Physical and functional interaction of Rnf2 with Af9 regulates basal and aldosterone-stimulated transcription of the α-ENaC gene in a renal collecting duct cell line

Biosci Rep. 2013 Oct 25;33(5):e00076. doi: 10.1042/BSR20130086.

Abstract

The physical and functional interaction of Rnf2 (RING finger protein 2), a central component of the PRC (Polycomb repressive complex) 1 and Af9 (ALL1-fused gene from chromosome 9 protein), an aldosterone-sensitive transcription factor, in regulating basal and aldosterone-stimulated transcription of the α-ENaC (epithelial Na+ channel α-subunit) gene was explored in mIMCD3 CD (collecting duct) cells. Since Rnf2 lacks DNA-specific binding activity, other factors must mediate its site-specific chromatin recruitment. Rnf2 and Af9 co-localized in the nucleus and co-immunoprecipitated. A GST (glutathione transferase)-Af9 carboxy-terminal fusion protein directly interacted with in vitro translated Rnf2 in GST pull-down assays. Rnf2 knock down enhanced basal and aldosterone-stimulated α-ENaC mRNA levels and α-ENaC promoter activity. ChIP/QPCR (chromatin immunoprecipitation/quantitative PCR) assays demonstrated enrichment of Rnf2, H2AK119 (mono-ubiquitinated histone H2A lysine 119), and H3K27me3 (histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylated), a PRC2 chromatin mark, at multiple α-ENaC promoter subregions corresponding to regions of known Af9 enrichment, under basal conditions. Sequential ChIP confirmed Rnf2-Af9 co-occupancy of the α-ENaC promoter. Aldosterone provoked early and sustained depletion of Rnf2, ubiquitinated H2AK119, and trimethylated H3K27 associated with the subregions of the α-ENaC promoter. Thus, Af9 mediates site-selective physical and functional recruitment of Rnf2 to the α-ENaC promoter to constrain basal α-ENaC transcription in collecting duct cells, and aldosterone reverses this process.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Aldosterone / physiology
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Epithelial Sodium Channels / genetics*
  • Epithelial Sodium Channels / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Kidney Tubules, Collecting / cytology
  • Mice
  • Nuclear Proteins / chemistry
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 / chemistry
  • Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 / metabolism*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • Protein Transport
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / chemistry
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Epithelial Sodium Channels
  • Mllt3 protein, mouse
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Aldosterone
  • Polycomb Repressive Complex 1
  • Rnf2 protein, mouse
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases