Role of Pirh2 in mediating the regulation of p53 and c-Myc

PLoS Genet. 2011 Nov;7(11):e1002360. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002360. Epub 2011 Nov 17.

Abstract

Ubiquitylation is fundamental for the regulation of the stability and function of p53 and c-Myc. The E3 ligase Pirh2 has been reported to polyubiquitylate p53 and to mediate its proteasomal degradation. Here, using Pirh2 deficient mice, we report that Pirh2 is important for the in vivo regulation of p53 stability in response to DNA damage. We also demonstrate that c-Myc is a novel interacting protein for Pirh2 and that Pirh2 mediates its polyubiquitylation and proteolysis. Pirh2 mutant mice display elevated levels of c-Myc and are predisposed for plasma cell hyperplasia and tumorigenesis. Consistent with the role p53 plays in suppressing c-Myc-induced oncogenesis, its deficiency exacerbates tumorigenesis of Pirh2(-/-) mice. We also report that low expression of human PIRH2 in lung, ovarian, and breast cancers correlates with decreased patients' survival. Collectively, our data reveal the in vivo roles of Pirh2 in the regulation of p53 and c-Myc stability and support its role as a tumor suppressor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Genes, Tumor Suppressor
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Proteolysis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / metabolism*
  • Radiation Tolerance
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitination / genetics

Substances

  • MYC protein, human
  • Myc protein, mouse
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • TP53 protein, human
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • RCHY1 protein, human
  • Rchy1 protein, mouse
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases