gp upregulation does not play a role. Given our data presented here, we conclude that de novo Cfz resistance of H727 cells may be attributed to distinguished proteasome subunit composition. We believe that our investigation using cancer cell line models may provide important insights into understanding the mechanisms of de novo PI resistance in clinic. Citation Format: Min Jae Lee, Kyung Bo Kim. Proteasome subunit composition contributes to unusually poor sensitivity of H727 cells to carfilzomib. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3071.

Inhibition of Proteasome Activity Induces Formation of Alternative Proteasome Complexes

The proteasome is an intracellular protease complex consisting of the 20S catalytic core and its associated regulators, including the 19S complex, PA28αβ, PA28γ, PA200, and PI31. Inhibition of the proteasome induces autoregulatory de novo formation of 20S and 26S proteasome complexes. Formation of alternative proteasome complexes, however, has not been investigated so far. We here show that catalytic proteasome inhibition results in fast recruitment of PA28γ and PA200 to 20S and 26S proteasomes within 2-6 h. Rapid formation of alternative proteasome complexes did not involve transcriptional activation of PA28γ and PA200 but rather recruitment of preexisting activators to 20S and 26S proteasome complexes. Recruitment of proteasomal activators depended on the extent of active site inhibition of the proteasome with inhibition of β5 active sites being sufficient for inducing recruitment. Moreover, specific inhibition of 26S proteasome activity via siRNA-mediated knockdown of the 19S subunit RPN6 induced recruitment of only PA200 to 20S proteasomes, whereas PA28γ was not mobilized. Here, formation of alternative PA200 complexes involved transcriptional activation of the activator. Alternative proteasome complexes persisted when cells had regained proteasome activity after pulse exposure to proteasome inhibitors. Knockdown of PA28γ sensitized cells to proteasome inhibitor-mediated growth arrest. Thus, formation of alternative proteasome complexes appears to be a formerly unrecognized but integral part of the cellular response to impaired proteasome function and altered proteostasis.

Characterization of the 26S proteasome network in Plasmodium falciparum.

In eukaryotic cells, the ubiquitin-proteasome system as a key regulator of protein quality control is an excellent drug target. We therefore aimed to analyze the 26S proteasome complex in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, which still threatens almost half of the world’s population. First, we established an affinity purification protocol allowing for the isolation of functional 26S proteasome complexes from the parasite. Subunit composition of the proteasome and component stoichiometry were studied and physiologic interacting partners were identified via in situ protein crosslinking. Furthermore, intrinsic ubiquitin receptors of the plasmodial proteasome were determined and their roles in proteasomal substrate recognition were analyzed. Notably, PfUSP14 was characterized as a proteasome-associated deubiquitinase resulting in the concept that targeting proteasomal deubiquitinating activity in P. falciparum may represent a promising antimalarial strategy. The data provide insights into a profound network orchestrated by the plasmodial proteasome and identified novel drug target candidates in the ubiquitin-proteasome system.

Abstract 11592: Lipid Droplet Associated Hydrolase (LDAH) Enhances Triacylglycerol Accumulation by Antagonizing Adipose Triglyceride Lipase (ATGL)

Lipid droplets (LDs) are lipid storage depots as well as metabolically dynamic organelles. LD-associated hydrolase (LDAH) is a newly identified protein that is highly expressed in liver and adipose tissues, where triacylglycerol (TAG) is the main form of lipid stored in LDs. However, to date the role of LDAH in TAG metabolism has not been reported. In this study we show that upon oleic acid loading LDAH translocalizes from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the LD surface, and increases the size of LDs by promoting fusion in a tubulin-dependent fashion. LDAH overexpression in HEK 293 cells increased the net TAG content, while LDAH knockdown decreased TAG levels. Mutations in two predicted acyltransferase motifs aiming to assess if changes in TAG content is due to LDAH’s direct enzymatic activity did not affect TAG levels. However, an LDAH splicing variant missing 90 amino acid at C-terminus also localized to LDs, but failed to increase both LD fusion and TAG levels. Consistent with the increase in LD size and area, LDAH increased the level of Perilipin3, a major LD associated protein in HEK293 cells, but decreased the level of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) that regulates rate-limiting step of TAG hydrolysis. ATGL ubiquitination, which ultimately leads to protein degradation, was higher in LDAH-overexpressing cells, and treatment with MG132 to block the activity of the 26S proteasome complex attenuated the reduction in ATGL. Coexpression of ATGL with LDAH reduced LDAH-mediated increase in LD size, total area of LDs, and TAG content. Alternatively, LDAH delayed TAG hydrolysis by ATGL upon treatment with β-adrenergic agonists. In conclusion, the data support a role of LDAH in facilitating LD growth and TAG accumulation, and uncover a mutually antagonistic interaction between LDAH and the catabolic enzyme ATGL.

Molecular Analysis of the HOXA2-Dependent Degradation of RCHY1

The homeodomain transcription factor Hoxa2 interacts with the RING-finger type E3 ubiquitin ligase RCHY1 and induces its proteasomal degradation. In this work, we dissected this non-transcriptional activity of Hoxa2 at the molecular level. The Hoxa2-mediated decay of RCHY1 involves both the 19S and 20S proteasome complexes. It relies on both the Hoxa2 homeodomain and C-terminal moiety although no single deletion in the Hoxa2 sequence could disrupt the RCHY1 interaction. That the Hoxa2 homeodomain alone could mediate RCHY1 binding is consistent with the shared ability all the Hox proteins we tested to interact with RCHY1. Nonetheless, the ability to induce RCHY1 degradation although critically relying on the homeodomain is not common to all Hox proteins. This identifies the homeodomain as necessary but not sufficient for what appears to be an almost generic Hox protein activity. Finally we provide evidence that the Hoxa2-induced degradation of RCHY1 is evolutionarily conserved among vertebrates. These data therefore support the hypothesis that the molecular and functional interaction between Hox proteins and RCHY1 is an ancestral Hox property.