Fortilin potentiates the peroxidase activity of Peroxiredoxin-1 and protects against alcohol-induced liver damage in mice

Sci Rep. 2016 Jan 4:6:18701. doi: 10.1038/srep18701.

Abstract

Fortilin, a pro-survival molecule, inhibits p53-induced apoptosis by binding to the sequence-specific DNA-binding domain of the tumor suppressor protein and preventing it from transcriptionally activating Bax. Intriguingly, fortilin protects cells against ROS-induced cell death, independent of p53. The signaling pathway through which fortilin protects cells against ROS-induced cell death, however, is unknown. Here we report that fortilin physically interacts with the antioxidant enzyme peroxiredoxin-1 (PRX1), protects it from proteasome-mediated degradation, and keeps it enzymatically active by blocking its deactivating phosphorylation by Mst1, a serine/threonine kinase. At the whole animal level, the liver-specific overexpression of fortilin reduced PRX1 phosphorylation in the liver, enhanced PRX1 activity, and protected the transgenic animals against alcohol-induced, ROS-mediated, liver damage. These data suggest the presence of a novel oxidative-stress-handling pathway where the anti-p53 molecule fortilin augments the peroxidase PRX1 by protecting it against degradation and inactivation of the enzyme. Fortilin-PRX1 interaction in the liver could be clinically exploited further to prevent acute alcohol-induced liver damage in humans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alcohols / adverse effects*
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / chemistry
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Gene Expression
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor / metabolism
  • Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
  • Liver Diseases / etiology*
  • Liver Diseases / metabolism*
  • Liver Diseases / pathology
  • Mice
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Peroxiredoxins / chemistry
  • Peroxiredoxins / genetics
  • Peroxiredoxins / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Multimerization
  • Proteolysis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Tumor Protein, Translationally-Controlled 1
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism

Substances

  • Alcohols
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Prrx1 protein, mouse
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Tumor Protein, Translationally-Controlled 1
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • macrophage stimulating protein
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor
  • Peroxiredoxins
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex