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Zhou Y, Li H, Zhang Y, Zhao E, Huang C, Pan X, Shu F, Liu Z, Tang N, Li F, Liao W. Deubiquitinase USP4 suppresses antitumor immunity by inhibiting IRF3 activation and tumor cell-intrinsic interferon response in colorectal cancer. Cancer Lett 2024; 589:216836. [PMID: 38556105 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Despite the approval of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy for various tumor types, its effectiveness is limited to only approximately 15% of patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) colorectal cancer (CRC). Approximately 80%-85% of CRC patients have a microsatellite stability (MSS) phenotype, which features a rare T-cell infiltration. Thus, elucidating the mechanisms underlying resistance to ICB in patients with MSS CRC is imperative. In this study, we demonstrate that ubiquitin-specific peptidase 4 (USP4) is upregulated in MSS CRC tumors and negatively regulates the immune response against tumors in CRC. Additionally, USP4 represses the cellular interferon (IFN) response and antigen presentation and impairs PRR signaling-mediated cell death. Mechanistically, USP4 impedes the nuclear localization of interferon regulator Factor 3 (IRF3) by deubiquitinating the K63-polyubiquitin chain of TRAF6 and IRF3. Knockdown of USP4 enhances the infiltration of T cells in CRC tumors and overcomes ICB resistance in an MC38 syngeneic mouse model. Moreover, published datasets revealed that patients showing higher USP4 expression exhibited decreased responsiveness to anti-PD-L1 therapy. These findings highlight an essential role of USP4 in the suppression of antitumor immunity in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Huali Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Yaxin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Enen Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Chengmei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Xingyan Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Feng Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Zhihao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China
| | - Na Tang
- Department of Pathology, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518020, Guangdong, China.
| | - Fengtian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China; School of Biosciences and Technology, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, 610500, Sichuan, China.
| | - Wenting Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, PR China.
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Wei H, Li X, Liu F, Li Y, Luo B, Huang X, Chen H, Wen B, Ma P. Curcumin inhibits the development of colorectal cancer via regulating the USP4/LAMP3 pathway. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2024; 397:1749-1762. [PMID: 37728623 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02721-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of curcumin on the progression of colorectal cancer and its underlying mechanisms involved. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion were determined through CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, EdU assay, flow cytometry, and transwell invasion assay, respectively. The protein expression of Bax, MMP2, USP4 and LAMP3 was measured using western blot. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the relationship between USP4 and LAMP3. Co-IP was also conducted to determine the interaction between USP4 and LAMP3. Xenograft tumor model was established to explore the role of curcumin in colorectal cancer in vivo. IHC was utilized to measure the expression of Bax, MMP2, USP4 and LAMP3 in tumor tissues from mice. Curcumin significantly accelerated cell apoptosis, and inhibited cell proliferation and invasion in LoVo and HCT-116 cells. LAMP3 was augmented in colorectal cancer tissues and cells, and curcumin could reduce the expression of LAMP3. Curcumin decreased LAMP3 expression to exhibit the inhibition role in the progression of colorectal cancer. USP4 interacted with LAMP3, and positively regulated LAMP3 expression in colorectal cancer cells. LAMP3 overexpression could reverse the suppressive effects of USP4 knockdown on the development of colorectal cancer. Curcumin downregulated USP4 to impeded the progression of colorectal cancer via repressing LAMP3 expression. In addition, curcumin obviously restrained tumor growth in mice through downregulating USP4 and LAMP3 expression. These data indicated that curcumin exert the anti-tumor effects on the development of colorectal cancer through modulating the USP4/LAMP3 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Wei
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Nanyang First People's Hospital, Nanyang, 473000, China
| | - Xianzhe Li
- Department of General Surgery, Nanshi Hospital, Nanyang, 473065, China
| | - Fu Liu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Nanyang First People's Hospital, Nanyang, 473000, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Nanyang First People's Hospital, Nanyang, 473000, China
| | - Bin Luo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Nanyang First People's Hospital, Nanyang, 473000, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Nanyang First People's Hospital, Nanyang, 473000, China
| | - Hang Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Nanyang First People's Hospital, Nanyang, 473000, China
| | - Bo Wen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Nanyang First People's Hospital, Nanyang, 473000, China
| | - Pei Ma
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Nanyang First People's Hospital, Nanyang, 473000, China.
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Mao M, Xia Q, Zhan G, Bing H, Zhang C, Wang J, Tian W, Lian H, Li X, Chu Q. Vialinin A alleviates oxidative stress and neuronal injuries after ischaemic stroke by accelerating Keap1 degradation through inhibiting USP4-mediated deubiquitination. Phytomedicine 2024; 124:155304. [PMID: 38176274 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oxidative stress is known as a hallmark of cerebral ischaemia‒reperfusion injury and it exacerbates the pathologic progression of ischaemic brain damage. Vialinin A, derived from a Chinese edible mushroom, possesses multiple pharmacological activities in cancer, Kawasaki disease, asthma and pathological scarring. Notably, vialinin A is an inhibitor of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 4 (USP4) that shows anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. However, the precise effect of vialinin A in ischaemic stroke, as well as its underlying mechanisms, remains largely unexplored. PURPOSE The present research focuses on the impacts of vialinin A on oxidative stress and explores the underlying mechanisms involved while also examining its potentiality as a therapeutic candidate for ischaemic stroke. METHODS Mouse ischaemic stroke was conducted by MCAO surgery. Vialinin A was administered via lateral ventricular injection at a dose of 2 mg/kg after reperfusion. Subsequent experiments were meticulously conducted at the appropriate time points. Stroke outcomes were evaluated by TTC staining, neurological score, Nissl staining and behavioural analysis. Co-IP assays were operated to examine the protein-protein interactions. Immunoblot analysis, qRT-PCR, and luciferase reporter assays were conducted to further investigate its underlying mechanisms. RESULTS In this study, we initially showed that administration of vialinin A alleviated cerebral ischaemia‒reperfusion injury-induced neurological deficits and neuronal apoptosis. Furthermore, vialinin A, which is an antioxidant, reduced oxidative stress injury, promoted the activation of the Keap1-Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway and increased the protein degradation of Keap1. The substantial neuroprotective effects of vialinin A against ischaemic stroke were compromised by the overexpression of USP4. Mechanistically, vialinin A inhibited the deubiquitinating enzymatic activity of USP4, leading to enhanced ubiquitination of Keap1 and subsequently promoting its degradation. This cascade caused the activation of Nrf2-dependent antioxidant response, culminating in a reduction of neuronal apoptosis and the amelioration of neurological dysfunction following ischaemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that inhibition of USP4 to activate Keap1-Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway may represent a mechanism by which vialinin A conferred protection against cerebral ischaemia‒reperfusion injury and sheds light on its promising prospects as a therapeutic intervention for ischaemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Mao
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450007, China; Trauma Research Center, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450007, China; Center for Advanced Medicine, College of Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450007, China
| | - Qian Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, and Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Gaofeng Zhan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, and Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Hailong Bing
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450007, China
| | - Chenxi Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450007, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450007, China
| | - Wangli Tian
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450007, China
| | - Hongkai Lian
- Trauma Research Center, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450007, China; Center for Advanced Medicine, College of Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450007, China
| | - Xing Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, and Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
| | - Qinjun Chu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450007, China.
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Scheiflinger A, Al-Gboore S, Jank BJ, Brkic F, Kadletz-Wanke L, Kenner L, Heiduschka G, Schnoell J. High USP4 mRNA is associated with an HPV-positive status in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:10675-10683. [PMID: 37308746 PMCID: PMC10423105 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04872-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is among the most common cancers in the world with a low survival rate and common diagnosis at late stages. Deubiquitination of proteins is involved in tumor growth, metastasis, apoptosis, and immunosuppressive pathways. The impact of the ubiquitin-specific protease (USP4) on survival was only scarcely investigated so far. The goal of our research was to analyze the association of USP4 expression with prognosis and clinicopathological features in HNSCC. METHODS USP4 mRNA levels were derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for a cohort of 510 patients. Protein expression of USP4 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in a second cohort of 113 patients. Associations between USP4 levels and overall survival, disease-free survival and clinicopathological data were analyzed. RESULTS High levels of USP4 mRNA were associated with prolonged overall survival in univariable analysis. There was no more association with survival after correction for the confounders HPV, stage and smoker status. High USP4 mRNA levels were linked to a lower T-stage, the patient's age at diagnosis, and a positive HPV status. USP4 protein levels were not associated with prognosis or other features. CONCLUSION Since high USP4 mRNA was not an independent prognostic marker, we assume that the association is a result of the correlation of high USP4 mRNA with an HPV-positive status. Therefore, further investigation of USP4 mRNA and its association with the HPV status of HNSCC patients is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Scheiflinger
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sega Al-Gboore
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard J Jank
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Faris Brkic
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lorenz Kadletz-Wanke
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lukas Kenner
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Applied Metabolomics, Vienna, Austria
- Unit of Laboratory Animal Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- CBmed GmbH - Center for Biomarker Research in Medicine, Graz, Styria, Austria
| | - Gregor Heiduschka
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Julia Schnoell
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
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Srivatsa Palakurthi S, Bharat Charbe N, Recalde Phillips SY, Alge DL, Lu D, Palakurthi S. Development of an Optimal In vitro Release and Permeation Testing Method for Rectal Suppositories. Int J Pharm 2023; 640:123042. [PMID: 37178789 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Currently there are no compendial assays for testing drug release from rectal suppositories. It is therefore essential to study different in vitro release testing (IVRT) and in vitro permeation testing (IVPT) methods for identifying a suitable technique to compare in vitro drug release and to predict in vivo performance of rectal suppositories. In the present study, three different rectal suppository formulations of mesalamine (CANASA, Generic, and In-house) were studied for in vitro bioequivalence. All the different suppository products were characterized by performing weight variation, content uniformity, hardness, melting time, and pH tests. Viscoelastic behavior of the suppositories was also tested both in presence and absence of mucin. Four different IVRT techniques such as Dialysis, Horizontal Ussing Chamber, Vertical Franz cell, and USP apparatus 4. IVPT studies were performed using Horizontal Ussing chamber and Vertical Franz cell methods. Q1/Q2 equivalent products (CANASA, Generic) and a half-strength product were studied to understand the reproducibility, bio relevance, and discriminatory ability of the IVRT and IVPT methods. This study is the first of its kind where molecular docking studies were performed to determine the potential interactions of drug (mesalamine) with mucin, IVRT studies were conducted with and without the presence of mucin, and porcine rectal mucosa was used to perform IVPT tests. The USP 4 method and Horizontal Ussing chamber methods were found to be suitable IVRT and IVPT techniques, respectfully, for rectal suppositories. RLD (Reference Listed Drug) and Generic rectal suppositories were found to exhibit similar release rate and permeation profiles obtained from USP 4, and the IVPT studies, respectfully. Wilcoxon Rank Sum/Mann-Whitney rank test, conducted for the IVRT profiles obtained using USP 4 method, proved the sameness of RLD and Generic suppository products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushesh Srivatsa Palakurthi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Nitin Bharat Charbe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Sarea Y Recalde Phillips
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Daniel L Alge
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Dai Lu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA
| | - Srinath Palakurthi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA.
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Yun SI, Kwak C, Lee SY, Shin S, Oh C, Kim JS, Rhee HW, Kim KK. Binding of USP4 to cortactin enhances cell migration in HCT116 human colon cancer cells. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22900. [PMID: 37039823 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202201337rrr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Ubiquitin-specific protease 4 (USP4) is highly overexpressed in colon cancer and acts as a potent protooncogenic protein by deubiquitinating β-catenin. However, its prominent roles in tumor formation and migration in cancer cells are not fully understood by its deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) activity on β-catenin. Thus, we investigated an additional role of USP4 in cancer. In this study, we identified cortactin (CTTN), an actin-binding protein involved in the regulation of cytoskeleton dynamics and a potential prognostic marker for cancers, as a new cellular interacting partner of USP4 from proximal labeling of HCT116 cells. Additionally, the role of USP4 in CTTN activation and promotion of cell dynamics and migration was investigated in HCT116 cells. We confirmed that interacting of USP4 with CTTN increased cell movement. This finding was supported by the fact that USP4 overexpression in HCT116 cells with reduced expression of CTTN was insufficient to promote cell migration. Additionally, we observed that USP4 overexpression led to a significant increase in CTTN phosphorylation, which is a requisite mechanism for cell migration, by regulating Src/focal adhesion kinase (FAK) binding to CTTN and its activation. Our results suggest that USP4 plays a dual role in cancer progression, including stabilization of β-catenin as a DUB and interaction with CTTN to promote cell dynamics by inducing CTTN phosphorylation. Therefore, this study demonstrates that USP4 is important for cancer progression and is a good target for treating or preventing cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun-Il Yun
- Department of Precision Medicine, Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences (GSBMS), Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Chulhwan Kwak
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- The Research Institute of Basic Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Song-Yi Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghee Shin
- The Research Institute of Basic Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Changsuk Oh
- Department of Precision Medicine, Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences (GSBMS), Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Seo Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Center for RNA Research, Institute of Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Woo Rhee
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong Kyu Kim
- Department of Precision Medicine, Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences (GSBMS), Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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Jang JH, Jung IY, Kim H, Cho JH. Rainbow trout USP4 downregulates LPS-induced inflammation by removing the K63-linked ubiquitin chain on TAK1. Fish Shellfish Immunol 2022; 131:1019-1026. [PMID: 36372204 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2022.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ubiquitin-specific protease 4 (USP4) is pivotal in negatively regulating the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling-mediated innate immune response. Although USP4 has been well studied in mammals, its role in TLR signaling pathways in fish remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of USP4 (OmUSP4) in regulating TLR response in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. OmUSP4 contained the characteristic domains conserved in other USP4s: domain in USP (DUSP), ubiquitin-like (UBL), and the bi-part catalytic domain known as USP. OmUSP4 expression was increased in RTH-149 cells by stimulation with fish-pathogenic bacteria and bacterial ligands. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments revealed that OmUSP4 mitigated the activation of MAPKs and NF-κB, as well as the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated cells. OmUSP4 interacted with TAK1, a critical mediator in TLR-mediated NF-κB signaling pathways. LPS stimulation increased the K63-linked polyubiquitination of TAK1, which was significantly suppressed when OmUSP4 was compelled to be overexpressed. These results imply that OmUSP4 might function like mammals to downregulate LPS-induced inflammation in rainbow trout by removing the K63-linked ubiquitin chain on TAK1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Hye Jang
- Research Institute of Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, South Korea
| | - In Young Jung
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21Four), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, South Korea
| | - Hyun Kim
- Research Institute of Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, South Korea
| | - Ju Hyun Cho
- Research Institute of Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, South Korea; Division of Applied Life Science (BK21Four), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, South Korea; Division of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, South Korea.
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Tao Y, You W. The Deubiquitinating Enzyme USP4 Functions as an Oncoprotein in Gastric Cancer and Mediates NF-κB Signaling by Regulating PRL-3 Expression. Front Biosci (Landmark Ed) 2022; 27:286. [PMID: 36336860 DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2710286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been reported that ubiquitin specific peptidase 4 (USP4) was functional in several tumors, but its function and mechanism in gastric cancer were still unknown. METHODS Bioinformatic tools were used to predict the prognosis of gastric cancer patients and the expression levels of USP4 in gastric cancer. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunoblotting were carried out to detect the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels. Cell viability of gastric cancer was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Cell line-derived xenograft models were established to evaluate the tumor growth of gastric cancer. Luciferase assay and immunoblotting were used to determine the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. RESULTS The public database Kaplan-Meier Plotter showed that gastric cancer patients with high USP4 expression had a shorter overall survival or post-progression survival than the patients with decreased USP4. Further studies indicated that USP4 was elevated in gastric cancer tumor tissues. In contrast, knockdown of USP4 markedly inhibited gastric cancer cell growth, and suppressed the tumor growth of gastric cancer. Further studies revealed that USP4 knockdown significantly suppressed NF-κB-driven luciferase activity, and inhibited the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 in gastric cancer cells. Additionally, qRT-PCR analysis showed that USP4 knockdown significantly downregulated the expressions of cyclin D2 (CCND2) and B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL2). We also found that USP4 knockdown decreased the expressions of phosphatase of regenerating liver-3 (PRL-3), in contrast, overexpression of PRL-3 attenuated the inhibitory effects of USP4 knockdown on NF-κB signaling and cell viability in gastric cancer cells. Finally, PR-619, which has been proven to inhibit the activities of USP4 and other deubiquitinases, could inhibit cell viability and NF-κB signaling in gastric cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS This study indicated that elevated USP4 predicted a poor index for gastric cancer patients, and mediated gastric cancer cell growth by regulating PRL-3/NF-κB signaling, which suggested USP4 may be a novel therapeutic target for gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Tao
- Department of Nursing Management, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 215006 Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wendao You
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 215006 Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Li R, Shang R, Li S, Ren Y, Shen L, Yang L, Chen S, Chen X, Li J, Xu M. LOXL3-promoted hepatocellular carcinoma progression via promotion of Snail1/ USP4-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Environ Toxicol 2022; 37:2540-2551. [PMID: 35841383 DOI: 10.1002/tox.23617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Lysyl-oxidase-like 3 (LOXL3) was reported to be essential in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancers. However, the role of LOXL3 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remained unclear. In this study, we explored clinical significance, biological functions, and regulatory mechanisms of LOXL3 in HCC. Our study found that LOXL3 expression was markedly associated with the tumor size and clinical stage of HCC, and it was highly expressed in tumor tissues of metastatic HCC patients. High expression of LOXL3 predicted a poor prognosis of HCC. TGF-β1 treatment elevated LOXL3 protein expression and cell invasion, and reduced cell apoptosis in HCC cell lines (SMMC-7721 and Huh-7), while downregulation of LOXL3 reversed the promotive effects of TGF-β1 treatment on LOXL3 protein expression and cell invasion, and the inhibitory effect on cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, LOXL3 interacted with snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (Snail1) through STRING database and RIP assay, and Snail1 bound to ubiquitin-specific peptidase 4 (USP4) promoter by JASPAR database, luciferase reporter gene and Co-IP assays. Overexpression of USP4 reversed the inhibitory effect of LOXL3 silence on EMT in HCC cells through deubiquitinating and stabilizing the expression of Snail1. Moreover, LOXL3-promoted HCC EMT through Wnt/β-catenin/Snail1 signaling pathway. In vivo study revealed that silence of LOXL3-inhibited HCC tumor growth. In conclusion, LOXL3 silence inhibited HCC invasion and EMT through Snail1/USP4-mediated circulation loop and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Runze Shang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Haixia Hospital of Huaqiao University (The 910 Hospital), Quanzhou, China
| | - Shunle Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yifan Ren
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lin Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Longbao Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shuo Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Junhui Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Meng Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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10
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Wang J, Xiang Y, Yang SX, Zhang HM, Li H, Zong QB, Li LW, Zhao LL, Xia RH, Li C, Bao LY, Zhang TC, Liao XH. MIR99AHG inhibits EMT in pulmonary fibrosis via the miR-136-5p/ USP4/ACE2 axis. J Transl Med 2022; 20:426. [PMID: 36138468 PMCID: PMC9502606 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03633-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely related to the occurrence and development of cancer. Abnormally expressed lncRNA can be used as a diagnostic marker for cancer. In this study, we aim to investigate the clinical significance of MIR99AHG expression in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and its biological roles in LUAD progression. Methods The relative expression of MIR99AHG in LUAD tissues and cell lines was analyzed using public databases and RT-qPCR. The biological functions of MIR99AHG were investigated using a loss-of-function approach. The effect of MIR99AHG on lung fibrosis was assessed by scratch assay, invasion assay and lung fibrosis rat model. FISH, luciferase reporter assay and immunofluorescence were performed to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Results LncRNA MIR99AHG expression level was downregulated in LUAD tissues and cell lines. Low MIR99AHG levels were associated with poorer patient overall survival. Functional analysis showed that MIR99AHG is associated with the LUAD malignant phenotype in vitro and in vivo. Further mechanistic studies showed that, MIR99AHG functions as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to antagonize miR-136-5p-mediated ubiquitin specific protease 4 (USP4) degradation, thereby unregulated the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a downstream target gene of USP4, which in turn affected alveolar type II epithelial cell fibrosis and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). In summary, the MIR99AHG/miR-136-5p/USP4/ACE2 signalling axis regulates lung fibrosis and EMT, thus inhibiting LUAD progression. Conclusion This study showed that downregulated MIR99AHG leads to the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, overexpression of MIR99AHG may provide a new approach to preventing LUAD progression. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-022-03633-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430081, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Xiang
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430081, People's Republic of China.,Department of Medical Laboratory, Tongji Medical College, Central Hospital of Wuhan, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430014, People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng-Xi Yang
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430081, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui-Min Zhang
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430081, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Li
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430081, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi-Bei Zong
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430081, People's Republic of China
| | - Le-Wei Li
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430081, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Li Zhao
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430081, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruo-Han Xia
- Yangtze University Health Science Center, Hubei, 430014, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Le-Yuan Bao
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430081, People's Republic of China
| | - Tong-Cun Zhang
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430081, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing-Hua Liao
- Institute of Biology and Medicine, College of Life and Health Sciences, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Hubei, 430081, People's Republic of China.
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11
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Bailly C, Vergoten G. Binding of Vialinin A and p-Terphenyl Derivatives to Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 4 ( USP4): A Molecular Docking Study. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27185909. [PMID: 36144645 PMCID: PMC9505430 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27185909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The para-terphenyl derivative vialinin A (Vi-A), isolated from Thelephora fungi, has been characterized as a potent inhibitor of the ubiquitin-specific protease 4 (USP4). Blockade of USP4 contributes to the anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties of the natural product. We have investigated the interaction of Vi-A with USP4 by molecular modeling, to locate the binding site (around residue V98 within the domain in USP segment) and to identify the binding process and interaction contacts. From this model, a series of 32 p-terphenyl compounds were tested as potential USP4 binders, mainly in the vialinin, terrestrin and telephantin series. We identified 11 compounds presenting a satisfactory USP4 binding capacity, including two fungal products, vialinin B and aurantiotinin A, with a more favorable empirical energy of USP4 interaction (ΔE) than the reference product Vi-A. The rare p-terphenyl aurantiotinin A, isolated from the basidiomycete T. aurantiotincta, emerged as a remarkable USP4 binder. Structure-binding relationships have been identified and discussed, to guide the future design of USP4 inhibitors based on the p-terphenyl skeleton. The docking study should help the identification of other protease inhibitors from fungus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Bailly
- OncoWitan, Consulting Scientific Office, 59290 Lille (Wasquehal), France
- Correspondence:
| | - Gérard Vergoten
- Institut de Chimie Pharmaceutique Albert Lespagnol, Faculté de Pharmacie, University of Lille, Inserm, INFINITE-U1286, 3 rue du Professeur Laguesse, BP-83, 59006 Lille, France
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12
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Bai Y, Mo K, Wang G, Chen W, Zhang W, Guo Y, Sun Z. Intervention of Gastrodin in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Its Mechanism. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:710722. [PMID: 34603025 PMCID: PMC8481818 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.710722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
As a severe metabolic disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become a serious threat to human health in recent years. Gastrodin, as a primary chemical constituent in Gastrodia elata Blume, has antidiabetic effects. However, the possible mechanisms are unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of gastrodin on the treatment of T2DM. In vivo, after treatment with gastrodin for 6 weeks, fasting blood glucose levels, blood lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity index values were remarkably reduced compared with those of the diabetic control group. The values of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase also showed that gastrodin alleviates liver toxicity caused by diabetes. Moreover, gastrodin relieved pathological damage to the pancreas in T2DM rats. In vitro, gastrodin alleviated insulin resistance by increasing glucose consumption, glucose uptake, and glycogen content in dexamethasone-induced HepG2 cells. The Western blotting results showed that gastrodin upregulated the expression of insulin receptors and ubiquitin-specific protease 4 (USP4) and increased the phosphorylation of GATA binding protein 1 (GATA1) and protein kinase B (AKT) in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, gastrodin decreased the ubiquitin level of the insulin receptor via UPS4 and increased the binding of GATA1 to the USP4 promoter. Additionally, administration of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway inhibitors MK-2206 and LY294002 abolished the beneficial effects of gastrodin. Our results indicate that gastrodin promotes the phosphorylation of GATA1 via the PI3K/AKT pathway, enhances the transcriptional activity of GATA1, and then increases the expression level of USP4, thereby reducing the ubiquitination and degradation of insulin receptors and ultimately improving insulin resistance. Our study provides scientific evidence for the beneficial actions and underlying mechanism of gastrodin in the treatment of T2DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Bai
- School of Chinese Material Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Mo
- School of Chinese Material Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Guirong Wang
- School of Chinese Material Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Wanling Chen
- School of Chinese Material Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Ningqiang Chinese Herbal Medicine Industry Development Center, Hanzhong, China
| | - Yibo Guo
- School of Chinese Material Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Zhirong Sun
- School of Chinese Material Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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13
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Xu W, Li K, Song C, Wang X, Li Y, Xu B, Liang X, Deng W, Wang J, Liu J. Corrigendum: Knockdown of lncRNA LINC01234 Suppresses the Tumorigenesis of Liver Cancer via Sponging miR-513a-5p. Front Oncol 2021; 10:636847. [PMID: 33898302 PMCID: PMC8060159 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.636847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Wen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Kesang Li
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Hwa Mei Hospital, Ningbo Institute of Life and Health Industry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, China.,Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumors of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, China
| | - Changfeng Song
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaotong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yueqi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Baixue Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanli Deng
- Department of TCM Oncology, Putuo District Central Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Junqing Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianwen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
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14
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Hu B, Zhang D, Zhao K, Wang Y, Pei L, Fu Q, Ma X. Spotlight on USP4: Structure, Function, and Regulation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:595159. [PMID: 33681193 PMCID: PMC7935551 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.595159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB)–mediated cleavage of ubiquitin plays a critical role in balancing protein synthesis and degradation. Ubiquitin-specific protease 4 (USP4), a member of the largest subfamily of cysteine protease DUBs, removes monoubiquitinated and polyubiquitinated chains from its target proteins. USP4 contains a DUSP (domain in USP)–UBL (ubiquitin-like) domain and a UBL-insert catalytic domain, sharing a common domain organization with its paralogs USP11 and USP15. USP4 plays a critical role in multiple cellular and biological processes and is tightly regulated under normal physiological conditions. When its expression or activity is aberrant, USP4 is implicated in the progression of a wide range of pathologies, especially cancers. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the current knowledge of USP4 structure, biological functions, pathological roles, and cellular regulation, highlighting the importance of exploring effective therapeutic interventions to target USP4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binbin Hu
- Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dingyue Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kejia Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lijiao Pei
- Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qianmei Fu
- Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuelei Ma
- Department of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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15
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Gregoire-Mitha S, Gray DA. What deubiquitinating enzymes, oncogenes, and tumor suppressors actually do: Are current assumptions supported by patient outcomes? Bioessays 2021; 43:e2000269. [PMID: 33415735 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Context can determine whether a given gene acts as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor. Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) regulate the stability of many components of the pathways dictating cell fate so it would be expected that alterations in the levels or activity of these enzymes may have oncogenic or tumor suppressive consequences. In the current review we survey publications reporting that genes encoding DUBs are oncogenes or tumor suppressors. For many DUBs both claims have been made. For such "double agents," the effects of gain or loss of function will depend on the overall status of a complex of molecular signaling networks subject to extensive crosstalk. As the TGF-β paradox makes clear context is critical in cell fate decisions, and the disconnect between experimental findings and patient survival outcomes can in part be attributed to disparities between culture conditions and the microenvironment in vivo. Convincing claims for oncogene or tumor suppressor roles require the documentation of gene alterations in patient samples; survival curves are alone inadequate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Gregoire-Mitha
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.,Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Douglas A Gray
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.,Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
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16
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Xu J, Chen D, Jin L, Chen Z, Tu Y, Huang X, Xue F, Xu J, Chen M, Wang X, Chen Y. Ubiquitously specific protease 4 inhibitor-Vialinin A attenuates inflammation and fibrosis in S100-induced hepatitis mice through Rheb/mTOR signalling. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:1140-1150. [PMID: 33295107 PMCID: PMC7812299 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation and fibrosis are major consequences of autoimmune hepatitis, however, the therapeutic mechanism remains to be investigated. USP4 is a deubiquitinating enzyme and plays an important role in tissue fibrosis and immune disease. Vialinin A is an extract from mushroom and is a specific USP4 inhibitor. However, there is lack of evidences that Vialinin A plays a role in autoimmune hepatitis. By employing S100-induced autoimmune hepatitis in mice and AML12 cell line, therapeutic mechanism of Vialinin A was examined. Inflammation was documented by liver histological staining and inflammatory cytokines. Fibrosis was demonstrated by Masson, Sirius red staining and fibrotic cytokines with western blot and real-time RT-PCR. In experimental animal, there were increases in inflammation and fibrosis as well as USP4, and which were reduced after treatment of Vialinin A. Vialinin A also reduced Rheb and phosphorylated mTOR. Moreover, in LPS-treated AML12 cells, LPS-induced USP4, inflammatory and fibrotic cytokines, phosphorylated mTOR and Rheb. Specific inhibitory siRNA of USP4 reduced USP4 level and the parameters mentioned above. In conclusion, USP4 was significantly elevated in autoimmune hepatitis mice and Vialinin A reduced USP4 level and attenuate inflammation and fibrosis in the liver. The mechanism may be related to regulation of Rheb/mTOR signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Xu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatology, Hepatology Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dazhi Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Peking University, BeiJing, China
| | - Lanling Jin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatology, Hepatology Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhengkang Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatology, Hepatology Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yulu Tu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatology, Hepatology Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaozhe Huang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatology, Hepatology Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Feiben Xue
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatology, Hepatology Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jialu Xu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatology, Hepatology Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mingzhuan Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatology, Hepatology Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatology, Hepatology Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yongping Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Liver Diseases, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatology, Hepatology Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
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17
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Yang Y, Fan X, Ren Y, Wu K, Tian X, Wen F, Liu D, Fan Y, Zhao S. SOX2-Upregulated microRNA-30e Promotes the Progression of Esophageal Cancer via Regulation of the USP4/SMAD4/CK2 Axis. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2020; 23:200-214. [PMID: 33376627 PMCID: PMC7750169 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Esophageal cancer (EC) is a highly aggressive disease, and its progression involves a complex gene regulation network. Transcription factor SOX2 is amplified in various cancers including EC. A pathway involving SOX2 regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes has been previously revealed. This study aims to delineate the ability of SOX2 to influence the EC progression, with the involvement of miR-30e/USP4/SMAD4/CK2 axis. SOX2 expression was first examined in the clinical tissue samples from 30 EC patients. Effects of SOX2 on proliferation, migration, and invasion alongside tumorigenicity of transfected cells were examined by means of gain- and loss-of-function experiments. EC tissues and cells exhibited high expression of SOX2, miR-30e, and CK2 and poor expression of USP4 and SMAD4. Mechanistically, SOX2 was positively correlated with miR-30e and upregulated the expression of miR-30e. miR-30e specifically targeted USP4, which induced deubiquitination of SMAD4 and promoted its expression. Meanwhile, SMAD4 was enriched in the CK2 promoter region and thus inhibited its expression. SOX2 stimulated EC cell proliferative, invasive, and migratory capacities in vitro and tumor growth in vivo by regulating the miR-30e/USP4/SMAD4/CK2 axis. Collectively, our work reveals a novel SOX2-mediated regulatory network in EC that may be a viable target for EC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450015, P.R. China
| | - Xin Fan
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450015, P.R. China
| | - Yukai Ren
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450015, P.R. China
| | - Kai Wu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450015, P.R. China
| | - Xiangyu Tian
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450015, P.R. China
| | - Fengbiao Wen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450015, P.R. China
| | - Donglei Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450015, P.R. China
| | - Yuxia Fan
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450015, P.R. China
- Corresponding author Yuxia Fan, Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450015, P.R. China.
| | - Song Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450015, P.R. China
- Corresponding author Song Zhao, Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450015, P.R. China.
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18
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Xu W, Li K, Song C, Wang X, Li Y, Xu B, Liang X, Deng W, Wang J, Liu J. Knockdown of lncRNA LINC01234 Suppresses the Tumorigenesis of Liver Cancer via Sponging miR-513a-5p. Front Oncol 2020; 10:571565. [PMID: 33178601 PMCID: PMC7597595 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.571565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Liver cancer is a frequent malignancy with poor prognosis and high mortality all over the world. It has been reported many lncRNAs could modulate the tumorigenesis of liver cancer. To identify novel potential targets for liver cancer, the differential expressed lncRNAs between liver cancer and adjacent normal tissues was analyzed with bioinformatics tool. Methods The differential expressed lncRNAs between liver cancer and adjacent normal tissues were analyzed with bioinformatics tool. Cell viability and proliferation was tested by CCK8 and Ki67, respectively. Apoptosis of liver cancer cells was tested by flow cytometry. Gene and protein expressions in liver cancer cells were measured by qRT-PCR and western blot, respectively. In vivo model of liver cancer was established to detect the effect of LINC01234 on liver cancer in vivo. Results LINC01234 was found to be negatively correlated with the survival rate of patients with liver cancer. Moreover, knockdown of LINC01234 significantly suppressed the proliferation and invasion of liver cancer cells via inducing the apoptosis. Meanwhile, miR-513a-5p was sponged by LINC01234, and USP4 was found to be a direct target of miR-513a-5p. In addition, LINC01234 knockdown inhibited the tumorigenesis of liver cancer via inactivating TGF-β signaling. Furthermore, silencing of LINC01234 notably inhibited the tumor growth of liver cancer in vivo. Conclusion Downregulation of LINC01234 could inhibit the tumorigenesis of liver cancer via mediation of miR-513a-5p/USP4/TGF-β axis. Thus, LINC01234 might serve as a new target for the treatment of liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Kesang Li
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Hwa Mei Hospital, Ningbo Institute of Life and Health Industry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, China.,Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumors of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, China
| | - Changfeng Song
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaotong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yueqi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Baixue Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanli Deng
- Department of Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Junqing Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianwen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
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19
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Wang Y, Zhou L, Lu J, Jiang B, Liu C, Guo J. USP4 function and multifaceted roles in cancer: a possible and potential therapeutic target. Cancer Cell Int 2020; 20:298. [PMID: 32669974 PMCID: PMC7350758 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-020-01391-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer remains one of the major culprits causing disease-related deaths and leads to a high morbidity and similar mortality. Insidious onset, difficult early detection and a lack of broad-spectrum and effective multi-cancer therapeutic targets have limited the prolongation of cancer patients’ survival for decades. Therefore, a versatile therapeutic target which is involved in various cancer-related signaling pathways and different cancers may be more effective for cancer targeted therapy. USP4, one of the DUBs members which participates in deubiquitination, an inverse process of ubiquitination, can regulate various classical cancer-related signaling pathways, and thereby plays a vital role in some pathological and physiological processes including tumor initiation and progression. Recently, USP4 has been found to exert versatile influences on cells proliferation, migration and invasion, also apoptosis of various tumors. Moreover, USP4 can also act as a prognostic biomarker in several cancers. This review will give a comprehensive introduction of USP4 about its regulatory mechanisms, related signaling pathways, pathophysiological functions and the roles in various cancers which may help us better understand its biological functions and improve future studies to construct suitable USP4-targeted cancer therapy system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhi Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730 China
| | - Li Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730 China
| | - Jun Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730 China
| | - Bolun Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730 China
| | - Chengxi Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730 China
| | - Junchao Guo
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730 China
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20
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Li F, Hu Q, He T, Xu J, Yi Y, Xie S, Ding L, Fu M, Guo R, Xiao ZXJ, Niu M. The Deubiquitinase USP4 Stabilizes Twist1 Protein to Promote Lung Cancer Cell Stemness. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12061582. [PMID: 32549341 PMCID: PMC7352958 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a pivotal role in tumor development, drug resistance, metastasis and recurrence of lung cancer. Thus, it is of great importance to study the mechanism by which CSCs are regulated. In this study, we demonstrate that the deubiquitinase USP4 is critically important in promoting lung cancer stemness. Silencing of USP4 leads to reduction of Oct4 and Sox2 expression, decreased CD133+ cell population and inhibition of tumorsphere formation. Conversely, ectopic expression of USP4 significantly enhances lung cancer cell stemness, which is effectively rescued by simultaneous silencing of Twist1. Mechanistically, we identified USP4 as a novel deubiquitinase of Twist1. USP4 binds to, deubiquitinates and stabilizes Twist1 protein. Furthermore, we show that USP4 expression is elevated in human lung cancer specimens and is positively correlated with Twist1 expression. High expression of USP4/Twist1 is associated with poor clinical outcomes of lung cancer patients. Together, this study highlights an important role for USP4 in lung cancer stemness and suggests USP4 as a potential target for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Zhi-Xiong Jim Xiao
- Correspondence: (Z.-X.J.X.); (M.N.); Tel./Fax: +86-28-8541-0034 (Z.-X.J.X.)
| | - Mengmeng Niu
- Correspondence: (Z.-X.J.X.); (M.N.); Tel./Fax: +86-28-8541-0034 (Z.-X.J.X.)
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21
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Nguyen HH, Kim T, Nguyen T, Hahn MJ, Yun SI, Kim KK. A Selective Inhibitor of Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 4 Suppresses Colorectal Cancer Progression by Regulating β-Catenin Signaling. Cell Physiol Biochem 2019; 53:157-171. [PMID: 31251006 DOI: 10.33594/000000127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Dysregulation of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), which regulate the stability of key proteins, has been implicated in many human diseases, including cancers. Thus, DUBs can be considered as potential therapeutic targets for many diseases. Among them, USP4 has been proposed as a promising target for colon cancer drugs since USP4 controls the stability of β-catenin, a key factor in the Wnt signaling involved in the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer. However, developing potential DUB inhibitors has been hindered because many DUBs harbor similar active site structures and show broad substrate specificities. METHODS By performing in vitro deubiquitinating activity assays using a chemical library, we identified several potential DUB inhibitors. Among them, only neutral red (NR) showed selective inhibitory activity on USP4 in a cell-based assay system. In colon cancer cells, NR affected the protein stability of β-catenin, as shown by immunoblotting, and it affected the target gene expression of β-catenin, as shown by quantitative real-time PCR. NR's potential as an anticancer drug was further estimated by colony formation and cell migration assays and by using a mouse xenograft model. RESULTS We identified NR as an uncompetitive inhibitor of USP4 and validated its effects in colorectal cancer. NR-treated cells showed decreased β-catenin stability and reduced expression of β-catenin target genes. Additionally, treating colon cancer cells with NR significantly reduced colony formation and cell migration, and injecting NR into a mouse xenograft model reduced the tumor volume. CONCLUSION The current results suggest that NR could be developed as an anticancer drug targeting USP4, and they support the possibility of developing specific DUB inhibitors as therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoa Hong Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Truc Kim
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Thanh Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Myong-Joon Hahn
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Il Yun
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea,
| | - Kyeong Kyu Kim
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea,
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22
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Geng N, Li Y, Zhang W, Wang F, Wang X, Jin Z, Xing Y, Li D, Zhang H, Li Y, Li X, Cheng M, Jin F, Li F. A PAK5-DNPEP- USP4 axis dictates breast cancer growth and metastasis. Int J Cancer 2019; 146:1139-1151. [PMID: 31219614 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Although clinically associated with the progression of multiple cancers, the biological function of p21-activated kinase 5 (PAK5) in breast cancer remains largely unknown. Here, we reveal that the PAK5-aspartyl aminopeptidase (DNPEP)-ubiquitin-specific protease 4 (USP4) axis is involved in breast cancer progression. We show that PAK5 interacts with and phosphorylates DNPEP at serine 119. Functionally, we demonstrate that DNPEP overexpression suppresses breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion and restricts breast cancer growth and metastasis in mice. Furthermore, we identify USP4 as a downstream target of the PAK5-DNPEP pathway; DNPEP mediates USP4 downregulation. Importantly, we verify that DNPEP expression is frequently downregulated in breast cancer tissues and is negatively correlated with PAK5 and USP4 expression. PAK5 decreases DNPEP abundance via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Consistently, analyses of clinical breast cancer specimens revealed significantly increased PAK5 and USP4 levels and an association between higher PAK5 and USP4 expression and worse breast cancer patient survival. These findings suggest a pivotal role for PAK5-elicited signaling in breast cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanxi Geng
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Wenyu Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Unit of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Zining Jin
- Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Unit of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yao Xing
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Danni Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yanshu Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Maosheng Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Feng Jin
- Department of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Unit of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
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23
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Liang Y, Song X, Li Y, Ma T, Su P, Guo R, Chen B, Zhang H, Sang Y, Liu Y, Duan Y, Zhang N, Li X, Zhao W, Wang L, Yang Q. Targeting the circBMPR2/miR-553/ USP4 Axis as a Potent Therapeutic Approach for Breast Cancer. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2019; 17:347-361. [PMID: 31302495 PMCID: PMC6626870 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2019.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Revised: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) have crucial roles in various processes, including cancer development and progression. However, the functional roles of circRNAs in breast cancer remain to be elucidated. In this study, we identified a novel circRNA (named circBMPR2) whose expression was lower in breast cancer tissues with metastasis. Moreover, circBMPR2 expression was negatively associated with the motility of breast cancer cells and significantly downregulated in human breast cancer tissues. Functionally, we found that circBMPR2 knockdown effectively enhanced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Moreover, circBMPR2 knockdown promoted tamoxifen resistance of breast cancer cells through inhibiting tamoxifen-induced apoptosis, whereas circBMPR2 overexpression led to decreased tamoxifen resistance. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that circBMPR2 could abundantly sponge miR-553 and that miR-553 overexpression could attenuate the inhibitory effects caused by circBMPR2 overexpression. We also found that ubiquitin-specific protease 4 (USP4) was a direct target of miR-553, which functions as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer. Our findings demonstrated that circBMPR2 might function as a miR-553 sponge and then relieve the suppression of USP4 to inhibit the progression and tamoxifen resistance of breast cancer. Targeting this newly identified circRNA may help us to develop potential novel therapies for breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Liang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaojin Song
- Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Yaming Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Tingting Ma
- Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Peng Su
- Department of Pathology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Renbo Guo
- Department of Urology, Shandong Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Bing Chen
- Pathology Tissue Bank, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Hanwen Zhang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Yuting Sang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Yi Duan
- Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Ning Zhang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Wenjing Zhao
- Pathology Tissue Bank, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Lijuan Wang
- Pathology Tissue Bank, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China
| | - Qifeng Yang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China; Pathology Tissue Bank, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China.
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24
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Abstract
Background Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most common brain tumors in adults. Current treatments cannot increase survival to a large extent, as the glioblastoma development mechanisms remain unknown. It has been well documented that ubiquitination contributes to tumor initiation and/or progression in many kinds of cancer. Ubiquitin-specific protease 4 (USP4), a member of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) family, can remove ubiquitin residues and play a role in cancer development. Methods In the current study, lentiviruses were used to manipulate the expression of USP4. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to measure the expression level of USP4. Then, CCK-8 and annexin-V staining were used to detect cell proliferation and cell apoptosis, respectively. Results First, we found that USP4 was highly upregulated in GBM tissues in comparison with that in normal tissues and high level of USP4 correlated with poor prognosis. Moreover, knockdown of USP4 could significantly inhibit cell proliferation and increase cell apoptosis in U87 and T98G cells. Cells with stable USP4 reduction exhibited slower tumor growth rate and smaller tumor size than the control group cells in a xenograft mouse model. Inhibition of USP4 downregulated the expression of PCNA, Bcl-2 and p-ERK1/2, but upregulated the expression of Bax both in vitro and in vivo. Inversely, USP4 overexpression could attenuate the effects contributed by ERK inhibitor. TGF-βR inhibition reduced level of TGF-βR1, p-smad2 and p-ERK1/2 which can partially be rescued by USP4 overexpression. Conclusion USP4, as a potential novel oncogene, promotes GBM by activation of ERK pathway through regulating TGF-β.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudong Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, People's Republic of China,
| | - Ping Liang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, People's Republic of China,
| | - Wenyuan Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, People's Republic of China,
| | - Zengpeng Yu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, People's Republic of China,
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, People's Republic of China,
| | - Li Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, People's Republic of China, .,Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing 400014, People's Republic of China, .,China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing 400014, People's Republic of China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing 400014, People's Republic of China,
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25
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Teyra J, Singer AU, Schmitges FW, Jaynes P, Kit Leng Lui S, Polyak MJ, Fodil N, Krieger JR, Tong J, Schwerdtfeger C, Brasher BB, Ceccarelli DFJ, Moffat J, Sicheri F, Moran MF, Gros P, Eichhorn PJA, Lenter M, Boehmelt G, Sidhu SS. Structural and Functional Characterization of Ubiquitin Variant Inhibitors of USP15. Structure 2019; 27:590-605.e5. [PMID: 30713027 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2019.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The multi-domain deubiquitinase USP15 regulates diverse eukaryotic processes and has been implicated in numerous diseases. We developed ubiquitin variants (UbVs) that targeted either the catalytic domain or each of three adaptor domains in USP15, including the N-terminal DUSP domain. We also designed a linear dimer (diUbV), which targeted the DUSP and catalytic domains, and exhibited enhanced specificity and more potent inhibition of catalytic activity than either UbV alone. In cells, the UbVs inhibited the deubiquitination of two USP15 substrates, SMURF2 and TRIM25, and the diUbV inhibited the effects of USP15 on the transforming growth factor β pathway. Structural analyses revealed that three distinct UbVs bound to the catalytic domain and locked the active site in a closed, inactive conformation, and one UbV formed an unusual strand-swapped dimer and bound two DUSP domains simultaneously. These inhibitors will enable the study of USP15 function in oncology, neurology, immunology, and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Teyra
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Alex U Singer
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Frank W Schmitges
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Patrick Jaynes
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sarah Kit Leng Lui
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Maria J Polyak
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Corbin Therapeutics, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nassima Fodil
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Corbin Therapeutics, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jonathan R Krieger
- SPARC BioCentre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Jiefei Tong
- Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | | | - Bradley B Brasher
- Boston Biochem, a Bio-Techne Brand, 840 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Derek F J Ceccarelli
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Jason Moffat
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Frank Sicheri
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Michael F Moran
- SPARC BioCentre, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Philippe Gros
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Pieter J A Eichhorn
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Martin Lenter
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG, Biberach, Germany
| | | | - Sachdev S Sidhu
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E1, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
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26
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Zhou J, Qiu T, Wang T, Chen Z, Ma X, Zhang L, Zou J. USP4 deficiency exacerbates hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion injury via TAK1 signalling. Clin Sci (Lond) 2019; 133:335-49. [PMID: 30622220 DOI: 10.1042/CS20180959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2018] [Revised: 01/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 4 (USP4) protein is a type of deubiquitination enzyme that is correlated with many important biological processes. However, the function of USP4 in hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to explore the role of USP4 in hepatic I/R injury. USP4 gene knockout mice and primary hepatocytes were used to construct hepatic I/R models. The effect of USP4 on hepatic I/R injury was examined via pathological and molecular analyses. Our results indicated that USP4 was significantly up-regulated in liver of mice subjected to hepatic I/R injury. USP4 knockout mice exhibited exacerbated hepatic I/R injury, as evidenced by enhanced liver inflammation via the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signalling pathway and increased hepatocyte apoptosis. Additionally, USP4 overexpression inhibited hepatocyte inflammation and apoptosis on hepatic I/R stimulation. Mechanistically, our study demonstrates that USP4 deficiency exerts its detrimental effects on hepatic I/R injury by inducing activation of the transforming growth factor β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1)/JNK signalling pathways. TAK1 was required for USP4 function in hepatic I/R injury as TAK1 inhibition abolished USP4 function in vitro In conclusion, our study demonstrates that USP4 deficiency plays a detrimental role in hepatic I/R injury by promoting activation of the TAK1/JNK signalling pathways. Modulation of this axis may be a novel strategy to alleviate the pathological process of hepatic I/R injury.
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Wang Y, Zhang J, Wu L, Liu W, Wei G, Gong X, Liu Y, Ma Z, Ma F, Thiery JP, Chen L. Tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome 1 protein functions as a scaffold required for ubiquitin-specific protease 4-directed histone deacetylase 2 de-ubiquitination and tumor growth. Breast Cancer Res 2018; 20:83. [PMID: 30071870 PMCID: PMC6090974 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-018-1018-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although numerous studies have reported that tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome type I (TRPS1) protein, the only reported atypical GATA transcription factor, is overexpressed in various carcinomas, the underlying mechanism(s) by which it contributes to cancer remain unknown. Methods Both overexpression and knockdown of TRPS1 assays were performed to examine the effect of TRPS1 on histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) protein level and luminal breast cancer cell proliferation. Also, RT-qRCR, luciferase reporter assay and RNA-sequencing were used for transcription detection. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) using H4K16ac antibody in conjunction with qPCR was used for determining H4K16ac levels in targeted genes. Furthermore, in vitro cell proliferation assay and in vivo tumor xenografts were used to detect the effect of TRPS1 on tumor growth. Results We found that TRPS1 scaffolding recruits and enhances interaction between USP4 and HDAC2 leading to HDAC2 de-ubiquitination and H4K16 deacetylation. We detected repression of a set of cellular growth-related genes by the TRPS1-USP4-HDAC2 axis indicating it is essential in tumor growth. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that silencing TRPS1 reduced tumor growth, whereas overexpression of HDAC2 restored tumor growth. Conclusion Our study deciphered the TRPS1-USP4-HDAC2 axis as a novel mechanism that contributes to tumor growth. Significantly, our results revealed the scaffolding function of TPRS1 in USP4-directed HDAC2 de-ubiquitination and provided new mechanistic insights into the crosstalk between TRPS1, ubiquitin, and histone modification systems leading to tumor growth. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13058-018-1018-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhi Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Lele Wu
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiguang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Guanyun Wei
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Gong
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhifang Ma
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Fei Ma
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Jean Paul Thiery
- Cancer Science Institute, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, Singapore.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Liming Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, Institute of Life Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China. .,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China.
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Yao R, Pu J, Fan R, Zhu W, Ding X, Shen X, Zhang T. Ubiquitin-specific protease 4 improves the prognosis of the patients in esophageal cancer. Cancer Biomark 2018; 20:317-323. [PMID: 28946564 DOI: 10.3233/cbm-170308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Our study mainly investigated ubiquitin-specific protease 4 (USP4) expression in pathogenesis of esophageal cancer. The data showed significantly increased expression of USP4 in cancer tissues compared to that in para-carcinoma tissues (68.38% ± 25.60% vs 13.04% ± 9.95%, P= 0.000) and positive correlation between USP4 and pathology grade (r= 0.249, P= 0.014), although survival analysis revealed that USP4 expression was positively associated with the prognosis (32.4% vs 10.9%, P= 0.043). Grouped analysis revealed that the prognosis of patients with high USP4 expression were significantly better only in the small tumor subgroup (diameter ⩽ 5 cm) (52.6% VS 8.6%, P= 0.001) and the early stage subgroup (stages 1 and 2) (60.0% VS 16.7%, P= 0.006). Moreover, in the subgroup of clinical stages 1 and 2 with tumor diameter ⩽ 5 cm, high USP4 expression prolonged the survival time of esophageal cancer patients more significantly (75.5% VS 5.9%, P= 0.000). Based on these results, we speculated that it was possible to significantly improve the prognosis of patients with low USP4 expression by targeted therapy in early esophageal cancer. Taken together, our study uncovered a previously unknown function of USP4 in esophageal cancer and more investigations would be carried out to further study its regulation gene network and molecular biological mechanism in esophageal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Yao
- Departments of Oncology, Huaian First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China.,Departments of Oncology, Huaian First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Juan Pu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Lianshui People's Hospital, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China.,Departments of Oncology, Huaian First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ruihua Fan
- Departments of Oncology, Huaian First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weiguo Zhu
- Departments of Radiation Oncology, Huaian First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaorong Ding
- Departments of Oncology, Huaian First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoying Shen
- Shanghai Outdo Biotech Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201399, China
| | - Tiecheng Zhang
- Departments of Oncology, Huaian First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223300, Jiangsu, China
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Guo W, Ma J, Pei T, Zhao T, Guo S, Yi X, Liu Y, Wang S, Zhu G, Jian Z, Gao T, Li C, Liao W, Shi Q. Up-regulated deubiquitinase USP4 plays an oncogenic role in melanoma. J Cell Mol Med 2018; 22:2944-2954. [PMID: 29542252 PMCID: PMC5908120 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.13603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the most malignant skin cancer with increasing incidence worldwide. Although innovative therapies such as BRAF inhibitor and immune checkpoint inhibitor have gained remarkable advances, metastatic melanoma remains an incurable disease for its notorious aggressiveness. Therefore, further clarification of the underlying mechanism of melanoma pathogenesis is critical for the improvement of melanoma therapy. Ubiquitination is an important regulatory event for cancer hallmarks and melanoma development, and the deubiquitinating enzymes including ubiquitin-specific peptidase (USP) families are greatly implicated in modulating cancer biology. Herein, we first found that the expression of the deubiquitinase USP4 was significantly up-regulated in melanoma tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, although USP4 knockdown had little impact on melanoma cell proliferation, it could increase the sensitivity to DNA damage agent cisplatin. We subsequently showed that USP4 regulated cisplatin-induced cell apoptosis via p53 signalling. More importantly, USP4 could accentuate the invasive and migratory capacity of melanoma cells by promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Altogether, our results demonstrate that the up-regulated USP4 plays an oncogenic role in melanoma by simultaneously suppressing stress-induced cell apoptosis and facilitating tumour metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weinan Guo
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jinyuan Ma
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tianli Pei
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tao Zhao
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Sen Guo
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiuli Yi
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shiyu Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Guannan Zhu
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhe Jian
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tianwen Gao
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chunying Li
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wenjun Liao
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiong Shi
- Department of Dermatology, Xijing hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
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30
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Zhong M, Jiang Q, Jin R. USP4 expression independently predicts favorable survival in lung adenocarcinoma. IUBMB Life 2018; 70:670-677. [PMID: 29667299 DOI: 10.1002/iub.1755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Ubiquitin specific protease 4 (USP4) is a member of the USPs family, which catalyzes the cleavage of ubiquitin from a series of protein substrates, thereby modulating a number of cellular signaling pathways. In this study, we aimed to explore the expression profile of USP4 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) using large patient cohorts in the Cancer Genome Atlas and the International Cancer Genome Consortium and to investigate its prognostic value and the possible mechanisms of its dysregulation. Results showed that USP4 was significantly downregulated in LUAD tissues (N = 514) compared with the normal controls (N = 59). The high USP4 expression group had significantly better overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Multivariate analysis showed that preserved USP4 expression was an independent prognostic factor of favorable OS (HR: 0.574, 95%CI: 0.427-0.771, P < 0.001) and RFS (HR: 0.625, 95%CI: 0.444-0.880, P = 0.007) in LUAD. In comparison, although USP4 was downregulated in lung squamous cell carcinoma, its expression had no prognostic value in term of OS and RFS. By examining USP4 DNA copy number alterations (CNAs) (N = 511) and DNA methylation (N = 453) in LUAD, we found that DNA shallow deletion was frequent (-1, N = 239, 46.8%) and was associated with significantly decreased USP4 expression compared with the copy-neutral (0) cases. The methylation status of some CpG sites in USP4 DNA was negatively correlated with USP4 expression. Based on these findings, we infer that USP4 expression might be a favorable biomarker in terms of OS and RFS in LUAD patients. DNA shallow deletion and hypermethylation might be two important mechanisms of decreased USP4 in these patients. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 70(7):670-677, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhong
- Department of Respiration, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Qi Jiang
- Department of Nephrology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Ronghui Jin
- Department of Respiration, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
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31
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Zhou F, Xie F, Jin K, Zhang Z, Clerici M, Gao R, van Dinther M, Sixma TK, Huang H, Zhang L, Ten Dijke P. USP4 inhibits SMAD4 monoubiquitination and promotes activin and BMP signaling. EMBO J 2017; 36:1623-1639. [PMID: 28468752 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201695372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Revised: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
SMAD4 is a common intracellular effector for TGF-β family cytokines, but the mechanism by which its activity is dynamically regulated is unclear. We demonstrated that ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) 4 strongly induces activin/BMP signaling by removing the inhibitory monoubiquitination from SMAD4. This modification was triggered by the recruitment of the E3 ligase, SMURF2, to SMAD4 following ligand-induced regulatory (R)-SMAD-SMAD4 complex formation. Whereas the interaction of the negative regulator c-SKI inhibits SMAD4 monoubiquitination, the ligand stimulates the recruitment of SMURF2 to the c-SKI-SMAD2 complex and triggers c-SKI ubiquitination and degradation. Thus, SMURF2 has a role in termination and initiation of TGF-β family signaling. An increase in monoubiquitinated SMAD4 in USP4-depleted mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) decreased both the BMP- and activin-induced changes in the embryonic stem cell fate. USP4 sustained SMAD4 activity during activin- and BMP-mediated morphogenic events in early zebrafish embryos. Moreover, zebrafish depleted of USP4 exhibited defective cell migration and slower coordinated cell movement known as epiboly, both of which could be rescued by SMAD4. Therefore, USP4 is a critical determinant of SMAD4 activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Zhou
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Cancer Genomics Centre Netherlands, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Institutes of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Feng Xie
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ke Jin
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhengkui Zhang
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Marcello Clerici
- Department of Biochemistry, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rui Gao
- Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Chonqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Maarten van Dinther
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Cancer Genomics Centre Netherlands, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Titia K Sixma
- Department of Biochemistry, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Huizhe Huang
- Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Chonqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China .,Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Cancer Genomics Centre Netherlands, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Ten Dijke
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Cancer Genomics Centre Netherlands, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Zhou F, Li F, Fang P, Dai T, Yang B, van Dam H, Jia J, Zheng M, Zhang L. Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 4 Antagonizes Osteoblast Differentiation Through Dishevelled. J Bone Miner Res 2016; 31:1888-1898. [PMID: 27128386 DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.2863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a pivotal role and is essentially required for the osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. In this study, we found ubiquitin-specific peptidase 4 (USP4) to strongly inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signaling by removing Lysine-63 linked poly-ubiquitin chain from Dishevelled (Dvl). Ectopic expression of USP4 promoted β-catenin poly-ubiquitination and thus inhibited Wnt-induced accumulation of cytosolic β-catenin and counteracted Wnt-induced transcriptional activity. Moreover, USP4 knockdown or USP4 knockout led to an increase in the active β-catenin levels and in activation of Wnt/β-catenin-induced transcription. Functional studies in C2C12 myoblasts and KS483 osteoprogenitor cells showed that ectopic expression of USP4 resulted in impaired activation of endogenous Wnt3a-induced genes and decreased osteoblast differentiation and mineralization, whereas USP4 depletion showed the opposite effect. These results identify USP4 as a novel regulator of Dvl in Wnt/β-catenin signal and show its involvement in Wnt3a-induced osteoblast differentiation. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Zhou
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. .,Institutes of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, PR China. .,Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Cancer Genomics Centre Netherlands, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Fang Li
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pengfei Fang
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tong Dai
- Institutes of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, PR China
| | - Bing Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hans van Dam
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Cancer Genomics Centre Netherlands, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Junling Jia
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Min Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnostic and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, Hangzhou, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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33
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Liu C, Liu C, Liu H, Gong L, Tao T, Shen Y, Zhu S, Shen A. Increased Expression of Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 4 Participates in Neuronal Apoptosis After Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Adult Rats. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2016; 37:427-435. [PMID: 27114249 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-016-0375-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Ubiquitinating enzymes catalyze protein ubiquitination, a reversible process countered by deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) action. Ubiquitin-specific protease 4 (USP4) is a member of the ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) family of DUBs that has a role in spliceosome regulation. In the present study, we demonstrated that USP4 may be involved in neuronal apoptosis in the processes of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We obtained a significant up-regulation of USP4 in neurons adjacent to the hematoma following ICH by the results of Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. Increasing USP4 level was found to be accompanied by the up-regulation of active caspase-3, γH2AX, Bax, and decreased expression of Bcl-2. In addition, USP4 co-localized well with γH2AX in the nucleus in the ICH model and hemin-induced apoptosis model. Moreover, in vitro study, knocking down USP4 by USP4-specific siRNA in PC12 cells reduced active caspase-3 expression. All these results above suggested that USP4 may be involved in neuronal apoptosis after ICH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chun Liu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hanzhang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Leilei Gong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Tao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yifen Shen
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Medical College of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shunxing Zhu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Aiguo Shen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China. .,Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
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Kaasinen E, Rahikkala E, Koivunen P, Miettinen S, Wamelink MMC, Aavikko M, Palin K, Myllyharju J, Moilanen JS, Pajunen L, Karhu A, Aaltonen LA. Clinical characterization, genetic mapping and whole-genome sequence analysis of a novel autosomal recessive intellectual disability syndrome. Eur J Med Genet 2014; 57:543-51. [PMID: 25078763 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2014.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/18/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
We identified six patients presenting with a strikingly similar clinical phenotype of profound syndromic intellectual disability of unknown etiology. All patients lived in the same village. Extensive genealogical work revealed that the healthy parents of the patients were all distantly related to a common ancestor from the 17th century, suggesting autosomal recessive inheritance. In addition to intellectual disability, the clinical features included hypotonia, strabismus, difficulty to fix the eyes to an object, planovalgus in the feet, mild contractures in elbow joints, interphalangeal joint hypermobility and coarse facial features that develop gradually during childhood. The clinical phenotype did not fit any known syndrome. Genome-wide SNP genotyping of the patients and genetic mapping revealed the longest shared homozygosity at 3p22.1-3p21.1 encompassing 11.5 Mb, with no other credible candidate loci emerging. Single point parametric linkage analysis showed logarithm of the odds score of 11 for the homozygous region, thus identifying a novel intellectual disability predisposition locus. Whole-genome sequencing of one affected individual pinpointed three genes with potentially protein damaging homozygous sequence changes within the predisposition locus: transketolase (TKT), prolyl 4-hydroxylase transmembrane (P4HTM), and ubiquitin specific peptidase 4 (USP4). The changes were found in heterozygous form with 0.3-0.7% allele frequencies in 402 whole-genome sequenced controls from the north-east of Finland. No homozygotes were found in this nor additional control data sets. Our study facilitates clinical and molecular diagnosis of patients with this novel autosomal recessive intellectual disability syndrome. However, further studies are needed to unambiguously identify the underlying genetic defect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eevi Kaasinen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Genome-Scale Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki and Haartman Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elisa Rahikkala
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Peppi Koivunen
- Biocenter Oulu, Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Sirpa Miettinen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Mirjam M C Wamelink
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mervi Aavikko
- Department of Medical Genetics, Genome-Scale Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki and Haartman Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kimmo Palin
- Department of Medical Genetics, Genome-Scale Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki and Haartman Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johanna Myllyharju
- Biocenter Oulu, Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Jukka S Moilanen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Leila Pajunen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Auli Karhu
- Department of Medical Genetics, Genome-Scale Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki and Haartman Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lauri A Aaltonen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Genome-Scale Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki and Haartman Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
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