FAT10 modifies p53 and upregulates its transcriptional activity

The ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 is induced in MASLD and impairs the lipid-regulatory activity of PPARα

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α (PPARα) is a key regulator of hepatic lipid metabolism and therefore a promising therapeutic target against Metabolic-dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Diseases (MASLD). However, its expression and activity decrease during disease progression and several of its agonists did not achieve sufficient efficiency in clinical trials with, surprisingly, a lack of steatosis improvement. Here, we identified the Human leukocyte antigen-F Adjacent Transcript 10 (FAT10) as an inhibitor of PPARα lipid metabolic activity during MASLD progression.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

In vivo, the expression of FAT10 is upregulated in human and murine MASLD livers upon disease progression and correlates negatively with PPARα expression. The increase of FAT10 occurs in hepatocytes in which both proteins interact. FAT10 silencing in vitro in hepatocytes increases PPARα target gene expression, promotes fatty acid oxidation and decreases intra-cellular lipid droplet content. In line, FAT10 overexpression in hepatocytes in vivo inhibits the lipid regulatory activity of PPARα in response to fasting and agonist treatment in conditions of physiological and pathological hepatic lipid overload.

CONCLUSIONS

FAT10 is induced during MASLD development and interacts with PPARα resulting in a decreased lipid metabolic response of PPARα to fasting or agonist treatment. Inhibition of the FAT10-PPARα interaction may provide a means to design potential therapeutic strategies against MASLD.

FAT10 differentially stabilizes MYPT2 isoforms

Myosin phosphatase (MP) is an enzyme complex that regulates muscle contraction and plays important roles in various physiological and pathological conditions. Myosin phosphatase targeting subunit (MYPT) 2, a subunit of MP, interacts with protein phosphatase 1c to regulate its phosphatase activity. MYPT2 exists in various isoforms that differ in the composition of essential motifs that contribute to its function. However, regulatory mechanisms underlying these isoforms are poorly understood. Human leukocyte antigen-F adjacent transcript 10 (FAT10) is a ubiquitin-like modifier that not only targets proteins for proteasomal degradation but also stabilizes its interacting proteins. In this study, we investigated the effect of the interaction between FAT10 and MYPT2 isoform a (the canonical full-length form of MYPT2) or MYPT2 isoform f (the natural truncated form of MYPT2). FAT10 interacted with both MYPT2 isoforms a and f; however, only MYPT2 isoform f was increased by FAT10, whereas MYPT2 isoform a remained unaffected by FAT10. We further confirmed that, in contrast to MYPT2 isoform a, MYPT2 isoform f undergoes rapid degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and that FAT10 stabilizes MYPT2 isoform f by inhibiting its ubiquitination. Therefore, our findings suggest that the interaction between FAT10 and MYPT2 isoforms leads to distinct stabilization effects on each isoform, potentially modulating MP activity.

The ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 covalently modifies HUWE1 and strengthens the interaction of AMBRA1 and HUWE1

The ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 is highly upregulated under inflammatory conditions and targets its conjugation substrates to the degradation by the 26S proteasome. This process termed FAT10ylation is mediated by an enzymatic cascade and includes the E1 activating enzyme ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme 6 (UBA6), the E2 conjugating enzyme UBA6-specific E2 enzyme 1 (USE1) and E3 ligases, such as Parkin. In this study, the function of the HECT-type ubiquitin E3 ligase HUWE1 was investigated as a putative E3 ligase and/or conjugation substrate of FAT10. Our data provide strong evidence that HUWE1 is FAT10ylated in a UBA6 and FAT10 diglycine-dependent manner in vitro and in cellulo and that the HUWE1-FAT10 conjugate is targeted to proteasomal degradation. Since the mutation of all relevant cysteine residues within the HUWE1 HECT domain did not abolish FAT10 conjugation, a role of HUWE1 as E3 ligase for FAT10ylation is rather unlikely. Moreover, we have identified the autophagy-related protein AMBRA1 as a new FAT10 interaction partner. We show that the HUWE1-FAT10 conjugate formation is diminished in presence of AMBRA1, while the interaction between AMBRA1 and HUWE1 is strengthened in presence of FAT10. This implies a putative interplay of all three proteins in cellular processes such as mitophagy.

The case for FAT10 as a novel target in fatty liver diseases

Human leukocyte antigen F locus adjacent transcript 10 (FAT10) is a ubiquitin-like protein that targets proteins for degradation. TNFα and IFNγ upregulate FAT10, which increases susceptibility to inflammation-driven diseases like nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is well established that inflammation contributes to fatty liver disease, but how inflammation contributes to upregulation and what genes are involved is still poorly understood. New evidence shows that FAT10 plays a role in mitophagy, autophagy, insulin signaling, insulin resistance, and inflammation which may be directly associated with fatty liver disease development. This review will summarize the current literature regarding FAT10 role in developing liver diseases and potential therapeutic targets for nonalcoholic/alcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Targeting Inflammatory Signaling in Prostate Cancer Castration Resistance

Although castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) as a whole, by its name, refers to the tumors that relapse and/or regrow independently of androgen after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), untreated tumor, even in early-stage primary prostate cancer (PCa), contains androgen-independent (AI) PCa cells. The transformation of androgen-dependent (AD) PCa to AI PCa under ADT is a forced evolutionary process, in which the small group of AI PCa cells that exist in primary tumors has the unique opportunity to proliferate and expand selectively and dominantly, while some AD PCa cells that have escaped from ADT-induced death acquire the capability to survive in an androgen-depleted environment. The adaptation and reprogramming of both PCa cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME) under ADT make PCa much stronger than primary tumors so that, currently, there are no effective therapeutic methods available for the treatment of CRPC. Many mechanisms have been found to be related to the emergence and maintenance of PCa castration resistance; in this review, we focus on the role of inflammatory signaling in both PCa cells and the TME for the emergence and maintenance of CRPC and summarize the recent advances of therapeutic strategies that target inflammatory signaling for the treatment of CRPC.

Ubiquitin-Like Protein UBD Promotes Cell Proliferation in Colorectal Cancer by Facilitating p53 Degradation

Purpose

Ubiquitin D (UBD) is a member of the ubiquitin-like modifier (UBL) family and is highly expressed in a variety of cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the mechanisms of its regulatory roles in CRC are largely elusive. In this study, we revealed the effect of UBD on the proliferation of CRC.

Methods

The expression of UBD in clinical tissue samples of CRC and seven CRC cell lines was detected using qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting. CCK-8, colony formation, EdU and flow cytometry assays were used to detect the functional changes of CRC cells transfected with UBD stable expression plasmids in vitro. A xenograft model was constructed to assess the effect of UBD on the growth of CRC cells in vivo. The connection between UBD and p53 was analyzed using Western blotting, immunoprecipitation, proteasome inhibition assay and Cycloheximide (CHX) chase assay.

Results

UBD was overexpressed in CRC tumor tissues compared with nontumor tissues, and its overexpression was positively associated with the tumor size and TNM stage of CRC patients. Functionally, UBD significantly accelerated CRC cell viability and proliferation in vitro and promoted tumorigenesis in vivo. Mechanistically, UBD interacted with p53 in CRC cells, downregulated the expression of p53 by regulating its degradation, shortened the p53 half-life, thereby further affecting the decrease in p21 and the increase in Cyclin D1, Cyclin E, CDK2, CDK4 and CDK6. Moreover, in vivo experiments showed that UBD-induced tumor growth in nude mice was dependent on a decrease in p53.

Conclusions

Our study proved that UBD mediates the degradation of p53, thereby facilitating the growth of CRC cells and ultimately promoting the progression of CRC. Therefore, UBD may be a potential therapeutic target and a promising prognostic biomarker for CRC.

FAT10: Function and Relationship with Cancer

Posttranslational protein modifications are known to be extensively involved in cancer, and a growing number of studies have revealed that the ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 is directly involved in cancer development. FAT10 was found to be highly upregulated in various cancer types, such as glioma, hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer and gastrointestinal cancer. Protein FAT10ylation and interactions with FAT10 lead to the functional change of proteins, including proteasomal degradation, subcellular delocalization and stabilization, eventually having significant effects on cancer cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis and even tumorigenesis. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge on FAT10 and discussed its biological functions in cancer, as well as potential therapeutic strategies based on the FAT10 pathway.

E1 Enzymes as Therapeutic Targets in Cancer

Post-translational modifications of cellular substrates with ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs), including ubiquitin, SUMOs, and neural precursor cell-expressed developmentally downregulated protein 8, play a central role in regulating many aspects of cell biology. The UBL conjugation cascade is initiated by a family of ATP-dependent enzymes termed E1 activating enzymes and executed by the downstream E2-conjugating enzymes and E3 ligases. Despite their druggability and their key position at the apex of the cascade, pharmacologic modulation of E1s with potent and selective drugs has remained elusive until 2009. Among the eight E1 enzymes identified so far, those initiating ubiquitylation (UBA1), SUMOylation (SAE), and neddylation (NAE) are the most characterized and are implicated in various aspects of cancer biology. To date, over 40 inhibitors have been reported to target UBA1, SAE, and NAE, including the NAE inhibitor pevonedistat, evaluated in more than 30 clinical trials. In this Review, we discuss E1 enzymes, the rationale for their therapeutic targeting in cancer, and their different inhibitors, with emphasis on the pharmacologic properties of adenosine sulfamates and their unique mechanism of action, termed substrate-assisted inhibition. Moreover, we highlight other less-characterized E1s-UBA6, UBA7, UBA4, UBA5, and autophagy-related protein 7-and the opportunities for targeting these enzymes in cancer. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The clinical successes of proteasome inhibitors in cancer therapy and the emerging resistance to these agents have prompted the exploration of other signaling nodes in the ubiquitin-proteasome system including E1 enzymes. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the biology of different E1 enzymes, their roles in cancer, and how to translate this knowledge into novel therapeutic strategies with potential implications in cancer treatment.

The ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 - much more than a proteasome-targeting signal

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-F adjacent transcript 10 (FAT10) also called ubiquitin D (UBD) is a member of the ubiquitin-like modifier (ULM) family. The FAT10 gene is localized in the MHC class I locus and FAT10 protein expression is mainly restricted to cells and organs of the immune system. In all other cell types and tissues, FAT10 expression is highly inducible by the pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Besides ubiquitin, FAT10 is the only ULM which directly targets its substrates for degradation by the 26S proteasome. This poses the question as to why two ULMs sharing the proteasome-targeting function have evolved and how they differ from each other. This Review summarizes the current knowledge of the special structure of FAT10 and highlights its differences from ubiquitin. We discuss how these differences might result in differential outcomes concerning proteasomal degradation mechanisms and non-covalent target interactions. Moreover, recent insights about the structural and functional impact of FAT10 interacting with specific non-covalent interaction partners are reviewed.

Ubiquitin-like proteins in the DNA damage response: the next generation

DNA suffers constant insult from a variety of endogenous and exogenous sources. To deal with the arising lesions, cells have evolved complex and coordinated pathways, collectively termed the DNA damage response (DDR). Importantly, an improper DDR can lead to genome instability, premature ageing and human diseases, including cancer as well as neurodegenerative disorders. As a crucial process for cell survival, regulation of the DDR is multi-layered and includes several post-translational modifications. Since the discovery of ubiquitin in 1975 and the ubiquitylation cascade in the early 1980s, a number of ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs) have been identified as post-translational modifiers. However, while the importance of ubiquitin and the UBLs SUMO and NEDD8 in DNA damage repair and signalling is well established, the roles of the remaining UBLs in the DDR are only starting to be uncovered. Herein, we revise the current status of the UBLs ISG15, UBL5, FAT10 and UFM1 as emerging co-regulators of DDR processes. In fact, it is becoming clear that these post-translational modifiers play important pleiotropic roles in DNA damage and/or associated stress-related cellular responses. Expanding our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these emerging UBL functions will be fundamental for enhancing our knowledge of the DDR and potentially provide new therapeutic strategies for various human diseases including cancer.

Post-translational modification and protein sorting to small extracellular vesicles including exosomes by ubiquitin and UBLs

Exosomes, a type of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), are secreted membrane vesicles that are derived from various cell types, including cancer cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and immune cells via multivesicular bodies (MVBs). These sEVs contain RNAs (mRNA, miRNA, lncRNA, and rRNA), lipids, DNA, proteins, and metabolites, all of which mediate cell-to-cell communication. This communication is known to be implicated in a diverse set of diseases such as cancers and their metastases and degenerative diseases. The molecular mechanisms, by which proteins are modified and sorted to sEVs, are not fully understood. Various cellular processes, including degradation, transcription, DNA repair, cell cycle, signal transduction, and autophagy, are known to be associated with ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs). Recent studies have revealed that ubiquitin and UBLs also regulate MVBs and protein sorting to sEVs. Ubiquitin-like 3 (UBL3)/membrane-anchored Ub-fold protein (MUB) acts as a post-translational modification (PTM) factor to regulate efficient protein sorting to sEVs. In this review, we focus on the mechanism of PTM by ubiquitin and UBLs and the pathway of protein sorting into sEVs and discuss the potential biological significance of these processes.

The ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 interferes with SUMO activation

The covalent attachment of the cytokine-inducible ubiquitin-like modifier HLA-F adjacent transcript 10 (FAT10) to hundreds of substrate proteins leads to their rapid degradation by the 26 S proteasome independently of ubiquitylation. Here, we identify another function of FAT10, showing that it interferes with the activation of SUMO1/2/3 in vitro and down-regulates SUMO conjugation and the SUMO-dependent formation of promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) bodies in cells. Mechanistically, we show that FAT10 directly binds to and impedes the activity of the heterodimeric SUMO E1 activating enzyme AOS1/UBA2 by competing very efficiently with SUMO for activation and thioester formation. Nevertheless, activation of FAT10 by AOS1/UBA2 does not lead to covalent conjugation of FAT10 with substrate proteins which relies on its cognate E1 enzyme UBA6. Hence, we report that one ubiquitin-like modifier (FAT10) inhibits the conjugation and function of another ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) by impairing its activation.

FAT10 is an ubiquitin-like modifier that targets proteins to proteasomal degradation. Here, the authors show that FAT10 also regulates SUMO activation in vitro and in cells, providing evidence for functional crosstalk between two ubiquitin-like modifiers.

UBA6 and Its Bispecific Pathways for Ubiquitin and FAT10

Questions have been raised since the discovery of UBA6 and its significant coexistence with UBE1 in the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS). The facts that UBA6 has the dedicated E2 enzyme USE1 and the E1–E2 cascade can activate and transfer both ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like protein FAT10 have attracted a great deal of attention to the regulational mechanisms of the UBA6–USE1 cascade and to how FAT10 and ubiquitin differentiate with each other. This review recapitulates the latest advances in UBA6 and its bispecific UBA6–USE1 pathways for both ubiquitin and FAT10. The intricate networks of UBA6 and its interplays with ubiquitin and FAT10 are briefly reviewed, as are their individual and collective functions in diverse physiological conditions.

The ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 stimulates the activity of deubiquitylating enzyme OTUB1

The deubiquitylation of target proteins is mediated by deubiquitylating enzymes (DUB) such as OTUB1, which plays an important role in immune response, cell cycle progression, and DNA repair. Within these processes, OTUB1 reduces the ubiquitylation of target proteins in two distinct ways, either by using its catalytic DUB activity or in a noncatalytic manner by inhibiting the E2-conjugating enzyme. Here, we show that the ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 regulates OTUB1 stability and functionality in different ways. Covalent FAT10ylation of OTUB1 resulted in its proteasomal degradation, whereas a noncovalent interaction stabilized OTUB1. We provide evidence that OTUB1 interacts directly with FAT10 and the E2-conjugating enzyme USE1. This interaction strongly stimulated OTUB1 DUB activity toward Lys-48-linked diubiquitin. Furthermore, the noncovalent interaction between FAT10 and OTUB1 not only enhanced its isopeptidase activity toward Lys-48-linked ubiquitin moieties but also strengthened its noncatalytic activity in reducing Lys-63 polyubiquitylation of its target protein TRAF3 (TNF receptor-associated factor 3). Additionally, the cellular clearance of overall polyubiquitylation by OTUB1 was strongly stimulated through the presence of FAT10. The addition of FAT10 also led to an increased interaction between OTUB1 and its cognate E2 UbcH5B, implying a function of FAT10 in the inhibition of polyubiquitylation. Overall, these data indicate that FAT10 not only plays a role in covalent modification, leading its substrates to proteasomal degradation, but also regulates the stability and functionality of target proteins by interacting in a noncovalent manner. FAT10 is thereby able to exert a major influence on ubiquitylation processes.

Interferon-stimulated gene 15 enters posttranslational modifications of p53

The tumor suppressor protein p53 is a central governor of various cellular signals. It is well accepted that ubiquitination as well as ubiquitin-like (UBL) modifications of p53 protein is critical in the control of its activity. Interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) is a well-known UBL protein with pleiotropic functions, serving both as a free intracellular molecule and as a modifier by conjugating to target proteins. Initially, attentions have historically focused on the antiviral effects of ISG15 pathway. Remarkably, a significant role in the processes of autophagy, DNA repair, and protein translation provided considerable insight into the new functions of ISG15 pathway. Despite the deterministic revelation of the relation between ISG15 and p53, the functional consequence of p53 ISGylation appears somewhat confused. More important, more recent studies have hinted p53 ubiquitination or other UBL modifications that might interconnect with its ISGylation. Here, we aim to summarize the current knowledge of p53 ISGylation and the differences in other significant modifications, which would be beneficial for the development of p53-based cancer therapy.

Investigating the Promoter of FAT10 Gene in HCC Patients

FAT10, which is also known as diubiquitin, has been implicated to play important roles in immune regulation and tumorigenesis. Its expression is up-regulated in the tumors of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) and other cancer patients. High levels of FAT10 in cells have been shown to result in increased mitotic non-disjunction and chromosome instability, leading to tumorigenesis. To evaluate whether the aberrant up-regulation of the FAT10 gene in the tumors of HCC patients is due to mutations or the aberrant methylation of CG dinucleotides at the FAT10 promoter, sequencing and methylation-specific sequencing of the promoter of FAT10 was performed. No mutations were found that could explain the differential expression of FAT10 between the tumor and non-tumorous tissues of HCC patients. However, six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including one that has not been previously reported, were identified at the promoter of the FAT10 gene. Different haplotypes of these SNPs were found to significantly mediate different FAT10 promoter activities. Consistent with the experimental observation, differential FAT10 expression in the tumors of HCC patients carrying haplotype 1 was generally higher than those carrying haplotype II. Notably, the methylation status of this promoter was found to correlate with FAT10 expression levels. Hence, the aberrant overexpression of the FAT10 gene in the tumors of HCC patients is likely due to aberrant methylation, rather than mutations at the FAT10 promoter.

Ubiquitin-like modifications in the DNA damage response

Genomic DNA is damaged at an extremely high frequency by both endogenous and environmental factors. An improper response to DNA damage can lead to genome instability, accelerate the aging process and ultimately cause various human diseases, including cancers and neurodegenerative disorders. The mechanisms that underlie the cellular DNA damage response (DDR) are complex and are regulated at many levels, including at the level of post-translational modification (PTM). Since the discovery of ubiquitin in 1975 and ubiquitylation as a form of PTM in the early 1980s, a number of ubiquitin-like modifiers (UBLs) have been identified, including small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs), neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally down-regulated 8 (NEDD8), interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-F adjacent transcript 10 (FAT10), ubiquitin-fold modifier 1 (UFRM1), URM1 ubiquitin-related modifier-1 (URM1), autophagy-related protein 12 (ATG12), autophagy-related protein 8 (ATG8), fan ubiquitin-like protein 1 (FUB1) and histone mono-ubiquitylation 1 (HUB1). All of these modifiers have known roles in the cellular response to various forms of stress, and delineating their underlying molecular mechanisms and functions is fundamental in enhancing our understanding of human disease and longevity. To date, however, the molecular mechanisms and functions of these UBLs in the DDR remain largely unknown. This review summarizes the current status of PTMs by UBLs in the DDR and their implication in cancer diagnosis, therapy and drug discovery.

FAT10 is associated with the malignancy and drug resistance of non-small-cell lung cancer

Lung cancer has become one of the leading causes of cancer mortality worldwide, and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for ~85% of all lung cancer cases. Currently, platinum-based chemotherapy drugs, including cisplatin and carboplatin, are the most effective treatment for NSCLC. However, the clinical efficacy of chemotherapy is markedly reduced later in the treatment because drug resistance develops during the treatment. Recently, a series of studies has suggested the involvement of FAT10 in the development and malignancy of multiple cancer types. In this study, we focused our research on the function of FAT10 in NSCLC, which has not been previously reported in the literature. We found that the expression levels of FAT10 were elevated in quick chemoresistance NSCLC tissues, and we demonstrated that FAT10 promotes NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, the protein levels of FAT10 were elevated in cisplatin- and carboplatin-resistant NSCLC cells, and knockdown of FAT10 reduced the drug resistance of NSCLC cells. In addition, we gained evidence that FAT10 regulates NSCLC malignancy and drug resistance by modulating the activity of the nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway.

The ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 in cancer development

During the last years it has emerged that the ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 is directly involved in cancer development. FAT10 expression is highly up-regulated by pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and TNF-α in all cell types and tissues and it was also found to be up-regulated in many cancer types such as glioma, colorectal, liver or gastric cancer. While pro-inflammatory cytokines within the tumor microenvironment probably contribute to FAT10 overexpression, an increasing body of evidence argues that pro-malignant capacities of FAT10 itself largely underlie its broad and intense overexpression in tumor tissues. FAT10 thereby regulates pathways involved in cancer development such as the NF-κB- or Wnt-signaling. Moreover, FAT10 directly interacts with and influences downstream targets such as MAD2, p53 or β-catenin, leading to enhanced survival, proliferation, invasion and metastasis formation of cancer cells but also of non-malignant cells. In this review we will provide an overview of the regulation of FAT10 expression as well as its function in carcinogenesis.

Silibinin down-regulates FAT10 and modulate TNF-α/IFN-γ-induced chromosomal instability and apoptosis sensitivity

Pleiotropic pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IFN-γ (TI), play important yet diverse roles in cell survival, proliferation, and death. Recent evidence highlights FAT10 as a downstream molecule in the pathway of inflammation-induced tumorigenesis through mediating the effect of cytokines in causing numerical CIN and protecting cells from cytokines-induced cell death. cDNA microarray analysis of cells treated with TI revealed 493 deregulated genes with FAT10 being the most up-regulated (85.7-fold) gene and NF-κB being the key nodal hub of TI-response genes. Silibinin is reported to be a powerful antioxidant and has anti-C effects against various carcinomas by affecting various signaling molecules/pathways including MAPK, NF-κB and STATs. As NF-κB signaling pathway is a major mediator of the tumor-promoting activities of TI, we thus examine the effects of silibinin on TI-induced FAT10 expression and CIN. Our data showed that silibinin inhibited expression of FAT10, TI-induced chromosome instability (CIN) as well as sensitizes cells to TI-induced apoptosis. Significantly, silibinin suppressed intra-tumorally injected TNF-α-induced tumor growth. This represents the first report associating silibinin with FAT10 and demonstrating that silibinin can modulate TI-induced CIN, apoptosis sensitivity and suppressing TNF-α-induced tumor growth.

Conjugation of the ubiquitin activating enzyme UBE1 with the ubiquitin-like modifier FAT10 targets it for proteasomal degradation

The ubiquitin-like modifier HLA-F adjacent transcript 10 (FAT10) directly targets its substrates for proteasomal degradation by becoming covalently attached via its C-terminal diglycine motif to internal lysine residues of its substrate proteins. The conjugation machinery consists of the bispecific E1 activating enzyme Ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme 6 (UBA6), the likewise bispecific E2 conjugating enzyme UBA6-specific E2 enzyme 1 (USE1), and possibly E3 ligases. By mass spectrometry analysis the ubiquitin E1 activating enzyme ubiquitin-activating enzyme 1 (UBE1) was identified as putative substrate of FAT10. Here, we confirm that UBE1 and FAT10 form a stable non-reducible conjugate under overexpression as well as under endogenous conditions after induction of endogenous FAT10 expression with proinflammatory cytokines. FAT10ylation of UBE1 depends on the diglycine motif of FAT10. By specifically downregulating FAT10, UBA6 or USE1 with siRNAs, we show that UBE1 modification depends on the FAT10 conjugation pathway. Furthermore, we confirm that UBE1 does not act as a second E1 activating enzyme for FAT10 but that FAT10ylation of UBE1 leads to its proteasomal degradation, implying a putative regulatory role of FAT10 in the ubiquitin conjugation pathway.

Disruption of FAT10-MAD2 binding inhibits tumor progression

FAT10 (HLA-F-adjacent transcript 10) is a ubiquitin-like modifier that is commonly overexpressed in various tumors. It was found to play a role in mitotic regulation through its interaction with mitotic arrest-deficient 2 (MAD2). Overexpression of FAT10 promotes tumor growth and malignancy. Here, we identified the MAD2-binding interface of FAT10 to be located on its first ubiquitin-like domain whose NMR structure thus was determined. We further proceeded to demonstrate that disruption of the FAT10-MAD2 interaction through mutation of specific MAD2-binding residues did not interfere with the interaction of FAT10 with its other known interacting partners. Significantly, ablation of the FAT10-MAD2 interaction dramatically limited the promalignant capacity of FAT10, including promoting tumor growth in vivo and inducing aneuploidy, proliferation, migration, invasion, and resistance to apoptosis in vitro. Our results strongly suggest that the interaction of FAT10 with MAD2 is a key mechanism underlying the promalignant property of FAT10 and offer prospects for the development of anticancer strategies.

Disruption of FAT10-MAD2 binding inhibits tumor progression

FAT10 (HLA-F-adjacent transcript 10) is a ubiquitin-like modifier that is commonly overexpressed in various tumors. It was found to play a role in mitotic regulation through its interaction with mitotic arrest-deficient 2 (MAD2). Overexpression of FAT10 promotes tumor growth and malignancy. Here, we identified the MAD2-binding interface of FAT10 to be located on its first ubiquitin-like domain whose NMR structure thus was determined. We further proceeded to demonstrate that disruption of the FAT10-MAD2 interaction through mutation of specific MAD2-binding residues did not interfere with the interaction of FAT10 with its other known interacting partners. Significantly, ablation of the FAT10-MAD2 interaction dramatically limited the promalignant capacity of FAT10, including promoting tumor growth in vivo and inducing aneuploidy, proliferation, migration, invasion, and resistance to apoptosis in vitro. Our results strongly suggest that the interaction of FAT10 with MAD2 is a key mechanism underlying the promalignant property of FAT10 and offer prospects for the development of anticancer strategies.

Extended lifespan and reduced adiposity in mice lacking the FAT10 gene

The HLA-F adjacent transcript 10 (FAT10) is a member of the ubiquitin-like gene family that alters protein function/stability through covalent ligation. Although FAT10 is induced by inflammatory mediators and implicated in immunity, the physiological functions of FAT10 are poorly defined. We report the discovery that FAT10 regulates lifespan through pleiotropic actions on metabolism and inflammation. Median and overall lifespan are increased 20% in FAT10ko mice, coincident with elevated metabolic rate, preferential use of fat as fuel, and dramatically reduced adiposity. This phenotype is associated with metabolic reprogramming of skeletal muscle (i.e., increased AMP kinase activity, β-oxidation and -uncoupling, and decreased triglyceride content). Moreover, knockout mice have reduced circulating glucose and insulin levels and enhanced insulin sensitivity in metabolic tissues, consistent with elevated IL-10 in skeletal muscle and serum. These observations suggest novel roles of FAT10 in immune metabolic regulation that impact aging and chronic disease.

NFκB and STAT3 synergistically activate the expression of FAT10, a gene counteracting the tumor suppressor p53

Chronic inflammation is one of the main causes of cancer, yet the molecular mechanism underlying this effect is not fully understood. In this study, we identified FAT10 as a potential target gene of STAT3, the expression of which is synergistically induced by NFκB co-stimulation. STAT3 binding stabilizes NFκB on the FAT10 promoter and leads to maximum induction of FAT10 gene expression. Increased FAT10 represses the transcriptional activity of the tumor suppressor p53, a protein that accelerates the protein degradation of FAT10. This FAT10-p53 double-negative regulation is critical in the control of tumorigenesis, as overexpressed FAT10 facilitates the tumor progression in the solid tumor model. In conclusion, transcriptional synergy between STAT3 and NFκB functions to put weight on FAT10 in the mutually inhibitory FAT10-p53 regulatory loop and thus favors tumorigenesis under inflammatory conditions.

FAT10, an ubiquitin-like protein, confers malignant properties in non-tumorigenic and tumorigenic cells

FAT10 (HLA-F-adjacent transcript 10) is an ubiquitin-like modifier, which has been implicated in immune response and cancer development. In particular, the hypothesis of FAT10 as a mediator of tumorigenesis stems from its ability to associate with a spindle checkpoint protein Mad2 during mitosis and cause aneuploidy, a hallmark of cancer cells. Furthermore, FAT10 is overexpressed in several carcinomas types, including that of liver and colon. Nevertheless, direct evidence linking FAT10 to cell malignant transformation and progression is lacking. Here, we demonstrate that high FAT10 expression enhanced the proliferative, invasive, migratory and adhesive functions of the transformed cell line, HCT116. These observations were consistently demonstrated in an immortalized, non-tumorigenic liver cell line NeHepLxHT. Importantly, FAT10 can induce malignant transformation as evidenced from the anchorage-independent growth as well as in vivo tumor-forming abilities of FAT10-overexpressing NeHepLxHT cells, whereas in rapidly proliferating HCT116, increased FAT10 further augmented tumor growth. FAT10 was found to activate nuclear factor-κB (NFκB), which in turn upregulated the chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7. Importantly, small interfering RNA depletion of CXCR7 and CXCR4 attenuated cell invasion of FAT10-overexpressing cells, indicating that the CXCR4/7 is crucial for the FAT10-dependent malignant phenotypes. Taken together, our data reveal novel functions of FAT10 in malignant transformation and progression, via the NFκB-CXCR4/7 pathway.

Nodular lymphocyte predominant hodgkin lymphoma and T cell/histiocyte rich large B cell lymphoma--endpoints of a spectrum of one disease?

In contrast to the commonly indolent clinical behavior of nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL), T cell/histiocyte rich large B cell lymphoma (THRLBCL) is frequently diagnosed in advanced clinical stages and has a poor prognosis. Besides the different clinical presentations of these lymphoma entities, there are variants of NLPHL with considerable histopathologic overlap compared to THRLBCL. Especially THRLBCL-like NLPHL, a diffuse form of NLPHL, often presents a histopathologic pattern similar to THRLBCL, suggesting a close relationship between both lymphoma entities. To corroborate this hypothesis, we performed gene expression profiling of microdissected tumor cells of NLPHL, THRLBCL-like NLPHL and THRLBCL. In unsupervised analyses, the lymphomas did not cluster according to their entity. Moreover, even in supervised analyses, very few consistently differentially expressed transcripts were found, and for these genes the extent of differential expression was only moderate. Hence, there are no clear and consistent differences in the gene expression of the tumor cells of NLPHL, THRLBCL-like NLPHL and THRLBCL. Based on the gene expression studies, we identified BAT3/BAG6, HIGD1A, and FAT10/UBD as immunohistochemical markers expressed in the tumor cells of all three lymphomas. Characterization of the tumor microenvironment for infiltrating T cells and histiocytes revealed significant differences in the cellular composition between typical NLPHL and THRLBCL cases. However, THRLBCL-like NLPHL presented a histopathologic pattern more related to THRLBCL than NLPHL. In conclusion, NLPHL and THRLBCL may represent a spectrum of the same disease. The different clinical behavior of these lymphomas may be strongly influenced by differences in the lymphoma microenvironment, possibly related to the immune status of the patient at the timepoint of diagnosis.

Profiling of ubiquitin-like modifications reveals features of mitotic control

Ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like (Ubl) protein modifications affect protein stability, activity, and localization, but we still lack broad understanding of the functions of Ubl modifications. We have profiled the protein targets of ubiquitin and six additional Ubls in mitosis using a functional assay that utilizes active mammalian cell extracts and protein microarrays and identified 1,500 potential substrates; 80-200 protein targets were exclusive to each Ubl. The network structure is nonrandom, with most targets mapping to a single Ubl. There are distinct molecular functions for each Ubl, suggesting divergent biological roles. Analysis of differential profiles between mitosis and G1 highlighted a previously underappreciated role for the Ubl, FAT10, in mitotic regulation. In addition to its role as a resource for Ubl modifications, our study provides a systematic approach to analyze changes in posttranslational modifications at various cellular states.

FAT10 protects cardiac myocytes against apoptosis

FAT10 is a new member of the ubiquitin-like protein family with yet-to-be defined biological functions in the heart. Our objective was to determine the role of FAT10 in the heart. FAT10 is expressed in the normal human and murine hearts, as detected by qPCR and Western blotting. Expression of FAT10 is increased in the heart at the border zone of myocardial infarction and in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes (NRCM) subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) stress. Lentiviral-mediated overexpression of FAT10 in NRCM reduced p53 (TP53) and its target miR-34a levels, while BCL2 level, a target of miR-34a, was increased and BAX level, a pro-apoptotic protein, was reduced. These changes were associated with reduced apoptosis, detected by FACS analysis of annexin-V expression and TUNEL assay, in response to H/R injury. Knock down of FAT10 by shRNA targeting had the opposite effects. Likewise, lentiviral mediated expression of miR-34a was associated with reduced BCL2 and increased BAX levels in NRCM and also reversed changes in BCL-2 and BAX levels observed upon over-expression of FAT10. Treatment of NRCM with proteasome inhibitor MG132 increased p53 and miR-34a levels and reduced BLC2/BAX ratio. These changes were not reversed upon over-expression of FAT10. Thus, FAT10 is upregulated in the heart and NRCM in response to H/R stress, which protects cardiac myocytes against apoptosis. The anti-apoptotic effects of FAT10 are associated with suppression of p53, probably through fatylation and proteasomal degradation, reduced miR-34a expression, and a shift in the BCL2/BAX proteins against apoptosis. Thus, FAT10 is a cardioprotective protein.

Modification by ubiquitin-like proteins: significance in apoptosis and autophagy pathways

Ubiquitin-like proteins (Ubls) confer diverse functions on their target proteins. The modified proteins are involved in various biological processes, including DNA replication, signal transduction, cell cycle control, embryogenesis, cytoskeletal regulation, metabolism, stress response, homeostasis and mRNA processing. Modifiers such as SUMO, ATG12, ISG15, FAT10, URM1, and UFM have been shown to modify proteins thus conferring functions related to programmed cell death, autophagy and regulation of the immune system. Putative modifiers such as Domain With No Name (DWNN) have been identified in recent times but not fully characterized. In this review, we focus on cellular processes involving human Ubls and their targets. We review current progress in targeting these modifiers for drug design strategies.

The proteomic analysis of endogenous FAT10 substrates identifies p62/SQSTM1 as a substrate of FAT10ylation

FAT10 is a ubiquitin-like modifier proposed to function in apoptosis induction, cell cycle control and NF-κB activation. Upon induction by pro-inflammatory cytokines, hundreds of endogenous substrates become covalently conjugated to FAT10 leading to their proteasomal degradation. Nevertheless, only three substrates have been identified so far to which FAT10 becomes covalently attached through a non-reducible isopeptide bond, and these are the FAT10-conjugating enzyme USE1 which auto-FAT10ylates itself in cis, the tumor suppressor p53 and the ubiquitin-activating enzyme UBE1 (UBA1). To identify additional FAT10 substrates and interaction partners, we used a new monoclonal FAT10-specific antibody to immunopurify endogenous FAT10 conjugates from interferon (IFN)γ-and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α-stimulated cells for identification by mass spectrometry. In addition to two already known FAT10-interacting proteins, histone deacetylase 6 and UBA6, we identified 569 novel FAT10-interacting proteins involved in different functional pathways such as autophagy, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis and cancer. Thirty-one percent of all identified proteins were categorized as putative covalently linked substrates. One of the identified proteins, the autophagosomal receptor p62/SQSTM1, was further investigated. p62 becomes covalently mono-FAT10ylated at several lysines, and FAT10 colocalizes with p62 in p62 bodies. Strikingly, FAT10ylation of p62 leads to its proteasomal degradation, and prolonged induction of endogenous FAT10 expression by pro-inflammatory cytokines leads to a decrease of endogenous p62. The elucidation of the FAT10 degradome should enable a better understanding of why FAT10 has evolved as an additional transferable tag for proteasomal degradation.

Mechanistic studies on activation of ubiquitin and di-ubiquitin-like protein, FAT10, by ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme 6, Uba6

Uba6 is a homolog of the ubiquitin-activating enzyme, Uba1, and activates two ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs), ubiquitin and FAT10. In this study, biochemical and biophysical experiments were performed to understand the mechanisms of how Uba6 recognizes two distinct UBLs and catalyzes their activation and transfer. Uba6 is shown to undergo a three-step activation process and form a ternary complex with both UBLs, similar to what has been observed for Uba1. The catalytic mechanism of Uba6 is further supported by inhibition studies using a mechanism-based E1 inhibitor, Compound 1, which forms covalent adducts with both ubiquitin and FAT10. In addition, pre-steady state kinetic analysis revealed that the rates of UBL-adenylate (step 1) and thioester (step 2) formation are similar between ubiquitin and FAT10. However, distinct kinetic behaviors were also observed for ubiquitin and FAT10. FAT10 binds Uba6 with much higher affinity than ubiquitin while demonstrating lower catalytic activity in both ATP-PP(i) exchange and E1-E2 transthiolation assays. Also, Compound 1 is less potent with FAT10 as the UBL compared with ubiquitin in ATP-PP(i) exchange assays, and both a slow rate of covalent adduct formation and weak adduct binding to Uba6 contribute to the diminished potency observed for FAT10. Together with expression level analysis in IM-9 cells, this study sheds light on the potential role of cytokine-induced FAT10 expression in regulating Uba6 pathways.

Ubiquitin-like proteins

The eukaryotic ubiquitin family encompasses nearly 20 proteins that are involved in the posttranslational modification of various macromolecules. The ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs) that are part of this family adopt the β-grasp fold that is characteristic of its founding member ubiquitin (Ub). Although structurally related, UBLs regulate a strikingly diverse set of cellular processes, including nuclear transport, proteolysis, translation, autophagy, and antiviral pathways. New UBL substrates continue to be identified and further expand the functional diversity of UBL pathways in cellular homeostasis and physiology. Here, we review recent findings on such novel substrates, mechanisms, and functions of UBLs.

HIV-1, ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins: the dialectic interactions of a virus with a sophisticated network of post-translational modifications

The modification of intracellular proteins by ubiquitin (Ub) and ubiquitin-like (UbL) proteins is a central mechanism for regulating and fine-tuning all cellular processes. Indeed, these modifications are widely used to control the stability, activity and localisation of many key proteins and, therefore, they are instrumental in regulating cellular functions as diverse as protein degradation, cell signalling, vesicle trafficking and immune response. It is thus no surprise that pathogens in general, and viruses in particular, have developed multiple strategies to either counteract or exploit the complex mechanisms mediated by the Ub and UbL protein conjugation pathways. The aim of this review is to provide an overview on the intricate and conflicting relationships that intimately link HIV-1 and these sophisticated systems of post-translational modifications.

FAT10 protein binds to polyglutamine proteins and modulates their solubility

Expansion of polyglutamine (pQ) chain by expanded CAG repeat causes dominantly inherited neurodegeneration such as Huntington disease, dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), and numbers of other spinocerebellar ataxias. Expanded pQ disrupts the stability of the pQ-harboring protein and increases its susceptibility to aggregation. Aggregated pQ protein is recognized by the ubiquitin proteasome system, and the enzyme ubiquitin ligase covalently attaches ubiquitin, which serves as a degradation signal by the proteasome. However, accumulation of the aggregated proteins in the diseased brain suggests insufficient degradation machinery. Ubiquitin has several functionally related proteins that are similarly attached to target proteins through its C terminus glycine residue. They are called ubiquitin-like molecules, and some of them are similarly related to the protein degradation pathway. One of the ubiquitin-like molecules, FAT10, is known to accelerate protein degradation through a ubiquitin-independent manner, but its role in pQ aggregate degradation is completely unknown. Thus we investigated its role in a Huntington disease cellular model and found that FAT10 molecules were covalently attached to huntingtin through their C terminus glycine. FAT10 binds preferably to huntingtin with a short pQ chain and completely aggregated huntingtin was FAT10-negative. In addition, ataxin-1,3 and DRPLA proteins were both positive for FAT10, and aggregation enhancement was observed upon FAT10 knockdown. These findings were similar to those for huntingtin. Our new finding will provide a new role for FAT10 in the pathogenesis of polyglutamine diseases.