PCAF acetylates {beta}-catenin and improves its stability

Mol Biol Cell. 2009 Jan;20(1):419-27. doi: 10.1091/mbc.e08-08-0792. Epub 2008 Nov 5.

Abstract

beta-Catenin plays an important role in development and tumorigenesis. However, the effect of a key acetyltransferase p300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF) on beta-catenin signaling is largely unknown. In this study, we found PCAF could increase the beta-catenin transcriptional activity, induce its nuclear translocation, and up-regulate its protein level by inhibiting its ubiquitination and improving its stability. Further studies showed that PCAF directly binds to and acetylates beta-catenin. The key ubiquitination sites Lys-19 and Lys-49 of beta-catenin were shown as the critical residues for PCAF-induced acetylation and stabilization. Knockdown of PCAF in colon cancer cells markedly reduced the protein level, transcriptional activity, and acetylation level of beta-catenin; promoted cell differentiation; inhibited cell migration; and repressed xenografted tumorigenesis and tumor growth in nude mice. All these data demonstrate that PCAF acetylates beta-catenin and regulates its stability, and they raise the prospect that therapies targeting PCAF may be of clinical use in beta-catenin-driven diseases, such as colon cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / physiology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • Lysine / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Protein Stability*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Transcriptional Activation
  • Wnt Proteins / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*
  • p300-CBP Transcription Factors / genetics
  • p300-CBP Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • p300-CBP Transcription Factors
  • p300-CBP-associated factor
  • Lysine