Long noncoding RNA ASB16-AS1 inhibits adrenocortical carcinoma cell growth by promoting ubiquitination of RNA-binding protein HuR

Cell Death Dis. 2020 Nov 20;11(11):995. doi: 10.1038/s41419-020-03205-2.

Abstract

Adrenocortical carcinoma is one of the aggressive malignancies and it originates from the cortex of adrenal gland. Dysregulation of long non-coding RNA plays important roles in the development of adrenocortical carcinoma. Here, we found that lncRNA ASB16-AS1 was down-regulated in adrenocortical carcinoma and ASB16-AS1 functions as tumor suppressor in vitro and in vivo. We then found that IGF1R and CDK6 are regulated by ASB16-AS1 in adrenocortical carcinoma cells by transcriptome RNA sequencing. ASB16-AS1 associates with RNA-binding protein HuR (ELAVL1) as revealed by RNA pull-down following mass spectrometry. Also, ASB16-AS1 inhibits HuR expression post-translationally by promoting its ubiquitination. ASB16-AS1 regulates IGF1R and CDK6 mRNA expression through RNA-binding protein HuR. We then found that inhibition of ASB16-AS1 attenuates the binding of ubiquitin E3 ligase BTRC to HuR and subsequently inhibits HuR protein unbiquitination and degradation. BTRC knock-down could reverse the effect of AB16-AS1 on HuR, CDK6, and IGF1R levels. Collectively, these results demonstrate that ASB16-AS1 regulates adrenocortical carcinoma cell proliferation and tackling the level of ASB16-AS1 may be developed to treat adrenocortical carcinoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / genetics
  • Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / pathology
  • Adrenocortical Carcinoma / genetics
  • Adrenocortical Carcinoma / metabolism*
  • Adrenocortical Carcinoma / pathology
  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation / physiology
  • ELAV-Like Protein 1 / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Middle Aged
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / metabolism*
  • Transfection
  • Ubiquitination

Substances

  • ELAV-Like Protein 1
  • ELAVL1 protein, human
  • RNA, Long Noncoding