A novel protein overexpressed in hepatoma accelerates export of NF-kappa B from the nucleus and inhibits p53-dependent apoptosis.

NF-kappa B is a transcription factor that can protect from or contribute to apoptosis. Here we report identification of HSCO that binds to NF-kappa B and inhibits apoptosis. HSCO mRNA was overexpressed in 20 of 30 hepatocellular carcinomas analyzed. Overexpression of HSCO inhibited caspase 9 activation and apoptosis induced by DNA damaging agents, while it augmented apoptosis induced by TNFalpha. Like I kappa B alpha, HSCO inhibited NF-kappa B activity and abrogated p53-induced apoptosis. However, the underlying mechanism was different. HSCO is a nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling protein, bound to RelA NF-kappa B, and HSCO sequestered it in the cytoplasm by accelerating its export from the nucleus. These results suggest that overexpression of HSCO suppresses p53-induced apoptosis by preventing nuclear localization of NF-kappa B during signaling and thus contributes to hepatocarcinogenesis.

Cirp protects against tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced apoptosis via activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase.

Mild hypothermia shows protective effects on patients with brain damage and cardiac arrest. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects, we analyzed the effects of low culture temperature (32 degrees C) and cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (Cirp) expression on apoptosis in vitro. In BALB/3T3 cells treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and cycloheximide, the down-shift in temperature from 37 degrees C to 32 degrees C increased the expression of Cirp and suppressed the apoptosis. Activation of caspase-8 was suppressed, and the level of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was increased. Transduction of Cirp into the Cirp-deficient mouse fibroblasts increased the level of phosphorylated ERK and suppressed the TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis both at 37 degrees C and 32 degrees C. The ERK-specific inhibitor PD98059 decreased the cytoprotective effect of Cirp as well as that of low culture temperature. These data suggest that mild hypothermia protects cells from TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis, at least partly, via induction of Cirp, and that Cirp protects cells by activating the ERK pathway.

Apg-2 has a chaperone-like activity similar to Hsp110 and is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinomas.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in the world. We constructed subtracted cDNA libraries enriched with genes overexpressed in HCCs. Among the 17 genes identified were molecular chaperones, Hsp110, Hsp90B, and Hsp70-1. Expression of the Hsp110 family members was further analyzed, and increased transcript levels of Hsp110 and Apg-2, but not Apg-1, were found in 12 and 14, respectively, of 18 HCCs. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated the overexpression of the proteins in tumor cells. Apg-2 had chaperone ability similar to Hsp110 in a thermal denaturation assay using luciferase, and showed anti-apoptotic activity. These results suggest that the Hsp110 family members play important roles in hepatocarcinogenesis through their chaperoning activities.

A novel protein Depp, which is induced by progesterone in human endometrial stromal cells activates Elk-1 transcription factor.

Decidualization of the endometrial stromal cells (ESC), considered to be stimulated by progesterone and/or cAMP, is crucial for embryo implantation and placentation. In this study, we isolated a novel clone encoding decidual protein induced by progesterone (Depp) from a human ESC cDNA library enriched with progesterone-inducible genes. Depp mRNA was expressed in various human tissues including placenta, ovary and kidney. Increased expression of Depp was observed in endometria during mid- and late-secretory phases and 1st trimester deciduas. In vitro, Depp mRNA was induced in ESC within 30 min of progesterone treatment, which was inhibited by the antiprogestin RU486. Androgen alone also induced Depp expression. Depp increased the level of phosphorylated Erk and activated the Elk-1 transcription factor in human embryonal kidney 293 cells, suggesting that Depp modulates the effects of progesterone during decidualization and in the decidua by affecting gene expression. Elucidation of the biological function of Depp in the endometrium will facilitate our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of decidualization and placental development.

A cleaved form of MAGE-A4 binds to Miz-1 and induces apoptosis in human cells.

Gankyrin, a recently discovered oncoprotein, is a promising target for drug therapy because it is overexpressed in most hepatocellular carcinomas. Since gankyrin interacts with MAGE-A4, we made several MAGE-A4 mutants and assessed their effects on cell growth. We found that the C-terminal 107 amino acids of MAGE-A4 (MAGE-A4DeltaN1) induced p53-dependent and p53-independent apoptosis. MAGE-A4DeltaN1 increased the p53 protein level, but decreased the p21(Cip1) transcript and protein levels. During apoptosis Bcl-xL was down-regulated and mitochondrial integrity was disrupted. A yeast two-hybrid screen identified Miz-1 as a MAGE-A4DeltaN1-binding protein. MAGE-A4DeltaN1 was recruited through association with Miz-1 to the p21(Cip1) promoter and down-regulated transcription of p21(Cip1). In 293T cells and U-2 OS cells, full-length MAGE-A4 was processed to generate a C-terminal fragment of 104 amino acids with activities similar to MAGE-A4DeltaN1. Processing was inhibited with a broad range caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK, but not by site-directed mutagenesis of aspartic acids in MAGE-A4, suggesting an indirect involvement of caspase(s) in the processing. The amount of the processed form was increased by exposure of cells to adriamycin. Transduction with a HIV Tat-MAGE-A4DeltaN1 fusion protein suppressed anchorage-independent growth of gankyrin-overexpressing cells in vitro and in vivo. These results demonstrate that the C-terminal fragment of MAGE-A4 induces apoptosis at least partly by binding to Miz-1, and that the fragment may be exploited as an anticancer agent. Furthermore, the finding that a C-terminal fragment with pro-apoptotic activity is generated from full-length MAGE-A4 after genotoxic stress in human cells suggests a novel function for MAGE-A4.

MAGE-A4 interacts with the liver oncoprotein gankyrin and suppresses its tumorigenic activity.

Hepatocellular carcinoma ranks among the most common malignancies in Southeast Asia and South Africa. Although there are many modalities of treatment, the recurrence and metastasis rates are high, and the prognosis is unsatisfactory. Gankyrin, a recently found oncoprotein, is a promising target for drug therapy because it is overexpressed in all studied hepatocellular carcinomas. Gankyrin contains six ankyrin repeats and interacts with Rb, Cdk4, and the S6 ATPase of the 26 S proteasome. In this study, a yeast two-hybrid screen with gankyrin has identified MAGE-A4 as another interacting protein. The interaction, mediated by the C-terminal half of MAGE-A4, was reproduced in mammalian cells. The interaction was specific to MAGE-A4, because other MAGE family proteins structurally similar to MAGE-A4, i.e. MAGE-A1, MAGE-A2, and MAGE-A12, did not bind to gankyrin. MAGE-A4 partially suppressed both anchorage-independent growth in vitro and tumor formation in athymic mice of gankyrin-overexpressing cells. The ability of mutant MAGE-A4 to interact with gankyrin correlated with the ability to suppress the anchorage-independent growth. These results demonstrate that MAGE-A4 binds to gankyrin and suppresses its oncogenic activity. So far, the major focus of studies on the MAGE proteins has been on their potential for cancer immunotherapy. Our results may also shed light on novel functions for MAGE-A proteins.