PROTEASOME INHIBITOR

UV irradiation has been reported to induce p21(WAF1/CIP1) protein degradation through a ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, but the underlying biochemical mechanism remains to be elucidated. Here, we show that ser-114 phosphorylation of p21 protein by glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK-3beta) is required for its degradation in response to UV irradiation and that GSK-3beta activation is a downstream event in the ATR signaling pathway triggered by UV. UV transiently increased GSK-3beta activity, and this increase could be blocked by caffeine or by ATR small interfering RNA, indicating ATR-dependent activation of GSK-3beta. ser-114, located within the putative GSK-3beta target sequence, was phosphorylated by GSK-3beta upon UV exposure. The nonphosphorylatable S114A mutant of p21 was protected from UV-induced destabilization. Degradation of p21 protein by UV irradiation was independent of p53 status and prevented by proteasome inhibitors. In contrast to the previous report, the proteasomal d...

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway plays a critical role in the regulated degradation of proteins involved in cell cycle control and tumor growth. Dysregulating the degradation of such proteins should have profound effects on tumor growth and cause cells to undergo apoptosis. To test this hypothesis, we developed a novel series of proteasome inhibitors, exemplified by PS-341, which we describe here. As determined by the National Cancer Institute in vitro screen, PS-341 has substantial cytotoxicity against a broad range of human tumor cells, including prostate cancer cell lines. The PC-3 prostate cell line was, therefore, chosen to further examine the antitumor activity of PS-341. In vitro, PS-341 elicits proteasome inhibition, leading to an increase in the intracellular levels of specific proteins, including the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21. Moreover, exposure of such cells to PS-341 caused them to accumulate in the G2-M phase of the cell cycle and subsequently undergo apopt...

Great efforts have been made to develop novel and efficacious therapeutics against pancreatic cancer to improve the treatment outcomes. Tumor-necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is such a therapeutic cytokine with selective killing effect toward malignant cells. However, some human pancreatic cancers are intrinsically resistant to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis or therapy. In this study, we have shown that the histone deacetylase inhibitor LBH589 can synergize with TRAIL to augment apoptosis even in TRAIL-resistant cells. LBH589 decreased c-FLIP levels in every tested cell line and survivin levels in some of the tested cell lines. Enforced expression of ectopic c-FLIP, but not survivin, abolished the cooperative induction of apoptosis by the combination of LBH589 and TRAIL, indicating that c-FLIP downregulation plays a critical role in LBH589 sensitization of pancreatic cancer cells to TRAIL. Moreover, LBH589 decreased c-FLIP stability and the presence of the proteas...

Jak2/Stat-mediated prolactin signaling culminates in Stat5a-DNA-binding. However, not all Jak2-dependent genes have Stat5 sites. Western analysis with inhibitors showed Jak2 is a proximal intermediate in prolactin-induced RUSH phosphorylation. Transfection assays with HRE-H9 cells showed the RUSH-binding site mediated the ability of prolactin to augment progesterone-dependent transcription of the RUSH gene. Jak2 inhibitors or targeted RUSH-site mutation blocked the prolactin effect. RUSH co-immunoprecipitated with phospho-Jak2 from nuclear extracts. Jak2 inhibitors abolished the nuclear pool of phospho-RUSH not the nuclear content of RUSH in HRE-H9 cells. Nucleolar-affiliated partners, e.g. nucleolin, were identified by μLC/MS/MS analysis of nuclear proteins that co-immunoprecipitated with RUSH/GST-RING. RUSH did not exclusively co-localize with fibrillarin to the nucleolus. MG-132 (proteasomal inhibitor) failed to block Tyrene CR4-mediated decrease in phospho-RUSH, and did not promote RUSH accumulation in the nucleolus. These studies authenticate prolactin-dependent Jak2 phosphorylation of RUSH, and provide functional implications on the RUSH network of nuclear interactions.