scholarly journals Protein disulfide isomerase blocks CEBPA translation and is up-regulated during the unfolded protein response in AML

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 117 (22) ◽  
pp. 5931-5940 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Haefliger ◽  
Christiane Klebig ◽  
Kerstin Schaubitzer ◽  
Julian Schardt ◽  
Nikolai Timchenko ◽  
...  

Abstract Deregulation of the myeloid key transcription factor CEBPA is a common event in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We previously reported that the chaperone calreticulin is activated in subgroups of AML patients and that calreticulin binds to the stem loop region of the CEBPA mRNA, thereby blocking CEBPA translation. In this study, we screened for additional CEBPA mRNA binding proteins and we identified protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident protein, to bind to the CEBPA mRNA stem loop region. We found that forced PDI expression in myeloid leukemic cells in fact blocked CEBPA translation, but not transcription, whereas abolishing PDI function restored CEBPA protein. In addition, PDI protein displayed direct physical interaction with calreticulin. Induction of ER stress in leukemic HL60 and U937 cells activated PDI expression, thereby decreasing CEBPA protein levels. Finally, leukemic cells from 25.4% of all AML patients displayed activation of the unfolded protein response as a marker for ER stress, and these patients also expressed significantly higher PDI levels. Our results indicate a novel role of PDI as a member of the ER stress–associated complex mediating blocked CEBPA translation and thereby suppressing myeloid differentiation in AML patients with activated unfolded protein response (UPR).

Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 2258-2258
Author(s):  
Marianne Eyholzer ◽  
Julian Schardt ◽  
Deborah Shan ◽  
Beatrice U Mueller ◽  
Thomas Pabst

Abstract The myeloid key transcription factor CEBPA (CCAAT-enhancer binding protein alpha) is crucial for normal neutrophil differentiation, and cebpa-deficient mice lack mature granulocytes. In addition, deregulation of CEBPA function is a frequent event in AML patients. The endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) is involved in proper protein folding. Alterations in calcium levels or insufficient protein folding capacity leads to ER stress, thereby inducing rescue pathways that are commonly summarized as the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR aims either to re-establish ER homeostasis or to induce cell death. So far, induction of ER stress has been associated with a number of non-hematopoietic diseases. Here, we analyzed whether activated ER stress in leukemic cell lines and in AML patients affects the myeloid key regulator CEBPA. We induced ER stress in the leukemic HL60 cell line by treatment with 0.4mg/ml of Calcimycin (deregulation of calcium homeostasis) or with 3mg/ml of Tunicamycin (block of protein glycosylation). Consistently, we observed a rapid decrease of CEBPA mRNA to 10% after 6 hours of treatment. In accordance, CEBPA protein was no more detectable after 8 hours. Experiments in HL60 cells with Actinomycin D and Cycloheximide as well as competition experiments with various constructs of wild-type CEBPA sequences suggest a decay mechanism involving one or several elements in the 3’UTR of the CEBPA mRNA. We excluded microRNA-124a, a previously identified CEBPA regulator acting through the 3’UTR, to be involved. The precise elements mediating ER stress induced CEBPA mRNA decay remain to be elucidated. We also determined the expression of CEBPA mRNA and mediators of UPR - such as CHOP and GRP78 as well as alternative splicing of the XBP1 mRNA - in leukemic cells from 76 AML patients of all FAB subtypes. We found that AML patients with induced ER stress (13%) tended to have two-fold lower CEBPA mRNA expression, thus underlining the in vitro results reported above. In conclusion, our experiments indicate activated ER stress to be involved in a significant subgroup of AML patients. Moreover, it suggests that activation of the UPR in myeloid leukemic cells efficiently induces 3’UTR mediated decay of CEBPA mRNA expression, thereby contributing to the block in myeloid differentiation in these leukemias.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 199
Author(s):  
Kelly Féral ◽  
Manon Jaud ◽  
Céline Philippe ◽  
Doriana Di Bella ◽  
Stéphane Pyronnet ◽  
...  

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an evolutionarily conserved adaptive signaling pathway triggered by a stress of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen compartment, which is initiated by the accumulation of unfolded proteins. This response, mediated by three sensors-Inositol Requiring Enzyme 1 (IRE1), Activating Transcription Factor 6 (ATF6), and Protein Kinase RNA-Like Endoplasmic Reticulum Kinase (PERK)—allows restoring protein homeostasis and maintaining cell survival. UPR represents a major cytoprotective signaling network for cancer cells, which frequently experience disturbed proteostasis owing to their rapid proliferation in an usually unfavorable microenvironment. Increased basal UPR also participates in the resistance of tumor cells against chemotherapy. UPR activation also occurs during hematopoiesis, and growing evidence supports the critical cytoprotective role played by ER stress in the emergence and proliferation of leukemic cells. In case of severe or prolonged stress, pro-survival UPR may however evolve into a cell death program called terminal UPR. Interestingly, a large number of studies have revealed that the induction of proapoptotic UPR can also strongly contribute to the sensitization of leukemic cells to chemotherapy. Here, we review the current knowledge on the consequences of the deregulation of UPR signaling in leukemias and their implications for the treatment of these diseases.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 705
Author(s):  
Manal H. Alshareef ◽  
Elizabeth L. Hartland ◽  
Kathleen McCaffrey

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a homeostatic response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress within eukaryotic cells. The UPR initiates transcriptional and post-transcriptional programs to resolve ER stress; or, if ER stress is severe or prolonged, initiates apoptosis. ER stress is a common feature of bacterial infection although the role of the UPR in host defense is only beginning to be understood. While the UPR is important for host defense against pore-forming toxins produced by some bacteria, other bacterial effector proteins hijack the UPR through the activity of translocated effector proteins that facilitate intracellular survival and proliferation. UPR-mediated apoptosis can limit bacterial replication but also often contributes to tissue damage and disease. Here, we discuss the dual nature of the UPR during infection and the implications of UPR activation or inhibition for inflammation and immunity as illustrated by different bacterial pathogens.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2567
Author(s):  
Yann S. Gallot ◽  
Kyle R. Bohnert

Skeletal muscle is an essential organ, responsible for many physiological functions such as breathing, locomotion, postural maintenance, thermoregulation, and metabolism. Interestingly, skeletal muscle is a highly plastic tissue, capable of adapting to anabolic and catabolic stimuli. Skeletal muscle contains a specialized smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER), known as the sarcoplasmic reticulum, composed of an extensive network of tubules. In addition to the role of folding and trafficking proteins within the cell, this specialized organelle is responsible for the regulated release of calcium ions (Ca2+) into the cytoplasm to trigger a muscle contraction. Under various stimuli, such as exercise, hypoxia, imbalances in calcium levels, ER homeostasis is disturbed and the amount of misfolded and/or unfolded proteins accumulates in the ER. This accumulation of misfolded/unfolded protein causes ER stress and leads to the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). Interestingly, the role of the UPR in skeletal muscle has only just begun to be elucidated. Accumulating evidence suggests that ER stress and UPR markers are drastically induced in various catabolic stimuli including cachexia, denervation, nutrient deprivation, aging, and disease. Evidence indicates some of these molecules appear to be aiding the skeletal muscle in regaining homeostasis whereas others demonstrate the ability to drive the atrophy. Continued investigations into the individual molecules of this complex pathway are necessary to fully understand the mechanisms.


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