SAG/ROC-SCF beta-TrCP E3 ubiquitin ligase promotes pro-caspase-3 degradation as a mechanism of apoptosis protection

Tan, Gallegos, Gu, Huang, Li, Jin, Lu, Sun (2006) SAG/ROC-SCF beta-TrCP E3 ubiquitin ligase promotes pro-caspase-3 degradation as a mechanism of apoptosis protection Neoplasia (IF: 6.3) 8(12) 1042-54
Full Text
Full text

Click the PDF icon to view the full text of the paper

Abstract

Skp1-cullin-F-box protein (SCF) is a multicomponent E3 ubiquitin (Ub) ligase that ubiquitinates a number of important biologic molecules such as p27, beta-catenin, and IkappaB for proteasomal degradation, thus regulating cell proliferation and survival. One SCF component, SAG/ROC2/Rbx2/Hrt2, a RING finger protein, was first identified as a redox-inducible protein, which, when overexpressed, inhibited apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. We report here that sensitive to apoptosis gene (SAG), as well as its family member ROC1/Rbx1, bound to the proinactive form of caspase-3 (pro-caspase-3). Binding was likely mediated through F-box protein, beta-transducin repeat-containing protein (beta-TrCP), which binds to the first 38 amino acids of pro-caspase-3. Importantly, beta-TrCP1 expression significantly shortened the protein half-life of pro-caspase-3, whereas expression of a dominant-negative beta-TrCP1 mutant with the F-box domain deleted extended it. An in vitro ubiquitination assay showed that SAG/ROC-SCF(beta-TrCP) promoted ubiquitination of pro-caspase-3. Furthermore, endogenous levels of pro-caspase-3 were decreased by overexpression of SAG/ROC-SCF(beta-TrCP) E3 Ub ligases, but increased on siRNA silencing of SAG, regulator of cullin-1 (ROC1), or beta-TrCPs, leading to increased apoptosis by etoposide and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand through increased activation of caspase-3. Thus, pro-caspase-3 appears to be a substrate of SAG/ROC-SCF(beta-TrCP) E3 Ub ligase, which protects cells from apoptosis through increased apoptosis threshold by reducing the basal level of pro-caspase-3.

Links

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1783718
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17217622
http://dx.doi.org/10.1593/neo.06568

Similar articles

Tools