Acetylcarnitine shuttling links mitochondrial metabolism to histone acetylation and lipogenesis.

The metabolite acetyl-CoA is necessary for both lipid synthesis in the cytosol and histone acetylation in the nucleus. The two canonical precursors to acetyl-CoA in the nuclear-cytoplasmic compartment are citrate and acetate, which are processed to acetyl-CoA by ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) and acyl-CoA synthetase short-chain 2 (ACSS2), respectively. It is unclear whether other substantial routes to nuclear-cytosolic acetyl-CoA exist. To investigate this, we generated cancer cell lines lacking both ACLY and ACSS2 [double knockout (DKO) cells]. Using stable isotope tracing, we show that both glucose and fatty acids contribute to acetyl-CoA pools and histone acetylation in DKO cells and that acetylcarnitine shuttling can transfer two-carbon units from mitochondria to cytosol. Further, in the absence of ACLY, glucose can feed fatty acid synthesis in a carnitine responsive and carnitine acetyltransferase (CrAT)-dependent manner. The data define acetylcarnitine as an ACLY- and ACSS2-independent precursor to nuclear-cytosolic acetyl-CoA that can support acetylation, fatty acid synthesis, and cell growth.

Complex functions of Gcn5 and Pcaf in development and disease.

A wealth of biochemical and cellular data, accumulated over several years by multiple groups, has provided a great degree of insight into the molecular mechanisms of actions of GCN5 and PCAF in gene activation. Studies of these lysine acetyltransferases (KATs) in vitro, in cultured cells, have revealed general mechanisms for their recruitment by sequence-specific binding factors and their molecular functions as transcriptional co-activators. Genetic studies indicate that GCN5 and PCAF are involved in multiple developmental processes in vertebrates, yet our understanding of their molecular functions in these contexts remains somewhat rudimentary. Understanding the functions of GCN5/PCAF in developmental processes provides clues to the roles of these KATs in disease states. Here we will review what is currently known about the developmental roles of GCN5 and PCAF, as well as emerging role of these KATs in oncogenesis.

Transcriptional Activation of MYC-Induced Genes by GCN5 Promotes B-cell Lymphomagenesis.

Overexpression of the MYC oncoprotein is an initiating step in the formation of several cancers. MYC frequently recruits chromatin-modifying complexes to DNA to amplify the expression of cancer-promoting genes, including those regulating cell cycle, proliferation, and metabolism, yet the roles of specific modifiers in different cancer types are not well defined. Here, we show that GCN5 is an essential coactivator of cell-cycle gene expression driven by MYC overexpression and that deletion of Gcn5 delays or abrogates tumorigenesis in the Eµ-Myc mouse model of B-cell lymphoma. Our results demonstrate that Gcn5 loss impacts both expression and downstream functions of Myc. SIGNIFICANCE: Our results provide important proof of principle for Gcn5 functions in formation and progression of Myc-driven cancers, suggesting that GCN5 may be a viable target for development of new cancer therapies.

Repression of GCN5 expression or activity attenuates c-MYC expression in non-small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer causes the highest mortality in cancer-related deaths. As these cancers often become resistant to existing therapies, definition of novel molecular targets is needed. Epigenetic modifiers may provide such targets. Recent reports suggest that the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) module within the transcriptional coactivator SAGA complex plays a role in cancer, creating a new link between epigenetic regulators and this disease. GCN5 serves as a coactivator for MYC target genes, and here we investigate links between GCN5 and c-MYC in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our data indicate that both GCN5 and c-MYC proteins are upregulated in mouse and human NSCLC cells compared to normal lung epithelial cells. This trend is observable only at the protein level, indicating that this upregulation occurs post-transcriptionally. Human NSCLC tissue data provided by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) indicates that GCN5 and c-MYC expression are positively associated with one another and with the expression of c-MYC target genes. Depletion of GCN5 in NSCLC cells reduces c-MYC expression, cell proliferation, and increases the population of necrotic cells. Similarly, inhibition of the GCN5 catalytic site using a commercially available probe reduces c-MYC expression, cell proliferation, and increases the percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis. Our findings suggest that GCN5 might provide a novel target for inhibition of NSCLC growth and progression.

GCN5 HAT inhibition reduces human Burkitt lymphoma cell survival through reduction of MYC target gene expression and impeding BCR signaling pathways.

GCN5, the catalytic subunit in the acetyltransferase modules of SAGA and ATAC, functions as a coactivator of gene transcription. The SAGA complex is recruited to chromatin by transcription factors such as MYC and E2F1 to facilitate acetylation of histones, especially H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9). Burkitt lymphoma is an aggressive subtype of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma driven by the overexpression of MYC. Comparison of GCN5 expression in normal human B cells versus human Burkitt Lymphoma cell lines indicates overexpression of GCN5 in lymphoma. Treatment of Burkitt lymphoma cell lines with a specific inhibitor indicates that decreased GCN5 HAT activity reduces viability and proliferation of these cells. Inhibition of GCN5 HAT activity also induces apoptosis in lymphoma cells. Expression of MYC target genes as well as genes associated with B cell receptor signaling are significantly downregulated upon inhibition of GCN5 enzymatic activity. This downregulation leads to diminished PI3K signaling, a critical pathway in lymphomagenesis. Our data indicate that inhibition of GCN5 HAT activity reduces the tumorigenic properties of human Burkitt lymphoma cells by attenuating BCR signaling and that GCN5 may be a viable target for lymphoma drug therapy.

Cytoplasmic ATXN7L3B Interferes with Nuclear Functions of the SAGA Deubiquitinase Module.

The SAGA complex contains two enzymatic modules, which house histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and deubiquitinase (DUB) activities. USP22 is the catalytic subunit of the DUB module, but two adaptor proteins, ATXN7L3 and ENY2, are necessary for DUB activity toward histone H2Bub1 and other substrates. ATXN7L3B shares 74% identity with the N-terminal region of ATXN7L3, but the functions of ATXN7L3B are not known. Here we report that ATXN7L3B interacts with ENY2 but not other SAGA components. Even though ATXN7L3B localizes in the cytoplasm, ATXN7L3B overexpression increases H2Bub1 levels, while overexpression of ATXN7L3 decreases H2Bub1 levels. In vitro, ATXN7L3B competes with ATXN7L3 to bind ENY2, and in vivo, knockdown of ATXN7L3B leads to concomitant loss of ENY2. Unlike the ATXN7L3 DUB complex, a USP22-ATXN7L3B-ENY2 complex cannot deubiquitinate H2Bub1 efficiently in vitro Moreover, ATXN7L3B knockdown inhibits migration of breast cancer cells in vitro and limits expression of ER target genes. Collectively, our studies suggest that ATXN7L3B regulates H2Bub1 levels and SAGA DUB activity through competition for ENY2 binding.