Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) relies on hyper-activated protein synthesis. Consistently, human and mouse PDAC lose expression of the translational repressor and mTOR target 4E-BP1. Using genome-wide polysome-profiling, we here explore mRNAs whose translational efficiencies depend on the mTOR/4E-BP1 axis in Miapaca-2 cells. This was performed by isolating cytoplasmic and efficiently translated (heavy polysome-associated) mRNAs from MiaPaca-2 cells upon PP242-mediated mTOR inhibition
Project description:Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)–binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) inhibits cap-dependent translation in eukaryotes by competing with eIF4G for an interaction with eIF4E. Phos-phorylation at Ser-83 of 4E-BP1 occurs during mitosis through the activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1)/cyclin B rather than through canonical mTOR kinase activity. Here, we investi-gated the interaction of eIF4E with 4E-BP1 or eIF4G during interphase and mitosis. We observed that 4E-BP1 and eIF4G bind eIF4E at similar levels during interphase and mitosis. The most highly phosphorylated mitotic 4E-BP1 isoform (δ) did not interact with eIF4E, whereas a distinct 4E-BP1 phospho-isoform, EB-γ—phosphorylated at Thr-70, Ser-83, and Ser-101—bound to eIF4E during mitosis. Two-dimensional gel electropho-retic analysis corroborated the identity of the phosphorylation marks on the eIF4E-bound 4E-BP1 isoforms and uncovered a population of phosphorylated 4E-BP1 molecules lacking Thr-37/Thr-46–priming phosphorylation. Moreover, proximity ligation assays for phospho–4E-BP1 and eIF4E revealed different in situ interactions during interphase and mitosis. The eIF4E:eIF4G interaction was not inhibited, but rather increased in mitotic cells, consistent with active translation initiation during mitosis. Phospho-defective substitution of 4E-BP1 at Ser-83 did not change global translation or individual mRNA translation profiles as measured by single-cell nascent protein synthesis and eIF4G RNA-immunoprecipitation sequencing. Mitotic 5’-terminal oligopyrimidine RNA translation was active and, unlike interphase translation, resistant to mTOR inhibition. Our findings reveal the phosphorylation profiles of 4E-BP1 isoforms and their interactions with eIF4E throughout the cell cycle and indicate that 4E-BP1 does not specifically inhibit translation initiation during mitosis.
Project description:Although the mTOR-4E-BP1 signaling pathway is implicated in aging and aging-related disorders, the role of 4E-BP1 in regulating human stem cell homeostasis remains largely unknown. Here, we report that the expression of 4E-BP1 decreases along with the senescence of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Genetic inactivation of 4E-BP1 in hMSCs accelerates cellular senescence, compromises mitochondrial respiration and increases mitochondrial ROS production. Mechanistically, the absence of 4E-BP1 destabilizes proteins in mitochondrial respiration complexes, especially several key subunits of the complex III including UQCRC2. Ectopic expression of 4E-BP1 attenuates mitochondrial abnormalities and alleviates cellular senescence in 4E-BP1-deficient hMSCs as well as in physiologically aged hMSCs. These findings together demonstrate that 4E-BP1 functions as a geroprotector to alleviate human stem cell senescence and maintain mitochondrial homeostasis, particularly for the mitochondrial respiration complex III and provide a new potential target to counteract human stem cell senescence.
Project description:Spinal microglia play a pivotal role in the development of neuropathic pain. Peripheral nerve injury induces changes in the transcriptional profile of microglia, including increased expression of components of translational machinery. Whether microglial protein synthesis is stimulated following nerve injury and has a functional role in mediating pain hypersensitivity is unknown. Here, we show that nascent protein synthesis is upregulated in spinal microglia following peripheral nerve injury. Stimulating mRNA translation in microglia, via selective ablation of the translational repressor, eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), promoted the transition of microglia to a reactive state and induced mechanical hypersensitivity. Conversely, inhibiting microglial translation by expressing mutant 4E-BP1 in microglia attenuated their peripheral nerve injury-induced activation and alleviated neuropathic pain. Thus, the stimulation of 4E-BP1-dependent translation promotes microglia reactivity and mechanical hypersensitivity, whereas its inhibition alleviates neuropathic pain.
Project description:Activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) contributes to the development of chronic pain. However, the specific mechanisms by which mTORC1 causes hypersensitivity remain elusive. The eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) is a key mTORC1 downstream effector that represses translation initiation. Here we show that nociceptor-specific deletion of 4E-BP1, mimicking activation of mTORC1-dependent translation, is sufficient to cause mechanical hypersensitivity.
Project description:One of the most regulated steps of translation initiation is the recruitment of an mRNA by the translation machinery. In eukaryotes, this step is mediated by the 5M-BM-4end cap-binding factor eIF4E bound to the bridge protein eIF4G and forming the eIF4F complex. In plants, different isoforms of eIF4E and eIF4G form the antigenically distinct eIF4F and eIF(iso)4F complexes proposed to mediate selective translation. Using a microarray analysis of polyribosome- and non-polyribosome-purified mRNAs from 15 day-old Arabidopsis thaliana wild type [WT] and eIF(iso)4E knockout mutant [AteIF(iso)4E-1] seedlings we found 79 transcripts shifted from polyribosomes toward non-polyribosomes, and 47 mRNAs with the opposite behavior in the mutant. The translationally decreased mRNAs were overrepresented in root-preferentially expressed genes and proteins from the endomembrane system, including several transporters such as the phosphate transporter PHOSPHATE1 (PHO1), Sucrose transporter 3 (SUC3), the ABC transporter-like with ATPase activity (MRP11) and five electron transporters, as well as signal transduction-, protein modification- and transcription-related proteins. For transcriptional analysis used total RNA of AteIF(iso)4E-1 seedlings of 15 days old to known the changes on transcripts leves by the eIF(iso)4E absence, using as control Wt seedlings. The experiments were performed in duplicate, and swap analysis were done. For translational analysis, used non-polysomal and polysomal RNA of AteIF(iso)4E-1 seedlings of 15 days old in order to known the transcripts that are modified in their translational levels by the eIF(iso)4E absence, using as control non polysomal and polysomal RNA of Wt seddlings.
Project description:The usurping of translational control by sustained activation of translation initiation factors is oncogenic. Here we show that the primary negative regulators of these oncogenic initiation factors - the 4E-BP protein family - operate as guardians of a translational control checkpoint in tumor defense. When challenged with the tobacco carcinogen NNK, 4ebp1-/-/4ebp2-/- mice showed increased sensitivity to tumorigenesis compared to their wild type counterparts. The 4E-BP deficient state per se creates pro-oncogenic, genome-wide skewing of the molecular landscape - with translational activation of genes governing angiogenesis, growth and proliferation; and translational activation of the precise cytochrome p450 enzyme isoform (CYP2A5) that bioactivates NNK into mutagenic metabolites. Our study provides in vivo proof for a translational control checkpoint in tumor defense.
Project description:In ribosomopathies, perturbed expression of ribosome components leads to tissue-specific phenotypes. What accounts for such tissue-selective manifestations as a result of mutations in the ribosome, a ubiquitous cellular machine, has remained a mystery. Combining mouse genetics and in vivo ribosome profiling, we observe limb patterning phenotypes in ribosomal protein (RP) haploinsufficient embryos and uncover selective translational changes of transcripts controlling limb development. Surprisingly, both loss of p53, which is activated by RP haploinsufficiency, and augmented protein synthesis rescue these phenotypes. These findings are explained by the identification that p53 functions as a master regulator of protein synthesis, at least in part, through transcriptional activation of 4E-BP1. 4E-BP1, a key translational regulator, in turn, facilitates selective changes in the translatome downstream of p53, and thereby explains how RP haploinsufficiency may elicit specificity to gene expression. These results provide an integrative model to understand how in vivo tissue-specific phenotypes emerge in ribosomopathies.
Project description:Mitosis-related phosphorylation of the eukaryotic translation suppressor 4E-BP1 and its interaction with eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)
Project description:Cyclin-dependent kinases 13 (CDK13) has been suggested to phosphorylate RNA polymerase II and is involved in transcriptional activation. However, whether CDK13 catalyzes other protein substrates and how CDK13 contributes to tumorigenesis remain largely unclear. Herein, we identify key translation machinery components 4E-BP1 and eIF4B as novel CDK13 substrates. CDK13 directly phosphorylates 4E-BP1 at Thr46 and eIF4B at Ser422 such that genetic or pharmacological inhibition of CDK13 perturbs RNA translation. Polysome profiling analysis shows that MYC oncoprotein synthesis depends on the CDK13-regulated translation in colorectal cancer (CRC), and CDK13 is required for CRC cell proliferation. As mTORC1 has been shown to phosphorylate the 4E-BP1 and eIF4B, knockdown or inhibition of CDK13 in combination with mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin further dephosphorylates 4E-BP1 and eIF4B and blocks protein synthesis. As a result, dual inhibition of CDK13 and mTORC1 accelerated CRC cell death and again MYC were significantly downregulated upon combination treatment. These findings demonstrate a pro-tumorigenic role of CDK13 in CRC and shed light on the role of CDK13 in protein synthesis by direct phosphorylation of translation initiation factors. Therefore, therapeutic targeting of CDK13 alone or in combination with rapamycin may pave a new way for CRC treatment.