Suppression of PP2A is critical for protection of melanoma cells upon endoplasmic reticulum stress

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress triggers apoptosis by activating Bim in diverse types of cells, which involves dephosphorylation of BimEL by protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). However, melanoma cells are largely resistant to ER stress-induced apoptosis, suggesting that Bim activation is suppressed in melanoma cells undergoing ER stress. We show here that ER stress reduces PP2A activity leading to increased ERK activation and subsequent phosphorylation and proteasomal degradation of BimEL. Despite sustained upregulation of Bim at the transcriptional level, the BimEL protein expression was downregulated after an initial increase in melanoma cells subjected to pharmacological ER stress. This was mediated by increased activity of ERK, whereas the phosphatase activity of PP2A was reduced by ER stress in melanoma cells. The increase in ERK activation was, at least in part, due to reduced dephosphorylation by PP2A, which was associated with downregulation of the PP2A catalytic C subunit. Notably, instead of direct dephosphorylation of BimEL, PP2A inhibited its phosphorylation indirectly through dephosphorylation of ERK in melanoma cells. Taken together, these results identify downregualtion of PP2A activity as an important protective mechanism of melanoma cells against ER stress-induced apoptosis

SIRT2-and NRF2-Targeting Thiazole-Containing Compound with Therapeutic Activity in Huntington's Disease Models

There are currently no disease-modifying therapies for the neurodegenerative disorder Huntington's disease (HD). This study identified novel thiazole-containing inhibitors of the deacetylase sirtuin-2 (SIRT2) with neuroprotective activity in ex vivo brain slice and Drosophila models of HD. A systems biology approach revealed an additional SIRT2-independent property of the lead-compound, MIND4, as an inducer of cytoprotective NRF2 (nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-derived factor 2) activity. Structure-activity relationship studies further identified a potent NRF2 activator (MIND4-17) lacking SIRT2 inhibitory activity. MIND compounds induced NRF2 activation responses in neuronal and non-neuronal cells and reduced production of reactive oxygen species and nitrogen intermediates. These drug-like thiazole-containing compounds represent an exciting opportunity for development of multi-targeted agents with potentially synergistic therapeutic benefits in HD and related disorders

B56-containing PP2A dephosphorylate ERK and their activity is controlled by the early gene IEX-1 and ERK

The protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) acts on several kinases in the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway but whether a specific holoenzyme dephosphorylates ERK and whether this activity is controlled during mitogenic stimulation is unknown. By using both RNA interference and overexpression of PP2A B regulatory subunits, we show that B56, but not B, family members of PP2A increase ERK dephosphorylation, without affecting its activation by MEK. Induction of the early gene product and ERK substrate IEX-1 (ier3) by growth factors leads to opposite effects and reverses B56-PP2A-mediated ERK dephosphorylation. IEX-1 binds to B56 subunits and pERK independently, enhances B56 phosphorylation by ERK at a conserved Ser/Pro site in this complex and triggers dissociation from the catalytic subunit. This is the first demonstration of the involvement of B56-containing PP2A in ERK dephosphorylation and of a B56-specific cellular protein inhibitor regulating its activity in an ERK-dependent fashion. In addition, our results raise a new paradigm in ERK signaling in which ERK associated to a substrate can transphosphorylate nearby proteins

Carnosic Acid Modulates Akt/IKK/NF-jB Signaling by PP2A and Induces Intrinsic and Extrinsic Pathway Mediated Apoptosis in Human Prostate Carcinoma PC-3 Cells

This study investigates the efficacy of carnosic acid (CA), a polyphenolic diterpene, isolated from the plant rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), on androgen-independent human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. CA induced antiproliferative effects in PC-3 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, which was due to apoptotic induction as evident from flow-cytometry, DNA laddering and TUNEL assay. Apoptosis was associated with the activation of caspase-8, -9, -3 and -7, increase in Bax:Bcl-2 ratio, release of cytochrome-c and decrease in expression of inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family of proteins. Apoptosis was attenuated upon pretreatment with specific inhibitors of caspase-8 (Z-IETD-fmk) and caspase-9 (ZLEHD- fmk) suggesting the involvement of both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic cascades. Further, apoptosis resulted from the inhibition of IKK/NF-jB pathway as evident from decreased DNA binding activity, nuclear translocation of p50 and p65 and IjBa phosphorylation. The downregulation of IKK/NF-jB was associated with inhibition of Akt phosphorylation and its kinase activity with a concomitant increase in the serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity. Pharmacologic inhibition of PP2A by okadaic acid and calyculin A, significantly reversed CA-mediated apoptotic events in PC-3 cells indicating that CA induced apoptosis by activation of PP2A through modulation of Akt/IKK/NF-jB pathway. In addition, CA induced apoptosis in another androgen refractory prostat cancer DU145 cells via intrinsic pathway as evidenced from the activation of caspase 3, cleavage of PARP, increase in Bax:Bcl-2 ratio and cytochrome-c release. Carnosic acid, therefore, may have the potential for use in the prevention and/or treatment of prostate cancer