Depletion of the poly(C)-binding proteins alphaCP1 and alphaCP2 from K562 cells leads to p53-independent induction of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKN1A) and G1 arrest

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 is regulated by RNA-binding protein PCBP4 via mRNA stability

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play a major role in many post-transcriptional processes, including mRNA stability, alternative splicing and translation. PCBP4, also called MCG10, is an RBP belonging to the poly(C)-binding protein family and a target of p53 tumor suppressor. Ectopic expression of PCBP4 induces cell-cycle arrest in G₂ and apoptosis. To identify RNA targets regulated by PCBP4 and further decipher its function, we generated multiple cell lines in which PCBP4 is either inducibly over-expressed or knocked down. We found that PCBP4 expression decreases cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 induction in response to DNA damage. We also provided evidence that PCBP4 regulates p21 expression independently of p53. In addition, we showed that a deficiency in PCBP4 enhances p21 induction upon DNA damage. To validate PCBP4 regulation of p21, we made PCBP4-deficient mice and showed that p21 expression is markedly increased in PCBP4-deficient primary mouse embryo fibroblasts compared to that in wild-type counterparts. Finally, we uncovered that PCBP4 binds to the 3′-UTR of p21 transcript in vitro and in vivo to regulate p21 mRNA stability. Taken together, we revealed that PCBP4 regulates both basal and stress-induced p21 expression through binding p21 3′-UTR and modulating p21 mRNA stability.

Pseudogene-mediated posttranscriptional silencing of HMGA1 can result in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

Processed pseudogenes are non-functional copies of normal genes that arise by a process of mRNA retrotransposition. The human genome contains thousands of pseudogenes; however, knowledge regarding their biological role is limited. Previously, we demonstrated that high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) protein regulates the insulin receptor (INSR) gene and that two diabetic patients demonstrated a marked destabilization of HMGA1 mRNA. In this paper we report that this destabilization of HMGA1 mRNA is triggered by enhanced expression of RNA from an HMGA1 pseudogene, HMGA1-p. Targeted knockdown of HMGA1-p mRNA in patient cells results in a reciprocal increase in HMGA1 mRNA stability and expression levels with a parallel correction in cell-surface INSR expression and insulin binding. These data provide evidence for a regulatory role of an expressed pseudogene in humans and establishes a novel mechanistic linkage between pseudogene HMGA1-p expression and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Examination of the expanding pathways for the regulation of p21 expression and activity

p21(Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1) was originally identified as an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases, a mediator of p53 in growth suppression and a marker of cellular senescence. p21 is required for proper cell cycle progression and plays a role in cell death, DNA repair, senescence and aging, and induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming. Although transcriptional regulation is considered to be the initial control point for p21 expression, there is growing evidence that post-transcriptional and post-translational regulations play a critical role in p21 expression and activity. This review will briefly discuss the activity of p21 and focus on current knowledge of the determinants that control p21 transcription, mRNA stability and translation, and protein stability and activity.