NMI mediates transcription-independent ARF regulation in response to cellular stresses

Mol Biol Cell. 2012 Dec;23(23):4635-46. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E12-04-0304. Epub 2012 Oct 3.

Abstract

The ARF tumor suppressor is a product of the INK4a/ARF locus, which is frequently mutated in human cancer. The expression of ARF is up-regulated in response to certain types of DNA damage, oncogene activation, and interferon stimuli. Through interaction with the p53 negative regulator MDM2, ARF controls a well-described p53/MDM2-dependent checkpoint. However, the mechanism of ARF induction is poorly understood. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identify a novel ARF-interacting protein, N-Myc and STATs interactor (NMI). Previously, NMI was known to be a c-Myc-interacting protein. Here we demonstrate that through competitive binding to the ARF ubiquitin E3 ligase (ubiquitin ligase for ARF [ULF]), NMI protects ARF from ULF-mediated ubiquitin degradation. In response to cellular stresses, NMI is induced, and a fraction of NMI is translocated to the nucleus to stabilize ARF. Thus our work reveals a novel NMI-mediated, transcription-independent ARF induction pathway in response to cellular stresses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • DNA Damage
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* / genetics
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Proteolysis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / metabolism
  • Stress, Physiological / genetics*
  • Transcriptional Activation / genetics*
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p14ARF* / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p14ARF* / metabolism
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism
  • Ubiquitin / genetics
  • Ubiquitin / metabolism
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism

Substances

  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • NMI protein, human
  • TP53 protein, human
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p14ARF
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Ubiquitin
  • MDM2 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases