FBXO6-Mediated Ubiquitination and Degradation of Ero1L Inhibits Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Apoptosis

Abstract

Background/aims: FBXO6 is the substrate recognition component of a Skp1-Cullin1-F-box protein (SCF) ubiquitin E3 ligase complex, recognizing the chitobiose in unfolded N-glycoprotein to target glycoproteins for polyubiquitination and degradation. Although how FBXO6 recognizes glycoprotein has been fully investigated, the ubiquitination substrates of FBXO6 remain largely unknown. Previously, we have systematically identified the glycoproteins that interact with FBXO6 in an N-glycan dependent manner by LC/MS spectrum and confirmed the interaction between FBXO6 and glycosylated Ero1L, a protein disulfide oxidase in endoplasmic reticulum (ER).

Methods: The relationship between endogenous Ero1L and exogenous Flag-FBXO6 were determined by Western blot. In vivo ubiquitination assay was used to detect the direct effect of FBXO6 in the regulation of Ero1L. Both CCK8 and FACS assays were used to determine the apoptosis ratio of cells after treatments.

Results: Ero1L is a ubiquitination substrate of FBXO6. FBXO6 mediates the degradation of Ero1L through a ubiquitylation-dependent pathway. Overexpression of FBXO6 increased the polyubiquitination and decreased the stability of Ero1L, whereas inhibition of FBXO6 prolonged the half-life of Ero1L. Functionally, we show that FBXO6 inhibits ER stress-induced apoptosis by modulating the protein level of Ero1L.

Conclusion: Collectively, our results demonstrate FBXO6 as a functional E3 ubiquitin ligase for Ero1L that plays a critical role in inhibiting ER stress-induced apoptosis.