Deubiquitinase USP29 promotes gastric cancer cell migration by cooperating with phosphatase SCP1 to stabilize Snail protein

Oncogene. 2020 Oct;39(44):6802-6815. doi: 10.1038/s41388-020-01471-0. Epub 2020 Sep 24.

Abstract

Snail is a master inducer of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis, however, Snail protein is labile and is quickly degraded through the predominate ubiquitination-mediated proteasome pathway. Deubiquitinases (DUBs) can counteract the Snail degradation process to maintain high level of Snail protein in cancer cells. In this study, we screened a cDNA library containing 79 DUBs, and discovered that a panel of DUBs consisting of USP13, USP28, USP29, USP37, OTUD6A, and DUB3 can markedly stabilize Snail protein, with USP29 displaying the strongest activity to prevent Snail degradation. Mechanistically, USP29 enhances the interaction of Snail and SCP1, resulting in simultaneous dephosphorylation and deubiquitination of Snail and thereafter cooperative prevention of Snail degradation. Biologically, ectopic expression of USP29 promotes gastric cancer cell migration, and depletion of Snail abolishes USP29-mediated cell migration; and USP29 can be induced by major EMT and metastatic inducing factors such as TGFβ, TNFα, and hypoxia. More importantly, high expression levels of Snail, USP29, and SCP1 are associated with poor survival and prognosis. Collectively, these data indicate that Snail is a crucial substrate for USP29 to promote cell migration and USP29/SCP1 complex may be new therapeutic targets to treat metastatic cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / genetics*
  • Datasets as Topic
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / genetics
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Prognosis
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Stability
  • Proteolysis
  • Snail Family Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Stomach Neoplasms / genetics
  • Stomach Neoplasms / mortality
  • Stomach Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitination

Substances

  • SNAI1 protein, human
  • Snail Family Transcription Factors
  • CTDSP1 protein, human
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases
  • USP29 protein, human
  • Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases