Is 26S proteasome non-ATPase regulatory subunit 6 a potential molecular target for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma?

In this editorial we comment on the article by Tang et al published in the recent issue of World Journal of Hepatology.Drug therapy of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(iCCA)poses an enormous challenge since only a small proportion of patients demonstrate beneficial responses to therapeutic agents.Thus,there has been a sustained search for novel molecular targets for iCCA.The study by Tang et al evaluated the role of 26S proteasome non-ATPase regulatory subunit 6(PSMD6),a 19S regulatory subunit of the proteasome,in human iCCA cells and specimens.The authors employed clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat(CRISPR)knockout screening technology integrated with the computational CERES algorithm,and analyzed the human protein atlas(THPA)database and tissue microarrays.The results show that PSMD6 is a gene essential for the proliferation of 17 iCCA cell lines,and PSMD6 protein was overexpressed in iCCA tissues without a significant correlation with the clinicopathological parameters.The authors conclude that PSMD6 may play a promoting role in iCCA.The major limitations and defects of this study are the lack of detailed information of CRISPR knockout screening,in vivo experiments,and a discussion of plausible mechanistic cues,which,therefore,dampen the significance of the results.Further studies are required to verify PSMD6 as a molecular target for developing novel therapeutics for iCCA.In addition,the editorial article summarizes the latest advances in molecular targeted drugs and recently emerging immunotherapy in the clinical management of iCCA,development of proteasome inhibitors for cancer therapy,and advantages of CRISPR screening technology,computational methods,and THPA database as experimental tools for fighting cancer.We hope that these comments may provide some clues for those engaged in the field of basic and clinical research into iCCA.

Increased expression of the 20S proteasome in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of type 2 diabetic patients

Objective To investigate the dynamic expression of the 20S proteasome in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)of type 2 diabetic patients without vascular complications.Methods PBMCs were prepared from 30 type 2 diabetic patients and 30 nondiabetic controls.The general indexes including weight,height and blood pressure were recorded.Fasting plasma glucose,fasting plasma insulin and glycosylated hemoglobin were measured.The protein level of the 20S proteasome was measured by Western blotting.The mRNA expression levels of the 20S proteasome β1,β2 and β5 subunits were detected by real-time PCR.Results Compared with that in the nondiabetic controls,the protein level of the 20S proteasome was significantly increased in the diabetic patients and was positively associated with glycosylated hemoglobin.Conclusion Type 2 diabetic patients without vascular complications have an increased 20S proteasome expression,the significance of which needs to be explored by further study.

Overexpression of proteasome 26S subunit non-ATPase 6 protein and its clinicopathological significance in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND Currently,intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)poses a continuing,significant health challenge,but the relationship has yet to be established between ICC and the proteasome 26S subunit non-ATPase 6(PSMD6).AIM To investigate the protein expression and clinicopathological significance of PSMD6 in ICC.METHODS The potential impact of the PSMD6 gene on the growth of ICC cell lines was analyzed using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat knockout screening technology.Forty-two paired specimens of ICC and adjacent noncancerous tissues were collected.PSMD6 protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to validate PSMD6 expression level,and its association with ICC patients’various clinicopathological characteristics was investigated.RESULTS The PSMD6 gene was found to be essential for the growth of ICC cell lines.PSMD6 protein was significantly overexpressed in ICC tissues(P<0.001),but showed no significant association with patient age,gender,pathological grade,or tumor-node-metastasis stage(P>0.05).CONCLUSION PSMD6 can promote the growth of ICC cells,thus playing a pro-oncogenic role.

Implication of altered proteasome function in alcoholic liverinjury

The proteasome is a major protein-degrading enzyme, which catalyzes degradation of oxidized and aged proteins, signal transduction factors and cleaves peptides for antigen presentation. Proteasome exists in the equilibrium of 26S and 20S particles. Proteasome function is altered by ethanol metabolism, depending on oxidative stress levels： low oxidative stress induces proteasome activity, while high oxidative stress reduces it. The proposed mechanisms for modulation of proteasome activity are related to oxidative modification of proteasomal proteins with primary and secondary products derived from ethanol oxidation. Decreased proteolysis by the proteasome results in the accumulation of insoluble protein aggregates, which cannot be degraded by proteasome and which further inhibit proteasome function. Mallory bodies, a common signature of alcoholic liver diseases, are formed by liver cells, when proteasome is unable to remove cytokeratins. Proteasome inhibition by ethanol also promotes the accumulation of pro-apoptotic factors in mitochondria of ethanol-metabolizing liver cells that are normally degraded by proteasome. In addition, decreased proteasome function also induces accumulation of the negative regulators of cytokine signaling （I-~B and SOCS）, thereby blocking cytokine signal transduction. Finally, ethanol-elicited blockade of interferon type 2 and 2 signaling and decreased proteasome function impairs generation of peptides for MHC class Ⅰ-restricted antigen presentation.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of sulfonamide flavone derivatives as potential 20S proteasome inhibitors

A new series of sulfonamide flavone derivatives are designed as non-covalent inhibitors of proteasome assisted with computer-aided drug design （CADD）. The desired compounds were synthesized successfully and the biological evaluation was subsequently accomplished. The results showed negligible improvement from our lead compound （IC50 for β5 subunit was 14.0 μM）. Thus, these flavone derivatives might be improved as potential 20S proteasome inhibitors.

Design,synthesis and biological evaluation of pyrrolidinone analogs as potential 20S proteasome inhibitors

A novel series of pyrrolidinone analogs that are designed as Michael addition acceptors to react irreversibly with the proteasome active site Thr1O~γhave been synthesized.Although biological evaluation results show that the compounds display poor inhibitory activity towards the proteasome active sites,pyrrolidinone analogs might still be modified to be potential 20S proteasome inhibitors.

Synthesis of acyclic analogs of Syringolin A as potential 20S proteasome inhibitors

A series of acyclic analogs of natural product Syringolin A （SylA） were designed and synthesized during our synthetic efforts for SylA. These acyclic analogs were prepared through a seven-step linear strategy, with total yields varying from 20%-34% for one type of analogs and 12%-18% for the other. These compounds bear a common structure of peptidyl vinyl amide, which reacts irreversibly with the proteasomal active site ThrlO^γ through Michael-type 1,4-addition. Therefore, these acyclic analogs may function the same way as SylA, as potential 20S proteasome inhibitors.

PUB22 and PUB23 U-box E3 ubiquitin ligases negatively regulate 26S proteasome activity under proteotoxic stress conditions

The mechanism regulating proteasomal activity under proteotoxic stress conditions remains unclear.Here,we showed that arsenite-induced proteotoxic stress resulted in upregulation of Arabidopsis homologous PUB22 and PUB23 U-boxE3 ubiquitin ligases and that pub22 pub23 double mutants displayed arsenite-insensitive seed germination and root growth phenotypes.PUB22/PUB23 downregulated 26 S proteasome activity by promoting the dissociation of the 19 S regulatory particle from the holo-proteasome complex,resulting in intracellular accumulation of UbG76 VGFP,an artificial substrate of the proteasome complex,and insoluble poly-ubiquitinated proteins.These results suggest that PUB22/PUB23 play a critical role in arsenite-induced proteotoxic stress response via negative regulation of 26 S proteasome integrity.

Cryo-EM structure of the plant 26S proteasome

Targeted proteolysis is a hallmark of life.It is especially important in long-lived cells that can be found in higher eukaryotes,like plants.This task is mainly fulfilled by the ubiquitin–proteasome system.Thus,proteolysis by the 26S proteasome is vital to development,immunity,and cell division.Although the yeast and animal proteasomes are well characterized,there is only limited information on the plant proteasome.We determined the first plant 26S proteasome structure from Spinacia oleracea by single-particle electron cryogenic microscopy at an overall resolution of 3.3 A°.We found an almost identical overall architecture of the spinach proteasome compared with the known structures from mammals and yeast.Nevertheless,we noticed a structural difference in the proteolytic active b1 subunit.Furthermore,we uncovered an unseen compression state by characterizing the proteasome’s conformational landscape.We suspect that this new conformation of the 20S core protease,in correlation with a partial opening of the unoccupied gate,may contribute to peptide release after proteolysis.Our data provide a structural basis for the plant proteasome,which is crucial for further studies.

A converged ubiquitin-proteasome pathway for the degradation of TOC and TOM tail-anchored receptors

In plants,thousands of nucleus-encoded proteins translated in the cytosol are sorted to chloroplasts and mitochondria by binding to specific receptors of the TOC(translocon on the outer chloroplast membrane)and the TOM(translocon on the outer mitochondrial membrane)complexes for import into those organelles.The degradation pathways for these receptors are unclear.Here,we discovered a converged ubiquitin-proteasome pathway for the degradation of Arabidopsis thaliana TOC and TOM tail-anchored receptors.The receptors are ubiquitinated by E3 ligase(s)and pulled from the outer membranes by the AAA+adenosine triphosphatase CDC48,after which a previously uncharacterized cytosolic protein,transmembrane domain(TMD)-binding protein for tail-anchored outer membrane proteins(TTOP),binds to the exposed TMDs at the C termini of the receptors and CDC48,and delivers these complexes to the 26S proteasome.

The proteasome activator subunit PSME1 promotes HBV replication by inhibiting the degradation of HBV core protein

Chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and he-patocellular carcinoma,representing a global health problem for which a functional cure is difficult to achieve.The HBV core protein(HBc)is essential for multiple steps in the viral life cycle.It is the building block of the nucleocapsid in which viral DNA reverse transcription oc-curs,and its mediation role in viral-host cell interactions is critical to HBV infection persis-tence.However,systematic studies targeting HBc-interacting proteins remain lacking.Here,we combined HBc with the APEX2 to systematically identify HBc-related host proteins in living cells.Using functional screening,we confirmed that proteasome activator subunit 1(PSME1)is a potent HBV-associated host factor.PSME1 expression was up-regulated upon HBV infection,and the protein level of HBc decreased after PSME1 knockdown.Mechanistically,the interac-tion between PSME1 and HBc inhibited the degradation of HBc by the 26S proteasome,thereby improving the stability of the HBc protein.Furthermore,PSME1 silencing inhibits HBV tran-scription in the HBV infection system.Our findings reveal an important mechanism by which PSME1 regulates HBc proteins and may facilitate the development of new antiviral therapies targeting PSME1 function.

Recent advances in identification of male specificity determinant and its function in S-RNase-mediated gametophytic self-incompatibility

S-RNase-mediated gametophytic self-incompatibility （GSI） is controlled by a multiallelic S-locus at which two separate genes, the female （pistil） and male （pollen） specificity determinants, are tightly linked. This review described both the identification of pollen specific F-box genes, SLF/SFBs, in Antirrhinum, Petunia and Prunus species and the demonstration of SLF/SFB as pollen determinant together with their functions in GSI response. Recent studies of how the pollen determinant functions in pollination reaction revealed that pollen determinant interacted with S-RNases in a non-allele-specific manner. It targeted all of the non-self S-RNases for ubiquitination through a functional SCF complex and subsequent degradation via 26S proteasome pathway in compatible reaction. It allows pollen tube to reach into the embryo sac and to finish double fertilization. In incompatible response, the intact self S-RNases were left to function as a cytotoxin that degrades self-pollen tube RNA, resulting in the cessation of pollen tube growth.

How does conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor protect against and rescue neurodegeneration of PC12 cells？

Conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor protects and rescues dopaminergic neurodegeneration induced by 6-hydroxydopamine in vivo,but its potential value in treating Parkinson＇s disease remains controversial.Here,we used the proteasome inhibitors lactacystin and MG132 to induce neurodegeneration of PC12 cells.Afterwards,conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor was administrated as a therapeutic factor,both pretreatment and posttreatment.Our results showed that（1）conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor enhanced lactacystin/MG132-induced cell viability and morphology,and attenuated alpha-synuclein accumulation in differentiated PC12 cells.（2）Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay showed up-regulated 26S proteasomal activity in MG132-induced PC12 cells after pre-and posttreatment with conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor.Similarly,26S proteasome activity was upregulated in lactacystin-induced PC12 cells pretreated with conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor.（3）With regard proteolytic enzymes（specifically,glutamyl peptide hydrolase,chymotrypsin,and trypsin）,glutamyl peptide hydrolase activity was up-regulated in lactacystin/MG132-administered PC12 cells after pre-and posttreatment with conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor.However,upregulation of chymotrypsin activity was only observed in MG132-administered PC12 cells pretreated with conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor.There was no change in trypsin expression.We conclude that conserved dopamine neurotrophic factor develops its neurotrophic effects by modulating proteasomal activities,and thereby protects and rescues PC12 cells against neurodegeneration.

Bortezomib effect on E2F and cyclin family members in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines

AIM: To evaluate the effects of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (BZB) on E2Fs and related genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.

The role of proteasomes in tumorigenesis

Protein homeostasis is the basis of normal life activities,and the proteasomefamily plays an extremely important function in this process.The proteasome 2os is a concentric circle structure with twoαrings and twoβrings overlapped.The proteasome 2os can perform both ATP-dependent and non-ATP-dependent ubiquitination proteasome degradation by binding to various subunits(such as 19S,11S,and 200 PA),which is performed by its active subunitβ1,β2,andβ5.The proteasome can degrade misfolded,excess proteins tomaintain homeostasis.At the same time,it can be utilized by tumors to degrade over-proliferate and unwanted proteins to support their growth.Proteasomes can affect the development of tumors from several aspects including tumor signaling pathways such as NF-kB and p53,cell cycle,immune regulation,and drug resistance.Proteasome-encoding genes have been found to be overexpressed in a variety of tumors,providing a potential novel target for cancer therapy.In addition,proteasome inhibitors such as bortezomib,carfilzomib,and ixazomib have been put into clinical application as the first-line treatment of multiple myeloma.More and more studies have shown that it also has different therapeutic effects in other tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma,non-small cell lung cancer,glioblastoma,and neuroblastoma.However,proteasome inhibitors are not much effective due to their tolerance and singleness in other tumors.Therefore,further studies on their mechanisms of action and drug interactions are needed to investigate their therapeutic potential.

Selective recognition of PTRE1 transcripts mediated by protein-protein interaction between the m^(6)A reader ECT2 and PTRE1

N^(6)-methyladenosine (m^(6)A) is a prevalent internal post-transcriptional modification in eukaryotic RNAs executed by m^(6)A-binding proteins known as “readers.” Our previous research demonstrated that the Arabidopsis m^(6)A reader ECT2 positively regulates transcript levels of the proteasome regulator PTRE1 and several 20S proteasome subunits, thereby enhancing 26S proteasome activity. However, mechanism underlying the selective recognition of m^(6)A targets by readers, such as ECT2, remains elusive. In this study, we further demonstrate that ECT2 physically interacts with PTRE1 and several 20S proteasome subunits. This interaction, which occurs on the ribosome, involves the N terminus of PTRE1, suggesting that ECT2 might bind to the nascent PTRE1 polypeptide. Deleting ECT2’s protein interaction domain impairs its mRNA-binding ability, whereas mutations in the m^(6)A-RNA-binding site do not affect protein-protein interactions. Moreover, introducing a novel protein-binding domain into ECT2 increases transcript levels of proteins interacting with this domain. Our findings indicate that interaction with the PTRE1 protein enhances ECT2’s binding to PTRE1 m^(6)A mRNAs during translation, thereby regulating PTRE1 mRNA levels.

Emerging Role of the Ubiquitin Proteasome System in the Control of Shoot Apical Meristem Function

The shoot apical meristem （SAM） is a population of undifferentiated cells at the tip of the shoot axis that establishes early during plant embryogenesis and gives rise to all shoot organs throughout the plant＇s life. A plethora of different families of transcription factors （TFs） play a key role in establishing the equilibrium between cell differentiation and stem cell maintenance in the SAM. Fine tuning of these regulatory proteins is crucial for a proper and fast SAM response to environmental and hormonal cues, and for development progression. One effective way to rapidly inactivate TFs involves regulated proteolysis by the ubiquitin/26S proteasome system （UPS）. However, a possible role of UPS-dependent protein degradation in the regulation of key SAM TFs has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we summarize recent evidence supporting a role for the UPS in SAM maintenance and function. We integrate this survey with an in silico analysis of publicly-available microarray databases which identified ubiquitin ligases that are expressed in specific areas within the SAM, suggesting that they may regulate or act downstream of meristem-specific factors.

A CK2-RNF4 interplay coordinates non-canonical SUMOylation and degradation of nuclear receptor FXR

Farnesoid X receptor （FXR） is a ligand-activated nuclear receptor that plays a central role in regulating genes involved in bile acid homeostasis, and fat and glucose metabolism. Here, we demonstrate a post-translational interplay between FXR phosphoryl- ation, SUMOylation, and ubiquitination that directs the receptor into an activation-degradation pathway in hepatocytes. We iden- tify a non-canonical SUMOylation motif termed pSuM that conjugates SUM02 at Lys-325 of FXR under the direct control of casein kinase 2 （CK2）, which provides the required negative charge for Ubc9 and PIAS1 to perform SUMOylation, by phosphorylating Ser-327. Lys-325 SUMOylation is indispensable to the promotion of efficient ligand activation and transcriptional coactivation of FXR. Constitutive pSuM activation using a phospho-mimic Ser-327 mutant or catalytic CK2 expression strongly induces SUM02 conjugation, which directs FXR ubiquitination and proteasome-dependent degradation. We also determine that such SUMOylation-dependent ubiquitination of FXR is mediated by the E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF4, which is required to achieve maximal induction of FXR and optimal up- or downregulation of responsive genes involved in bile acid homeostasis and liver regeneration. Our findings identify a highly regulated atypical SUMO conjugation motif that serves to coordinate FXR transcriptional compe- tence, thereby expanding the intricate dynamics of the SUMOylation process used by incoming signals to govern metabolic gene regulation.