A nucleolar isoform of the Fbw7 ubiquitin ligase regulates c-Myc and cell size

Curr Biol. 2004 Oct 26;14(20):1852-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2004.09.083.

Abstract

The human tumor suppressor Fbw7/hCdc4 functions as a phosphoepitope-specific substrate recognition component of SCF ubiquitin ligases that catalyzes the ubiquitination of cyclin E , Notch , c-Jun and c-Myc . Fbw7 loss in cancer may thus have profound effects on the pathways that govern cell division, differentiation, apoptosis, and cell growth. Fbw7-inactivating mutations occur in human tumor cell lines and primary cancers , and Fbw7 loss in cultured cells causes genetic instability . In mice, deletion of Fbw7 leads to embryonic lethality associated with defective Notch and cyclin E regulation . The human Fbw7 locus encodes three protein isoforms (Fbw7alpha, Fbw7beta, and Fbw7gamma) . We find that these isoforms occupy discrete subcellular compartments and have identified cis-acting localization signals within each isoform. Surprisingly, the Fbw7gamma isoform is nucleolar, colocalizes with c-Myc when the proteasome is inhibited, and regulates nucleolar c-Myc accumulation. Moreover, we find that knockdown of Fbw7 increases cell size consistent with its ability to control c-Myc levels in the nucleolus. We suggest that interactions between c-Myc and Fbw7gamma within the nucleolus regulate c-Myc's growth-promoting function and that c-Myc activation is likely to be an important oncogenic consequence of Fbw7 loss in cancers.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Nucleolus / metabolism
  • Cell Size
  • Cells, Cultured
  • F-Box Proteins / genetics
  • F-Box Proteins / metabolism*
  • F-Box-WD Repeat-Containing Protein 7
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Gene Transfer Techniques
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / metabolism*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • F-Box Proteins
  • F-Box-WD Repeat-Containing Protein 7
  • FBXW7 protein, human
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases