The Disordered Amino-Terminus of SIMPL Interacts with Members of The 70-kDa Heat-Shock Protein Family

The p65 coactivator SIMPL is a small protein that lacks any conserved domains of known function. To better understand regulation of SIMPL activity, we sought to identify novel SIMPL interacting proteins using mass spectrometry analysis of SIMPL containing complexes. Two members of the 70-kDa heat-shock protein family, Hsp70 and Hsc70, were identified as SIMPL binding proteins. Subsequent immunocomplexing assays confirmed this interaction and demonstrated that the amino-terminus of SIMPL is required for this interaction. Using a combination of amino acid composition analysis, PONDR® VL-XT prediction, charge-hydropathy plots, and cumulative distribution functions, the amino-terminal region of both mouse and human SIMPL proteins was predicted to be intrinsically disordered. These data, taken together, suggest that Hsp70/Hsc70 bind the intrinsically disordered amino-terminal region of SIMPL to stabilize the protein and thereby regulate its activity. Understanding the regulation of SIMPL through its interaction with Hsp70/Hsc70 may serve as a novel means of modulating tumor necrosis factor alpha signaling

Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Induction of NF-κB Requires the Novel Coactivator SIMPL

A myriad of stimuli including proinflammatory cytokines, viruses, and chemical and mechanical insults activate a kinase complex composed of IκB kinase β (IKK-β), IKK-α, and IKK-γ/N, leading to changes in NF-κB-dependent gene expression. However, it is not clear how the NF-κB response is tailored to specific cellular insults. Signaling molecule that interacts with mouse pelle-like kinase (SIMPL) is a signaling component required for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-dependent but not interleukin-1-dependent NF-κB activation. Herein we demonstrate that nuclear localization of SIMPL is required for type I TNF receptor-induced NF-κB activity. SIMPL interacts with nuclear p65 in a TNF-α-dependent manner to promote endogenous NF-κB-dependent gene expression. The interaction between SIMPL and p65 enhances p65 transactivation activity. These data support a model in which TNF-α activation of NF-κB dependent-gene expression requires nuclear relocalization of p65 as well as nuclear relocalization of SIMPL, generating a TNF-α-specific induction of gene expression