The p53-induced oncogenic phosphatase PPM1D interacts with uracil DNA glycosylase and suppresses base excision repair

Phosphatase assay for multi-phosphorylated substrates using phosphatase specific-motif antibody

Protein phosphorylation plays central roles in a wide variety of signal transduction pathways and most phosphorylated proteins contain multi-phosphorylated sites. PPM1 type Ser/Thr protein phosphatase family is known to show rigid substrate specificity unlike other Ser/Thr phosphatase PPP family including PP1, PP2A and PP2B. PPM1 type phosphatases are reported to play important roles in growth regulation and in cellular stress signalling. In this study, we developed a phosphatase assay of PPM1D using phosphatase motif-specific antibody. PPM1D is a member of PPM1 type Ser/Thr phosphatase and known to dephosphorylate Ser(P)-Gln sequence. The gene amplification and overexpression of PPM1D were reported in many human cancers. We generated the monoclonal antibody specific for the Ser(P)-Gln sequence, named 3G9-H11. The specificity of this method using ELISA enables the convenient measurement of the dephosphorylation level of only PPM1D target residues of substrate peptides with multiple phosphorylated sites in the presence of multiple phosphatases. In addition, the antibody was applicable to immunoblotting assay for PPM1D function analysis. These results suggested that this method should be very useful for the PPM1D phosphatase assay, including high-throughput analysis and screening of specific inhibitors as anti-cancer drugs. The method using phosphatase motif-specific antibody can be applied to other PPM1 phosphatase family.

LZAP inhibits p38 MAPK (p38) phosphorylation and activity by facilitating p38 association with the wild-type p53 induced phosphatase 1 (WIP1)

LZAP (Cdk5rap3, C53) is a putative tumor suppressor that inhibits RelA, Chk1 and Chk2 and activates p53. LZAP is lost in a portion of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and experimental loss of LZAP expression is associated with enhanced invasion, xenograft tumor growth and angiogenesis. p38 MAPK can increase or decrease proliferation and cell death depending on cellular context. LZAP has no known enzymatic activity, implying that its biological functions are likely mediated by its protein-protein interactions. To gain further insight into LZAP activities, we searched for LZAP-associated proteins (LAPs). Here we show that the LZAP binds p38, alters p38 cellular localization, and inhibits basal and cytokine-stimulated p38 activity. Expression of LZAP inhibits p38 phosphorylation in a dose-dependent fashion while loss of LZAP enhances phosphorylation and activation with resultant phosphorylation of p38 downstream targets. Mechanistically, the ability of LZAP to alter p38 phosphorylation depended, at least partially, on the p38 phosphatase, Wip1. Expression of LZAP increased both LZAP and Wip1 binding to p38. Taken together, these data suggest that LZAP activity includes inhibition of p38 phosphorylation and activation.

PPM1D gene amplification and overexpression in breast cancer: a qRT-PCR and chromogenic in situ hybridization study

PPM1D (protein phosphatase magnesium-dependent 1δ) maps to the 17q23.2 amplicon and is amplified in ∼8% of breast cancers. The PPM1D gene encodes a serine threonine phosphatase, which is involved in the regulation of several tumour suppressor pathways, including the p53 pathway. Along with others, we have recently shown that PPM1D is one of the drivers of the 17q23.2 amplicon and a promising therapeutic target. Here we investigate whether PPM1D is overexpressed when amplified in breast cancers and the correlations between PPM1D overexpression and amplification with clinicopathological features and survival of breast cancer patients from a cohort of 245 patients with invasive breast cancer treated with therapeutic surgery followed by adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy. mRNA was extracted from representative sections of tumours containing >50% of tumour cells and subjected to TaqMan quantitative real-time PCR using primers for PPM1D and for two housekeeping genes. PPM1D overexpression was defined as the top quartile of expression levels. Chromogenic in situ hybridization with in-house-generated probes for PPM1D was performed. Amplification was defined as >50% of cancer cells with >5 signals per nucleus/large gene clusters. PPM1D overexpression and amplification were found in 25 and 6% of breast cancers, respectively. All cases harbouring PPM1D amplification displayed PPM1D overexpression. PPM1D overexpression was inversely correlated with expression of TOP2A, EGFR and cytokeratins 5/6 and 17. PPM1D amplification was significantly associated with HER2 overexpression, and HER2, TOP2A and CCND1 amplification. No association between PPM1D gene amplification and PPM1D mRNA overexpression with survival was observed. In conclusion, PPM1D is consistently overexpressed when amplified; however, PPM1D overexpression is more pervasive than gene amplification. PPM1D overexpression and amplification are associated with tumours displaying luminal or HER2 phenotypes. Co-amplification of PPM1D and HER2/TOP2A and CCND1 are not random events and may suggest the presence of a 'firestorm' genetic profile.

Oncogenic Wip1 phosphatase is inhibited by miR-16 in the DNA damage signaling pathway

Wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 (Wip1) was identified as an oncogene amplified and overexpressed in several human cancers. Recent evidence suggested that Wip1 is a critical inhibitor in the ATM/ATR-p53 DNA damage signaling pathway. Wip1 dephosphorylates several key DNA damage-responsive proteins and reverses DNA damage-induced cell cycle checkpoints. Previous reports showed that Wip1 was transcriptionally induced by p53 at the early stage of the DNA damage response. To investigate the temporal and functional regulation of Wip1, we identified a microRNA, miR-16, that specifically targets the mRNA of Wip1 and thus negatively regulates the expression level of Wip1. miR-16 itself is induced immediately after DNA damage. Therefore, the increase in Wip1 protein level is significantly postponed compared with that of its mRNA level, preventing a premature inactivation of ATM/ATR signaling and allowing a functional completion of the early DNA damage response. To better understand miR-16 biological functions in the context of cancer cells, we examined its expression in mammary tumor stem cells and found it to be markedly downregulated in mammary tumor stem cells. Overexpression of miR-16 or inhibition of Wip1 suppresses the self-renewal and growth of mouse mammary tumor stem cells and sensitizes MCF-7 human breast cancer cells to the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin. Together, our results suggest an important role of miR-16 in the regulation of Wip1 phosphatase in the DNA damage response and mammary tumorigenesis.

The oncogenic phosphatase WIP1 negatively regulates nucleotide excision repair

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is the only mechanism in humans to repair UV-induced DNA lesions such as pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). In response to UV damage, the ataxia telangiectasia mutated and Rad3-related (ATR) kinase phosphorylates and activates several downstream effector proteins, such as p53 and XPA, to arrest cell cycle progression, stimulate DNA repair, or initiate apoptosis. However, following the completion of DNA repair, there must be active mechanisms that restore the cell to a prestressed homeostatic state. An important part of this recovery must include a process to reduce p53 and NER activity as well as to remove repair protein complexes from the DNA damage sites. Since activation of the damage response occurs in part through phosphorylation, phosphatases are obvious candidates as homeostatic regulators of the DNA damage and repair responses. Therefore, we investigated whether the serine/threonine wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 (WIP1/PPM1D) might regulate NER. WIP1 overexpression inhibits the kinetics of NER and CPD repair, whereas WIP1 depletion enhances NER kinetics and CPD repair. This NER suppression is dependent on WIP1 phosphatase activity, as phosphatase-dead WIP1 mutants failed to inhibit NER. Moreover, WIP1 suppresses the kinetics of UV-induced damage repair largely through effects on NER, as XPD-deficient cells are not further suppressed in repairing UV damage by overexpressed WIP1. Wip1 null mice quickly repair their CPD and undergo less UV-induced apoptosis than their wild-type counterparts. In vitro phosphatase assays identify XPA and XPC as two potential WIP1 targets in the NER pathway. Thus WIP1 may suppress NER kinetics by dephosphorylating and inactivating XPA and XPC and other NER proteins and regulators after UV-induced DNA damage is repaired.

Iron chelator-mediated alterations in gene expression: identification of novel iron-regulated molecules that are molecular targets of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha and p53

Iron deficiency affects 500 million people, yet the molecular role of iron in gene expression remains poorly characterized. In addition, the alterations in global gene expression after iron chelation remain unclear and are important to assess for understanding the molecular pathology of iron deficiency and the biological effects of chelators. Considering this, we assessed the effect on whole genome gene expression of two iron chelators (desferrioxamine and 2-hydroxy-1-napthylaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone) that have markedly different permeability properties. Sixteen genes were significantly regulated by both ligands, whereas a further 50 genes were significantly regulated by either compound. Apart from iron-mediated regulation of expression via hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha, it was noteworthy that the transcription factor p53 was also involved in iron-regulated gene expression. Examining 16 genes regulated by both chelators in normal and neoplastic cells, five genes (APP, GDF15, CITED2, EGR1, and PNRC1) were significantly differentially expressed between the cell types. In view of their functions in tumor suppression, proliferation, and apoptosis, these findings are important for understanding the selective antiproliferative effects of chelators against neoplastic cells. Most of the genes identified have not been described previously to be iron-regulated and are important for understanding the molecular and cellular effects of iron depletion.

Wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 dephosphorylates histone variant gamma-H2AX and suppresses DNA double strand break repair

In response to DNA double strand breaks, the histone variant H2AX at the break site is phosphorylated at serine 139 by DNA damage sensor kinases such as ataxia telangiectasia-mutated, forming gamma-H2AX. This phosphorylation event is critical for sustained recruitment of other proteins to repair the break. After repair, restoration of the cell to a prestress state is associated with gamma-H2AX dephosphorylation and dissolution of gamma-H2AX-associated damage foci. The phosphatases PP2A and PP4 have previously been shown to dephosphorylate gamma-H2AX. Here, we demonstrate that the wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 (WIP1) also dephosphorylates gamma-H2AX at serine 139 in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of WIP1 reduces formation of gamma-H2AX foci in response to ionizing and ultraviolet radiation and blocks recruitment of MDC1 (mediator of DNA damage checkpoint 1) and 53BP1 (p53 binding protein 1) to DNA damage foci. Finally, these inhibitory effects of WIP1 on gamma-H2AX are accompanied by WIP1 suppression of DNA double strand break repair. Thus, WIP1 has a homeostatic role in reversing the effects of ataxia telangiectasia-mutated phosphorylation of H2AX.

Expression of a homeostatic regulator, Wip1 (wild-type p53-induced phosphatase), is temporally induced by c-Jun and p53 in response to UV irradiation

Wild-type p53-induced phosphatase (Wip1) is induced by p53 in response to stress, which results in the dephosphorylation of proteins (i.e. p38 MAPK, p53, and uracil DNA glycosylase) involved in DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint pathways. p38 MAPK-p53 signaling is a unique way to induce Wip1 in response to stress. Here, we show that c-Jun directly binds to and activates the Wip1 promoter in response to UV irradiation. The binding of p53 to the promoter occurs earlier than that of c-Jun. In experiments, mutation of the p53 response element (p53RE) or c-Jun consensus sites reduced promoter activity in both non-stressed and stressed A549 cells. Overexpression of p53 significantly decreased Wip1 expression in HCT116 p53(+/+) cells but increased it in HCT116 p53(-/-) cells. Adenovirus-mediated p53 overexpression greatly decreased JNK activity. Up-regulation of Wip1 via the p38 MAPK-p53 and JNK-c-Jun pathways is specific, as demonstrated by our findings that p38 MAPK and JNK inhibitors affected the expression of the Wip1 protein, whereas an ERK inhibitor did not. c-Jun activation occurred much more quickly, and to a greater extent, in A549-E6 cells than in A549 cells, with delayed but fully induced Wip1 expression. These data indicate that Wip1 is activated via both the JNK-c-Jun and p38 MAPK-p53 signaling pathways and that temporal induction of Wip1 depends largely on the balance between c-Jun and p53, which compete for JNK binding. Moreover, our results suggest that JNK-c-Jun-mediated Wip1 induction could serve as a major signaling pathway in human tumors in response to frequent p53 mutation.

Wip1 confers G2 checkpoint recovery competence by counteracting p53-dependent transcriptional repression

Activation of the DNA damage checkpoint causes a cell-cycle arrest through inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks). To successfully recover from the arrest, a cell should somehow be maintained in its proper cell-cycle phase. This problem is particularly eminent when a cell arrests in G2, as cdk activity is important to establish a G2 state. Here, we identify the phosphatase Wip1 (PPM1D) as a factor that maintains a cell competent for cell-cycle re-entry during an ongoing DNA damage response in G2. We show that Wip1 function is required throughout the arrest, and that Wip1 acts by antagonizing p53-dependent repression of crucial mitotic inducers, such as Cyclin B and Plk1. Our data show that the primary function of Wip1 is to retain cellular competence to divide, rather than to silence the checkpoint to promote recovery. Our findings uncover Wip1 as a first in class recovery competence gene, and suggest that the principal function of Wip1 in cellular transformation is to retain proliferative capacity in the face of oncogene-induced stress.

Phosphorylation and degradation of MdmX is inhibited by Wip1 phosphatase in the DNA damage response

MdmX and Mdm2 regulate p53 tumor suppressor functions by controlling p53 transcriptional activity and/or stability in cells exposed to DNA damage. Accumulating evidence indicates that ATM-mediated phosphorylation and degradation of Mdm2 and MdmX may be the initial driving force that induces p53 activity during the early phase of the DNA damage response. We have recently determined that a novel protein phosphatase, Wip1 (or PPM1D), contributes to p53 regulation by dephosphorylating Mdm2 to close the p53 activation loop initiated by the ATM/ATR kinases. In the present study, we determine that Wip1 directly dephosphorylates MdmX at the ATM-targeted Ser403 and indirectly suppresses phosphorylation of MdmX at Ser342 and Ser367. Wip1 inhibits the DNA damage-induced ubiquitination and degradation of MdmX, leading to the stabilization of MdmX and reduction of p53 activities. Our data suggest that Wip1 is an important component in the ATM-p53-MdmX regulatory loop.

Substrate specificity and excision kinetics of natural polymorphic variants and phosphomimetic mutants of human 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase

Human 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase (OGG1) efficiently removes mutagenic 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua) and 2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine when paired with cytosine in oxidatively damaged DNA. Excision of 8-oxoGua mispaired with adenine may lead to G-->T transversions. Post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation could affect the cellular distribution and enzymatic activity of OGG1. Mutations and polymorphisms of OGG1 may affect the enzymatic activity and have been associated with increased risk of several cancers. In this study, we used double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides containing 8-oxoGua:Cyt or 8-oxoGua:Ade pairs, as well as gamma-irradiated calf thymus DNA, to investigate the kinetics and substrate specificity of several known OGG1 polymorphic variants and phosphomimetic Ser-->Glu mutants. Among the polymorphic variants, A288V and S326C displayed opposite-base specificity similar to that of wild-type OGG1, whereas OGG1-D322N was 2.3-fold more specific for the correct opposite base than the wild-type enzyme. All phosphomimetic mutants displayed approximately 1.5-3-fold lower ability to remove 8-oxoGua in both assays, whereas the substrate specificity of the phosphomimetic mutants was similar to that of the wild-type enzyme. OGG1-S326C efficiently excised 8-oxoGua from oligodeoxynucleotides and 2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine from gamma-irradiated DNA, but excised 8-oxoG rather inefficiently from gamma-irradiated DNA. Otherwise, kcat values for 8-oxoGua excision obtained from both types of experiments were similar for all OGG1 variants studied. It is known that the human AP endonuclease APEX1 can stimulate OGG1 activity by increasing its turnover rate. However, when wild-type OGG1 was replaced by one of the phosphomimetic mutants, very little stimulation of 8-oxoGua removal was observed in the presence of APEX1.

The estrogen receptor alpha pathway induces oncogenic Wip1 phosphatase gene expression

Wild-type p53-induced phosphatase (Wip1) is a serine/threonine phosphatase induced by DNA-damaging agents. This enzyme dephosphorylates several cell cycle regulating proteins, including p53, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, Chk1, and Chk2, resulting in negative feedback regulation of p38-p53 signaling after damage repair. Moreover, the Wip1 gene may be amplified or overexpressed, especially in hormone-regulated organs, and Wip1 gene amplification has been correlated with poor prognosis in hormone-related malignancies, including ovarian cancers. We therefore investigated the link between estrogen signaling and Wip1 expression. We identified seven putative estrogen response elements within 3 kb of the Wip1 promoter. We also found that estradiol (E(2)) treatment produced a 3-fold increase in endogenous Wip1 mRNA and protein expression in MCF7 cells. Direct binding of estrogen receptor (ER)alpha to the Wip1 promoter after E(2) treatment was confirmed by a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay using ERalpha antibody and an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Wip1 overexpression induced by adenovirus and E(2) facilitated the proliferation of serum-starved ZR-75-1 cells, with cell proliferation induced by overexpressed Wip1 approximately 25% higher than that induced by E(2). Wip1 phosphatase activity was essential for cell cycle progression. Wip1 stimulated the transcriptional activity of its own promoter through E(2)-ERalpha signaling. In addition, Wip1 overexpression induced Rb phosphorylation during cancer cell proliferation. These results indicate that Wip1 up-regulation is important in the pathogenesis of p53(+) and ER(+) breast cancer through the inactivation of p53 by dephosphorylation and the amplification of subsequent estrogenic effects through the E(2)-ERalpha-Wip1 pathway.

Loss of Wip1 sensitizes cells to stress- and DNA damage-induced apoptosis

In response to various environmental stresses, the stress-responsive MAPKs p38 and JNK are activated and phosphorylate ATF2 and c-Jun transcription factors, thereby affecting cell-fate decision. Targeted gene disruption studies have established that JNK-c-Jun signaling plays a vital role in stress-induced apoptosis. The oncogenic phosphatase Wip1 acts as an important regulator in DNA damage pathway by dephosphorylating a spectrum of proteins including p53, p38, Chk1, Chk2, and ATM. In this study we show that Wip1 negatively regulates the activation of MKK4-JNK-c-Jun signaling during stress-induced apoptosis. The loss of Wip1 function sensitizes mouse embryonic fibroblasts to stress-induced apoptosis via the activation of both p38-ATF2 and JNK-c-Jun signaling. Here we reveal that Wip1 has dual roles in alternatively regulating stress- and DNA damage-induced apoptosis through p38/JNK MAPKs and p38/p53-dependent pathways, respectively. Our results point to Wip1 as a general regulator of apoptosis, which further supports its role in tumorigenesis.

Tiling path genomic profiling of grade 3 invasive ductal breast cancers

PURPOSE

To characterize the molecular genetic profiles of grade 3 invasive ductal carcinomas of no special type using high-resolution microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and to identify recurrent amplicons harboring putative therapeutic targets associated with luminal, HER-2, and basal-like tumor phenotypes.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Ninety-five grade 3 invasive ductal carcinomas of no special type were classified into luminal, HER-2, and basal-like subgroups using a previously validated immunohistochemical panel. Tumor samples were microdissected and subjected to aCGH using a tiling path 32K BAC array platform. Selected regions of recurrent amplification were validated by means of in situ hybridization. Expression of genes pertaining to selected amplicons was investigated using quantitative real-time PCR and gene silencing was done using previously validated short hairpin RNA constructs.

RESULTS

We show that basal-like and HER-2 tumors are characterized by "sawtooth" and "firestorm" genetic patterns, respectively, whereas luminal cancers were more heterogeneous. Apart from confirming known amplifications associated with basal-like (1q21, 10p, and 12p), luminal (8p12, 11q13, and 11q14), and HER-2 (17q12) cancers, we identified previously unreported recurrent amplifications associated with each molecular subgroup: 19q12 in basal-like, 1q32.1 in luminal, and 14q12 in HER-2 cancers. PPM1D gene amplification (17q23.2) was found in 20% and 8% of HER-2 and luminal cancers, respectively. Silencing of PPM1D by short hairpin RNA resulted in selective loss of viability in tumor cell lines harboring the 17q23.2 amplification.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show the power of aCGH analysis in unraveling the genetic profiles of specific subgroups of cancer and for the identification of novel therapeutic targets.

Essential phosphatases and a phospho-degron are critical for regulation of SRC-3/AIB1 coactivator function and turnover

SRC-3/AIB1 is a master growth coactivator and oncogene, and phosphorylation activates it into a powerful coregulator. Dephosphorylation is a potential regulatory mechanism for SRC-3 function, but the identity of such phosphatases remains unexplored. Herein, we report that, using functional genomic screening of human Ser/Thr phosphatases targeting SRC-3's known phosphorylation sites, the phosphatases PDXP, PP1, and PP2A were identified to be key negative regulators of SRC-3 transcriptional coregulatory activity in steroid receptor signalings. PDXP and PP2A dephosphorylate SRC-3 and inhibit its ligand-dependent association with estrogen receptor. PP1 stabilizes SRC-3 protein by blocking its proteasome-dependent turnover through dephosphorylation of two previously unidentified phosphorylation sites (Ser101 and S102) required for activity. These two sites are located within a degron of SRC-3 and are primary determinants of SRC-3 turnover. Moreover, PP1 regulates the oncogenic cell proliferation and invasion functions of SRC-3 in breast cancer cells.

PPM1D430, a novel alternative splicing variant of the human PPM1D, can dephosphorylate p53 and exhibits specific tissue expression

PPM1D is a PPM1 type protein phosphatase and is induced in response to DNA damage. PPM1D-deficient mice show defects in spermatogenesis and lymphoid cell functions but the mechanisms underlying these phenotypes remain unknown. In our current study, we identify and characterize an alternative splicing variant (denoted PPM1D430) of human PPM1D at both the mRNA and protein level. PPM1D430 comprises the common 420 residues of the known PPM1D protein (PPM1D605) and contains a stretch of PPM1D430-specific 10 amino acids. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed that PPM1D430 mRNA is also induced in response to the genotoxic stress in a p53-dependent manner. In vitro phosphatase analysis and PPM1D430-specific RNA interference analysis further indicated that PPM1D430 can dephosphorylate Ser15 of human p53 both in vitro and in vivo. On the other hand, expression profiling of this gene by RT-PCR analysis of a human tissue cDNA panel revealed that PPM1D430 is expressed exclusively in testes and in leucocytes whereas PPM1D605 is ubiquitous. In addition, PPM1D430 shows a different subcellular localization pattern and protein stability when compared with PPM1D605 under some conditions. Our current findings thus suggest that PPM1D430 may exert specific functions in immune response and/or spermatogenesis.

Ugene, a newly identified protein that is commonly overexpressed in cancer and binds uracil DNA glycosylase

Expression microarrays identified a novel transcript, designated as Ugene, whose expression is absent in normal colon and colon adenomas, but that is commonly induced in malignant colon cancers. These findings were validated by real-time PCR and Northern blot analysis in an independent panel of colon cancer cases. In addition, Ugene expression was found to be elevated in many other common cancer types, including breast, lung, uterus, and ovary. Immunofluorescence of V5-tagged Ugene revealed it to have a nuclear localization. In a pull-down assay, uracil DNA glycosylase 2 (UNG2), an important enzyme in the base excision repair (BER) pathway, was identified as a partner protein that binds to Ugene. Coimmunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis confirmed the binding between the endogenous Ugene and UNG2 proteins. Using deletion constructs, we find that Ugene binds to the first 25 amino acids of the UNG2 NH(2) terminus. We suggest that Ugene induction in cancer may contribute to the cancer phenotype by interacting with the BER pathway.

The type 2C phosphatase Wip1: an oncogenic regulator of tumor suppressor and DNA damage response pathways

The Wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1, Wip1 (or PPM1D), is unusual in that it is a serine/threonine phosphatase with oncogenic activity. A member of the type 2C phosphatases (PP2Cδ), Wip1 has been shown to be amplified and overexpressed in multiple human cancer types, including breast and ovarian carcinomas. In rodent primary fibroblast transformation assays, Wip1 cooperates with known oncogenes to induce transformed foci. The recent identification of target proteins that are dephosphorylated by Wip1 has provided mechanistic insights into its oncogenic functions. Wip1 acts as a homeostatic regulator of the DNA damage response by dephosphorylating proteins that are substrates of both ATM and ATR, important DNA damage sensor kinases. Wip1 also suppresses the activity of multiple tumor suppressors, including p53, ATM, p16^INK4a and ARF. We present evidence that the suppression of p53, p38 MAP kinase, and ATM/ATR signaling pathways by Wip1 are important components of its oncogenicity when it is amplified and overexpressed in human cancers.

PPM1D silencing by RNA interference inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in breast cancer cell lines with wild-type p53

PPM1D is an oncogene that is amplified and overexpressed in many human tumors, including breast cancer. It functions as a negative regulator of the p38 MAP kinase-p53 signaling pathway and is also proposed to participate in other critical cell survival pathways. To define the functional significance of PPM1D specifically in breast cancer, we used RNA interference to inhibit PPM1D expression in BT-474, MCF7, and ZR-75-1 breast cancer cell lines harboring amplification and increased expression of PPM1D. Efficient downregulation of PPM1D resulted in significantly reduced cell proliferation in MCF7 and ZR-75-1 cells carrying wild-type p53 but not in BT-474 carrying mutant p53, which indicates that the antiproliferative effect of PPM1D silencing is dependent on the p53 status of the cells. This result is in excellent agreement with the notion that PPM1D activation is an alternative mechanism for p53 inactivation. Additionally, our data indicate that the reduced cell growth observed after PPM1D silencing is due at least in part to increased apoptotic cell death. Our findings demonstrate that PPM1D is involved in the regulation of cell proliferation in breast cancer in a p53-dependent manner and that overexpression of PPM1D contributes to malignant phenotype by promoting sustained cell growth and cell survival.

Role of type 2C protein phosphatases in growth regulation and in cellular stress signaling

A number of interesting features, phenotypes, and potential clinical applications have recently been ascribed to the type 2C family of protein phosphatases. Thus far, 16 different PP2C genes have been identified in the human genome, encoding (by means of alternative splicing) for at least 22 different isozymes. Virtually ever since their discovery, type 2C phosphatases have been predominantly linked to cell growth and to cellular stress signaling. Here, we provide an overview of the involvement of type 2C phosphatases in these two processes, and we show that four of them (PP2Calpha, PP2Cbeta, ILKAP, and PHLPP) can be expected to function as tumor suppressor proteins, and one as an oncoprotein (PP2Cdelta /Wip1). In addition, we demonstrate that in virtually all cases in which they have been linked to the stress response, PP2Cs act as inhibitors of cellular stress signaling. Based on the vast amount of experimental evidence obtained thus far, it therefore seems justified to conclude that type 2C protein phosphatases are important physiological regulators of cell growth and of cellular stress signaling.

Cell cycle-specific UNG2 phosphorylations regulate protein turnover, activity and association with RPA

Human UNG2 is a multifunctional glycosylase that removes uracil near replication forks and in non-replicating DNA, and is important for affinity maturation of antibodies in B cells. How these diverse functions are regulated remains obscure. Here, we report three new phosphoforms of the non-catalytic domain that confer distinct functional properties to UNG2. These are apparently generated by cyclin-dependent kinases through stepwise phosphorylation of S23, T60 and S64 in the cell cycle. Phosphorylation of S23 in late G1/early S confers increased association with replication protein A (RPA) and replicating chromatin and markedly increases the catalytic turnover of UNG2. Conversely, progressive phosphorylation of T60 and S64 throughout S phase mediates reduced binding to RPA and flag UNG2 for breakdown in G2 by forming a cyclin E/c-myc-like phosphodegron. The enhanced catalytic turnover of UNG2 p-S23 likely optimises the protein to excise uracil along with rapidly moving replication forks. Our findings may aid further studies of how UNG2 initiates mutagenic rather than repair processing of activation-induced deaminase-generated uracil at Ig loci in B cells.

Identification of differentially expressed genes after PPM1D silencing in breast cancer

Amplification and overexpression of PPM1D (protein phosphatase magnesium-dependent 1 delta) has been observed in various cancer cell lines and primary tumors and has also been associated with cancers of poor prognosis. In addition to the negative feedback regulation of p38-p53 signaling, PPM1D inhibits other tumor suppressor activities and is involved in the control of DNA damage and repair pathways. To elucidate the functional significance of PPM1D in breast cancer, we employed RNA interference to downregulate PPM1D expression in BT-474, MCF7, and ZR-75-1 breast cancer cell lines and then investigated the effects of PPM1D silencing on global gene expression patterns and signaling pathways using oligonucleotide microarrays. We identified 1798 differentially expressed (at least a two-fold change) gene elements with functions related to key cellular processes, such as regulation of cell cycle, assembly of various intracellular structures and components, and regulation of signaling pathways and metabolic cascades. For instance, genes involved in apoptosis (NR4A1, RAB25, PLK1), formation of nucleosome structure (HIST1H2AC, HIST1H2BF, HIST1H2BO, HIST1H1D), and hormone related activities (NR4A1, ESR1, STC1) were among the differentially expressed genes. Overall, our findings suggest that PPM1D contributes to breast cancer associated phenotypic characteristics by directly or indirectly affecting several important cellular signaling pathways.

The Wip1 phosphatase PPM1D dephosphorylates SQ/TQ motifs in checkpoint substrates phosphorylated by PI3K-like kinases

The wild-type p53-induced phosphatase Wip1 (PP2Cdelta or PPM1D) is a member of the protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) family and controls cell cycle checkpoints in response to DNA damage. p38 MAPK and ATM were identified as physiological substrates of Wip1, and we previously reported a substrate motif that was defined using variants of the p38(180pT 182pY) diphosphorylated peptide, TDDEMpTGpYVAT. However, the substrate recognition motifs for Wip1 have not been fully defined as the sequences surrounding the targeted residues in ATM and p38 MAPK appear to be unrelated. Using a recombinant human Wip1 catalytic domain (rWip1), in this study we measured the kinetic parameters for variants of the ATM(1981pS) phosphopeptide, AFEEGpSQSTTI. We found that rWip1 dephosphorylates phosphoserine and phosphothreonine in the p(S/T)Q motif, which is an essential requirement for substrate recognition. In addition, acidic, hydrophobic, or aromatic amino acids surrounding the p(S/T)Q sequence have a positive influence, while basic amino acids have a negative influence on substrate dephosphorylation. The kinetic constants allow discrimination between true substrates and nonsubstrates of Wip1, and we identified several new putative substrates that include HDM2, SMC1A, ATR, and Wip1 itself. A three-dimensional molecular model of Wip1 with a bound substrate peptide and site-directed mutagenesis analyses suggested that the important residues for ATM(1981pS) substrate recognition are similar but not identical to those for the p38(180pT 182pY) substrate. Results from this study should be useful for predicting new physiological substrates that may be regulated by Wip1 and for developing selective anticancer drugs.

The Wip1 Phosphatase acts as a gatekeeper in the p53-Mdm2 autoregulatory loop

The tumor suppressor p53 is a transcription factor that responds to cellular stresses by initiating cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. One transcriptional target of p53 is Mdm2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase that interacts with p53 to promote its proteasomal degradation in a negative feedback regulatory loop. Here we show that the wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 (Wip1), or PPM1D, downregulates p53 protein levels by stabilizing Mdm2 and facilitating its access to p53. Wip1 interacts with and dephosphorylates Mdm2 at serine 395, a site phosphorylated by the ATM kinase. Dephosphorylated Mdm2 has increased stability and affinity for p53, facilitating p53 ubiquitination and degradation. Thus, Wip1 acts as a gatekeeper in the Mdm2-p53 regulatory loop by stabilizing Mdm2 and promoting Mdm2-mediated proteolysis of p53.

A chemical inhibitor of PPM1D that selectively kills cells overexpressing PPM1D

The PPM1D gene is aberrantly amplified in a range of common cancers and encodes a protein phosphatase that is a potential therapeutic target. However, the issue of whether inhibition of PPM1D in human tumour cells that overexpress this protein compromises their viability has not yet been fully addressed. We show here, using an RNA interference (RNAi) approach, that inhibition of PPM1D can indeed reduce the viability of human tumour cells and that this effect is selective; tumour cell lines that overexpress PPM1D are sensitive to PPM1D inhibition whereas cell lines with normal levels are not. Loss of viability associated with PPM1D RNAi in human tumour cells occurs via the activation of the kinase P38. To identify chemical inhibitors of PPM1D, a high-throughput screening of a library of small molecules was performed. This strategy successfully identified a compound that selectively reduces viability of human tumour cell lines that overexpress PPM1D. As expected of a specific inhibitor, the toxicity to PPM1D overexpressing cell lines after inhibitor treatment is P38 dependent. These results further validate PPM1D as a therapeutic target and identify a proof-of-principle small molecule inhibitor.

Base excision repair modulation as a risk factor for human cancers

Oxidative DNA damage and DNA repair mediate the development of several human pathologies, including cancer. The major pathway for oxidative DNA damage repair is base excision repair (BER). Functional assays performed in blood leukocytes of cancer patients and matched controls show that specific BER pathways are decreased in cancer patients, and may be risk factors. These include 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) repair in lung and head and neck cancer patients and repair of lipid peroxidation (LPO) induced 1,N(6)-ethenoadenine (epsilonA) in lung cancer patients. Decrease of excision of LPO-induced DNA damage, epsilonA and 3,N(4)-ethenocytosine (epsilonC) was observed in blood leukocytes of patients developing lung adenocarcinoma, specific histological type of cancer related to inflammation and healing of scars. BER proteins activity depends on gene polymorphism, interactions between BER system partners and post-translational modifications. Polymorphisms of DNA glycosylases may change their enzymatic activities, and some polymorphisms increase the risk of inflammation-related cancers, colorectal, lung and other types. Polymorphisms of BER platform protein, XRCC1 are connected with increased risk of tobacco-related cancers. BER efficiency may also be changed by reactive oxygen species and some diet components, which induce transcription of several glycosylases as well as a major human AP-endonuclease, APE1. BER is also changed in tumors in comparison to unaffected surrounding tissues, and this change may be due to transcription stimulation, post-translational modification of BER enzymes as well as protein-protein interactions. Modulation of BER enzymes activities may be, then, an important factor determining the risk of cancer and also may participate in cancer development.

Emerging roles of nuclear protein phosphatases

The phosphorylation state of any protein represents a balance of the actions of specific protein kinases and protein phosphatases. Many protein phosphatases are highly enriched in, or exclusive to, the nuclear compartment, where they dephosphorylate key substrates to regulate various nuclear processes. In this review we will discuss recent findings that define the role of nuclear protein phosphatases in controlling transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta) and bone-morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling, the DNA-damage response, RNA processing, cell-cycle progression and gene transcription.

A unified view of base excision repair: lesion-dependent protein complexes regulated by post-translational modification

Base excision repair (BER) proteins act upon a significantly broad spectrum of DNA lesions that result from endogenous and exogenous sources. Multiple sub-pathways of BER (short-path or long-patch) and newly designated DNA repair pathways (e.g., SSBR and NIR) that utilize BER proteins complicate any comprehensive understanding of BER and its role in genome maintenance, chemotherapeutic response, neuro-degeneration, cancer or aging. Herein, we propose a unified model of BER, comprised of three functional processes: Lesion Recognition/Strand Scission, Gap Tailoring and DNA Synthesis/Ligation, each represented by one or more multi-protein complexes and coordinated via the XRCC1/DNA Ligase III and PARP1 scaffold proteins. BER therefore may be represented by a series of repair complexes that assemble at the site of the DNA lesion and mediates repair in a coordinated fashion involving protein-protein interactions that dictate subsequent steps or sub-pathway choice. Complex formation is influenced by post-translational protein modifications that arise from the cellular state or the DNA damage response, providing an increase in specificity and efficiency to the BER pathway. In this review, we have summarized the reported BER protein-protein interactions and protein post-translational modifications and discuss the impact on DNA repair capacity and complex formation.

Human base excision repair complex is physically associated to DNA replication and cell cycle regulatory proteins

It has been hypothesized that a replication associated repair pathway operates on base damage and single strand breaks (SSB) at replication forks. In this study, we present the isolation from the nuclei of human cycling cells of a multiprotein complex containing most of the essential components of base excision repair (BER)/SSBR, including APE1, UNG2, XRCC1 and POLβ, DNA PK, replicative POLα, δ and ɛ, DNA ligase 1 and cell cycle regulatory protein cyclin A. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that in this complex DNA repair proteins are physically associated to cyclin A and to DNA replication proteins including MCM7. This complex is endowed with DNA polymerase and protein kinase activity and is able to perform BER of uracil and AP sites. This finding suggests that a preassembled DNA repair machinery is constitutively active in cycling cells and is ready to be recruited at base damage and breaks occurring at replication forks.

Development of a substrate-based cyclic phosphopeptide inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2Cdelta, Wip1

The wild-type p53-induced phosphatase, Wip1 (PP2Cdelta or PPM1D) is a member of the protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) family and functions as a negative regulator of the p38 MAP kinase-p53 signaling pathway. PPM1D is amplified or Wip1 is overexpressed in several human cancers, and it acts as a weak oncogene. Although inhibition of Wip1 may have therapeutic value, no specific inhibitors are available. In this study, we designed phosphopeptide inhibitors for Wip1 on the basis of its optimal substrate sequence. We found that phosphoserine-containing diphosphorylated peptides with the sequence pSXpY inhibited Wip1 phosphatase activity, whereas phosphothreonine-containing peptides with the sequence pTXpY were physiological substrates. Moreover, the X residue in the pSXpY sequence modulated inhibitor activity, and beta-branched amino acid-substituted (Ile or Val) phosphopeptides showed high inhibitory potencies. A thioether cyclic phosphopeptide c(MpSIpYVA) had a K(i) <1.0 microM. Two serine/threonine phosphatases, PP2Calpha and PP2A, were not significantly inhibited by the cyclic phosphopeptide with a nonhydrolyzable phosphoserine mimetic. A homology model of Wip1 bound to a cyclic phosphopeptide and site-directed mutagenesis helped to identify residues important for Wip1 inhibitor selectivity among the PP2C family. These results provide the first proof of concept of a specific inhibitor of the catalytic site of Wip1 and should be useful for developing potential anti-cancer drugs.

Augmented cancer resistance and DNA damage response phenotypes in PPM1D null mice

The p53-induced serine/threonine phosphatase, protein phosphatase 1D magnesium-dependent, delta isoform (PPM1D) (or wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 (Wip1)), exhibits oncogenic activity in vitro and in vivo. It behaves as an oncogene in rodent fibroblast transformation assays and is amplified and overexpressed in several human tumor types. It may contribute to oncogenesis through functional inactivation of p53. Here, we show that the oncogenic function of PPM1D is associated with its phosphatase activity. While overexpressed PPM1D may be oncogenic, PPM1D null mice are resistant to spontaneous tumors over their entire lifespan. This cancer resistance may be based in part on an augmented stress response following DNA damage. PPM1D null mice treated with ionizing radiation display increased p53 protein levels and increased phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase, p53, checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1), and checkpoint kinase 2 (Chk2) in their tissues compared to their wild-type (WT) counterparts. Male PPM1D null mice show a modest reduction in longevity, reduced serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, and reduced body weight compared to WT mice. The PPM1D null mouse phenotypes indicate that PPM1D has a homeostatic role in abrogating the DNA damage response and may regulate aspects of male longevity.

The Wip1 phosphatase (PPM1D) antagonizes activation of the Chk2 tumour suppressor kinase

We previously demonstrated that type 2C protein phosphatases (PP2C) Ptc2 and Ptc3 are required for DNA checkpoint inactivation after DNA double-strand break repair or adaptation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we show the conservation of this pathway in mammalian cells. In response to DNA damage, ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) phosphorylates the Chk2 tumour suppressor kinase at threonine 68 (Thr68), allowing Chk2 kinase dimerization and activation by autophosphorylations in the T-loop. The oncogenic protein Wip1, a PP2C phosphatase, binds Chk2 and dephosphorylates phospho-Thr68. Consequently, Wip1 opposes Chk2 activation by ATM after ionizing irradiation of cells. In HCT15 colorectal cancer cells corrected for functional Chk2 activity, Wip1 overexpression suppressed the contribution of Chk2 to the G2/M DNA damage checkpoint. These results indicate that Wip1 is one of the phosphatases regulating the activity of Chk2 in response to DNA damage.

E2F1 modulates p38 MAPK phosphorylation via transcriptional regulation of ASK1 and Wip1

The E2F family of transcription factors regulates a diverse array of cellular functions, including cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and apoptosis. Recent studies indicate that E2F can also regulate transcription of upstream components of signal transduction pathways. We show here that E2F1 modulates the activity of the p38 MAPK pathway via E2F1-induced transient up-regulation of p38 MAPK phosphorylation. The mechanism by which E2F1 modulates p38 MAPK phosphorylation involves transcriptional induction of the kinase ASK1, a member of the MAPKKK family that phosphorylates p38 MKKs. Subsequent E2F-dependent down-regulation of the p38 signaling pathway is achieved through E2F-induced up-regulation of Wip1, a phosphatase that dephosphorylates and inactivates p38. Both ASK1 and Wip1 are essential mediators of the E2F-p38 connection: knock down of ASK1 inhibits E2F1-induced phosphorylation of p38, whereas knock down of Wip1 prolongs E2F1-induced p38 phosphorylation. Furthermore, Wip1 knock down enhances E2F1-induced apoptosis. Therefore, our data reveal a novel link between a central signaling pathway and the transcription factor E2F and identify Wip1 as a modulator of E2F1-induced apoptosis.

Intrinsic Kinase Activity and SQ/TQ Domain of Chk2 Kinase as Well as N-terminal Domain of Wip1 Phosphatase Are Required for Regulation of Chk2 by Wip1

The anti-oncogenic Chk2 kinase plays a crucial role in DNA damage-induced cell cycle checkpoint regulation. Recently, we have shown that Chk2 associates with the oncogenic Wip1 (PPM1D) phosphatase and that Wip1 acts as a negative regulator of Chk2 during DNA damage response by dephosphorylating phosphorylated Thr-68 in activated Chk2 (Fujimoto, H., Onishi, N., Kato, N., Takekawa, M., Xu, X. Z., Kosugi, A., Kondo, T., Imamura, M., Oishi, I., Yoda, A., and Minami, Y. (2006) Cell Death Differ. 13, 1170-1180). Here, we performed structure-function analyses of Chk2 and Wip1 by using a series of deletion or amino acid-substituted mutant proteins of Chk2 and Wip1. We show that nuclear localization of both Chk2 and Wip1 is required for their association in cultured cells and that the serine-glutamine (SQ)/threonine-glutamine (TQ) domain of Chk2, containing Thr-68, and the N-terminal domain of Wip1, comprising about 100 amino acids, are necessary and sufficient for the association of both molecules. However, it was found that an intrinsic kinase activity of Chk2, but not phosphatase activity of Wip1, is required for the association of fulllength Chk2 and Wip1. Interestingly, we also show that the mutant Wip1 proteins, bearing the N-terminal domain of Wip1 alone or lacking an intrinsic phosphatase activity, exhibit dominant negative effects on the functions of the wild-type Wip1, i.e. ectopic expression of either of these Wip1 mutants inhibits dephosphorylation of Thr-68 in Chk2 by Wip1 and anti-apoptotic function of Wip1. These results provide a molecular basis for developing novel anti-cancer drugs, targeting oncogenic Wip1 phosphatase.

Discovery of protein phosphatase 2C inhibitors by virtual screening

Protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) is an archetype of the PPM Ser/Thr phosphatases, characterized by dependence on divalent magnesium or manganese cofactors, absence of known regulatory proteins, and resistance to all known Ser/Thr phosphatase inhibitors. We have used virtual ligand screening with the AutoDock method and the National Cancer Institute Diversity Set to identify small-molecule inhibitors of PP2Calpha activity at a protein substrate. These inhibitors are active in the micromolar range and represent the first non-phosphate-based molecules found to inhibit a type 2C phosphatase. The compounds docked to three recurrent binding sites near the PP2Calpha active site and displayed novel Ser/Thr phosphatase selectivity profiles. Common chemical features of these compounds may form the basis for development of a PP2C inhibitor pharmacophore and may facilitate investigation of PP2C control and cellular function.

p53 modulates homologous recombination by transcriptional regulation of the RAD51 gene

DNA repair by homologous recombination is involved in maintaining genome stability. Previous data report that wild-type p53 suppresses homologous recombination and physically interacts with Rad51. Here, we show the in vivo binding of wild-type p53 to a p53 response element in the promoter of Rad51 and the downregulation of Rad51 messenger RNA and protein by wild-type p53, favoured by DNA damage. Moreover, wild-type p53 inhibits Rad51 foci formation in response to double-strand breaks, whereas p53 contact mutant R280K fails to repress Rad51 mRNA and protein expression and Rad51 foci formation. We propose that transcriptional repression of Rad51 by p53 participates in regulating homologous recombination, and impaired Rad51 repression by p53 mutants may contribute to malignant transformation.

Wip1 Phosphatase-Deficient Mice Exhibit Defective T Cell Maturation Due To Sustained p53 Activation

The PP2C phosphatase Wip1 dephosphorylates p38 and blocks UV-induced p53 activation in cultured human cells. Although the level of TCR-induced p38 MAPK activity is initially comparable between Wip1-/- and wild-type thymocytes, phosphatase-deficient cells failed to down-regulate p38 MAPK activity after 6 h. Analysis of young Wip1-deficient mice showed that they had fewer splenic T cells. Their thymi were smaller, contained significantly fewer cells, and failed to undergo age-dependent involution compared with wild-type animals. Analysis of thymocyte subset numbers by flow cytometry suggested that cell numbers starting at the double-negative (DN)4 stage are significantly reduced in Wip1-deficient mice, and p53 activity is elevated in cell-sorted DN4 and double-positive subpopulations. Although apoptosis and proliferation was normal in Wip1-/- DN4 cells, they appeared to be in cell cycle arrest. In contrast, a significantly higher percentage of apoptotic cells were found in the double-positive population, and down-regulation of thymocyte p38 MAPK activation by anti-CD3 was delayed. To examine the role of p38 MAPK in early thymic subpopulations, fetal thymic organ cultures cultured in the presence/absence of a p38 MAPK inhibitor did not correct the thymic phenotype. In contrast, the abnormal thymic phenotype of Wip1-deficient mice was reversed in the absence of p53. These data suggest that Wip1 down-regulates p53 activation in the thymus and is required for normal alphabeta T cell development.

The Interaction between Two Radiosensitizers: 5-Iododeoxyuridine and Caffeine

5-Iododeoxyuridine (IUdR) and caffeine are recognized as potential radiosensitizers with different mechanisms of interaction with ionizing radiation (IR). To assess the interaction of these two types of radiosensitizers, we compared treatment responses to these drugs alone and in combination with IR in two p53-proficient and p53-deficient pairs of human colon cancer cell lines (HCT116 versus HCT116 p53-/- and RKO versus RKO E6). Based on clonogenic survival, the three single agents (IR, IUdR, and caffeine) as well as IUdR or caffeine combined with IR are less or equally effective in p53-deficient human tumor cells compared with p53-proficient tumor cells. However, using both radiosensitizers, a significantly greater radiosensitization was found in p53-deficient human tumor cells. To better understand the interaction of these two radiosensitizers, additional studies on DNA repair and cell cycle regulation were done. We found that caffeine enhanced IUdR-DNA incorporation and IUdR-mediated radiosensitization by partially inhibiting repair (removal) of IUdR in DNA. The repair of IR-induced DNA double-strand breaks was also inhibited by caffeine. However, these effects of caffeine on IUdR-mediated radiosensitization were not found in p53-proficient cells. Cell cycle analyses also showed a greater abrogation of IR-induced S- and G2-phase arrests by caffeine in p53-deficient cells, particularly when combined with IUdR. Collectively, these data provide the mechanistic bases for combining these two radiosensitizers to enhance tumor cytotoxicity. This differential dual mode of radiosensitization by combining IUdR and caffeine-like drugs (e.g., UCN-01) in p53-deficient human tumors may lead to a greater therapeutic gain.

Dual roles for the phosphatase PPM1D in regulating progesterone receptor function

Although protein phosphatase magnesium-dependent 1 delta (PPM1D) was initially characterized as a p53-regulated phosphatase responsible for inactivation of p38 MAPK and consequent inactivation of p53, its overexpression and amplification in human breast cancers led us to assess its role in steroid hormone action. We found that PPM1D stimulated the activity of several nuclear receptors including the progesterone receptor (PR) and estrogen receptor. Although p38 MAPK inhibited PR activity, PPM1D stimulation of PR activity was greater than that achieved by a chemical inhibitor of p38 MAPK, SB202190. This suggests an additional novel function for PPM1D. Consistent with this, the transcriptional activity of endogenous PR in MCF-7 breast cancer cells was preferentially inhibited by small interfering RNA for PPM1D; SB202190 failed to reverse the inhibition. Although PPM1D phosphatase activity was required for stimulation of transcriptional activity, the activity of a PR phosphorylation site null mutant was enhanced by PPM1D, indicating that PR is not the direct target. Additional studies revealed that PPM1D enhanced the intrinsic activity of p160 coactivators such as steroid receptor coactivator-1 and promoted the interaction between PR and steroid receptor coactivator-1 in a mammalian two-hybrid assay. Neither activity was induced by SB202190. Although PPM1D stimulated PR activity in part through inhibition of p38 MAPK, its primary action is novel and independent of p38 MAPK. Thus, we speculate that PPM1D promotes breast tumor growth both by inhibiting p53 activity and by enhancing steroid hormone receptor action.

Regulation of the antioncogenic Chk2 kinase by the oncogenic Wip1 phosphatase

The antioncogenic Chk2 kinase plays a crucial role in DNA damage-induced cell-cycle checkpoint regulation. Here we show that Chk2 associates with the oncogenic protein Wip1 (wild-type p53-inducible phosphatase 1) (PPM1D), a p53-inducible protein phosphatase. Phosphorylation of Chk2 at threonine68 (Thr68), a critical event for Chk2 activation, which is normally induced by DNA damage or overexpression of Chk2, is inhibited by expression of wild-type (WT), but not a phosphatase-deficient mutant (D314A) of Wip1 in cultured cells. Furthermore, an in vitro phosphatase assay revealed that Wip1 (WT), but not Wip1 (D314A), dephosphorylates Thr68 on phosphorylated Chk2 in vitro, resulting in the inhibition of Chk2 kinase activity toward glutathione S-transferase-Cdc25C. Moreover, inhibition of Wip1 expression by RNA interference results in abnormally sustained Thr68 phosphorylation of Chk2 and increased susceptibility of cells in response to DNA damage, indicating that Wip1 acts as a negative regulator of Chk2 in response to DNA damage.

Substrate specificity of the human protein phosphatase 2Cdelta, Wip1

Wip1, the wild-type p53-induced phosphatase, selectively dephosphorylates a threonine residue on p38 MAPK and mediates a negative feedback loop of the p38 MAPK-p53 signaling pathway. To identify the substrate specificity of Wip1, we prepared a recombinant human Wip1 catalytic domain (rWip1) and measured kinetic parameters for phosphopeptides containing the dephosphorylation sites in p38alpha and in a new substrate, UNG2. rWip1 showed properties that were comparable to those of PP2Calpha or full-length Wip1 in terms of affinity for Mg(2+), insensitivity to okadaic acid, and threonine dephosphorylation. The substrate specificity constant k(cat)/K(m) for a diphosphorylated peptide with a pTXpY sequence was 6-8-fold higher than that of a monophosphorylated peptide with a pTXY sequence, while PP2Calpha showed a preference for monophosphorylated peptides. Although individual side chains before and after the pTXpY sequence of the substrate did not have a significant effect on rWip1 activity, a chain length of at least five residues, including the pTXpY sequence, was important for substrate recognition by rWip1. Moreover, the X residue in the pTXpY sequence affected affinity for rWip1 and correlated with selectivity for MAPKs. These findings suggest that substrate recognition by Wip1 is centered toward a very narrow region around the pTXpY sequence. Three-dimension homology models of Wip1 with bound substrate peptides were constructed, and site-directed mutagenesis was performed to confirm the importance of specific residues for substrate recognition. The results of our study should be useful for predicting new physiological substrates and for designing specific Wip1 inhibitors.

Phosphorylation of human oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (alpha-OGG1) modulates its function

Oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) initiates the repair of 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), a major oxidative DNA base modification that has been directly implicated in cancer and aging. OGG1 functions in the base excision repair pathway, for which a molecular hand-off mechanism has been proposed. To date, only one functional and a few physical protein interactions have been reported for OGG1. Using the yeast two-hybrid system and a protein array membrane, we identified two novel protein interactions of OGG1, with two different protein kinases: Cdk4, a serine-threonine kinase, and c-Abl, a tyrosine kinase. We confirmed these interactions in vitro using recombinant proteins and in vivo by co-immunoprecipitation from whole cell extracts. OGG1 is phosphorylated in vitro by Cdk4, resulting in a 2.5-fold increase in the 8-oxoG/C incision activity of OGG1. C-Abl tyrosine phosphorylates OGG1 in vitro; however, this phosphorylation event does not affect OGG1 8-oxoG/C incision activity. These results provide the first evidence that a post-translational modification of OGG1 can affect its catalytic activity. The distinct functional outcomes from serine/threonine or tyrosine phosphorylation may indicate that activation of different signal transduction pathways modulate OGG1 activity in different ways.

PPM1D dephosphorylates Chk1 and p53 and abrogates cell cycle checkpoints

The ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated) and ATR (ataxia-telangiectasia and Rad3-related) kinases respond to DNA damage by phosphorylating cellular target proteins that activate DNA repair pathways and cell cycle checkpoints in order to maintain genomic integrity. Here we show that the oncogenic p53-induced serine/threonine phosphatase, PPM1D (or Wip1), dephosphorylates two ATM/ATR targets, Chk1 and p53. PPM1D binds Chk1 and dephosphorylates the ATR-targeted phospho-Ser 345, leading to decreased Chk1 kinase activity. PPM1D also dephosphorylates p53 at phospho-Ser 15. PPM1D dephosphorylations are correlated with reduced cellular intra-S and G2/M checkpoint activity in response to DNA damage induced by ultraviolet and ionizing radiation. Thus, a primary function of PPM1D may be to reverse the p53 and Chk1-induced DNA damage and cell cycle checkpoint responses and return the cell to a homeostatic state following completion of DNA repair. These homeostatic functions may be partially responsible for the oncogenic effects of PPM1D when it is amplified and overexpressed in human tumors.