HSP90 inhibitors stimulate DNAJB4 protein expression through a mechanism involving N6-methyladenosine

Nat Commun. 2019 Aug 9;10(1):3613. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-11552-8.

Abstract

Small-molecule inhibitors for the 90-kDa heat shock protein (HSP90) have been extensively exploited in preclinical studies for the therapeutic interventions of human diseases accompanied with proteotoxic stress. By using an unbiased quantitative proteomic method, we uncover that treatment with three HSP90 inhibitors results in elevated expression of a large number of heat shock proteins. We also demonstrate that the HSP90 inhibitor-mediated increase in expression of DNAJB4 protein occurs partly through an epitranscriptomic mechanism, and is substantially modulated by the writer, eraser, and reader proteins of N6-methyladenosine (m6A). Furthermore, exposure to ganetespib leads to elevated modification levels at m6A motif sites in the 5'-UTR of DNAJB4 mRNA, and the methylation at adenosine 114 site in the 5'-UTR promotes the translation of the reporter gene mRNA. This m6A-mediated mechanism is also at play upon heat shock treatment. Cumulatively, we unveil that HSP90 inhibitors stimulate the translation of DNAJB4 through an epitranscriptomic mechanism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • 5' Untranslated Regions
  • Adenosine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Adenosine / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Genes, Reporter
  • HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins / genetics
  • HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism*
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / drug effects
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / genetics
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism*
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Methylation
  • Proteomics*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Triazoles

Substances

  • 5' Untranslated Regions
  • DNAJB4 protein, human
  • HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Heat-Shock Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • STA 9090
  • Triazoles
  • N-methyladenosine
  • Adenosine