E6AP, an E3 ubiquitin ligase negatively regulates granulopoiesis by targeting transcription factor C/EBPα for ubiquitin-mediated proteasome degradation

Cell Death Dis. 2013 Apr 18;4(4):e590. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2013.120.

Abstract

CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα) is an important transcription factor involved in granulocytic differentiation. Here, for the first time we demonstrate that E6-associated protein (E6AP), an E3 ubiquitin ligase targets C/EBPα for ubiquitin-mediated proteasome degradation and thereby negatively modulates its functions. Wild-type E6AP promotes ubiquitin dependent proteasome degradation of C/EBPα, while catalytically inactive E6-associated protein having cysteine replaced with alanine at amino-acid position 843 (E6AP-C843A) rather stabilizes it. Further, these two proteins physically associate both in non-myeloid (overexpressed human embryonic kidney epithelium) and myeloid cells. We show that E6AP-mediated degradation of C/EBPα protein expression curtails its transactivation potential on its target genes. Noticeably, E6AP degrades both wild-type 42 kDa CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein alpha (p42C/EBPα) and mutant isoform 30 kDa CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein alpha (p30C/EBPα), this may explain perturbed p42C/EBPα/p30C/EBPα ratio often observed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We show that overexpression of catalytically inactive E6AP-C843A in C/EBPα inducible K562- p42C/EBPα-estrogen receptor (ER) cells inhibits β-estradiol (E2)-induced C/EBPα degradation leading to enhanced granulocytic differentiation. This enhanced granulocytic differentiation upon E2-induced activation of C/EBPα in C/EBPα stably transfected cells (β-estradiol inducible K562 cells stably expressing p42C/EBPα-ER (K562-C/EBPα-p42-ER)) was further substantiated by siE6AP-mediated knockdown of E6AP in both K562-C/EBPα-p42-ER and 32dcl3 (32D clone 3, a cell line widely used model for in vitro study of hematopoietic cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis) cells. Taken together, our data suggest that E6AP targeted C/EBPα protein degradation may provide a possible explanation for both loss of expression and/or functional inactivation of C/EBPα often experienced in myeloid leukemia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha / genetics
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha / metabolism*
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Estradiol / pharmacology
  • Granulocytes / cytology*
  • Granulocytes / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • K562 Cells
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / metabolism
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / pathology
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / genetics
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Transcriptional Activation
  • U937 Cells
  • Ubiquitin / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*

Substances

  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-alpha
  • Protein Isoforms
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Ubiquitin
  • Estradiol
  • UBE3A protein, human
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex