Gfi1 ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation is inhibited by the ubiquitin ligase Triad1

Growth factor independence 1 (Gfi1) is a transcriptional repressor essential for the function and development of many different hematopoietic lineages. The Gfi1 protein expression is regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. In granulocytes, Gfi1 is rapidly degraded by the proteasome, while it is more stable in monocytes. How the ubiquitination and degradation of Gfi1 is regulated is unclear. Here, we show that the ubiquitin ligase Triad1 interacts with the DNA-binding domain of Gfi1. Unexpectedly, we found that Triad1 inhibited Gfi1 ubiquitination, resulting in a prolonged half-life. Down-regulation of endogenous Triad1 by siRNAs resulted in increased Gfi1 ubiquitination. In U937 cells, Triad1 caused an increase in endogenous Gfi1 protein levels and slowed cell proliferation in a similar manner when Gfi1 itself was expressed. A Triad1 mutant that lacks the Gfi1-binding domain did not affect Gfi1 levels and proliferation. Because neither proteasome-ubiquitin nor Triad1 ubiquitin ligase activity was required for the inhibition of Gfi1 ubiquitination, these data suggest that Triad1 competes for Gfi1 binding with as yet to be identified E3 ubiquitin ligases that do mark Gfi1 for proteasomal degradation. The fine-tuning of Gfi1 protein levels regulated by Triad1 defines an unexpected role for this protein in hematopoiesis.

Diminished proteasomal degradation results in accumulation of Gfi1 protein in monocytes

Gfi1 is a transcriptional repressor essential during myeloid differentiation. Gfi1−/− mice exhibit a block in myeloid differentiation resulting in the accumulation of an immature myelo-monocytic cell population and the complete absence of mature neutrophils. Even though mRNA levels of Gfi1 appear to be very low in monocytes, Gfi1 might play a role in the monocytic lineage as Gfi1−/− mice exhibit diminished monocyte-derived dendritic cells and disturbed cytokine production by macrophages in response to LPS. We show here that Gfi1 protein levels are mainly regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Upon forced monocytic differentiation of U937 cells, Gfi1 mRNA levels dropped but protein levels increased due to diminished proteasomal turnover. Similarly, Gfi1 mRNA levels are low in primary monocytes whereas the protein is clearly detectable. Conversely, Gfi1 mRNA levels are high in granulocytes but the protein is swiftly degraded by the proteasome in these cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments showed that Gfi1 binds to the promoter of several granulocyte-specific genes in primary monocytes, including C/EBPα, neutrophil elastase, and Gfi1 itself. The binding of the repressor Gfi1 to these promoters correlated with low expression of these genes in monocytes compared with granulocytes. Our data fit a model in which Gfi1 protein levels are induced in primary monocytes, due to diminished proteasomal degradation, to repress genes that play a role in granulocytic differentiation.

Ubiquitylation in normal and malignant hematopoiesis: novel therapeutic targets

The modification of proteins with ubiquitin is involved in the regulation of various important biological pathways. A crucial step in this process is the modification of specific substrate proteins with ubiquitin by E3 ligases. The ubiquitylation of proteins can result in altered protein function or degradation by the 26S proteasome. Various proteins playing an important role during hematopoiesis are regulated via ubiquitin modification. Recently, alterations in ubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation have been implicated in hematological cancers. Based on these findings, novel therapies that specifically target ubiquitylation or the proteasome are currently being developed. In this review, we will highlight the role of ubiquitylation in normal and malignant hematopoiesis and discuss novel therapeutical approaches that are now tested in various hematological malignancies.

The E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase Triad1 inhibits clonogenic growth of primary myeloid progenitor cells

Protein ubiquitination plays important roles in a variety of basic cellular processes. Proteins are ubiquitinated by E2-E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes. Depending on the type of ubiquitin chain conjugated, proteins are either targeted for degradation by the proteasome or their activity is specifically altered. We describe a novel conserved nuclear protein, Triad1 (2 RING [really interesting new gene] fingers and DRIL [double RING finger linked] 1), which is strongly induced during myeloid differentiation. Triad1 contains a TRIAD motif that harbors 2 RING finger structures. Triad1 binds the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UbcH7 as well as ubiquitinated proteins and supports the formation of ubiquitin chains that are recognized by the proteasome. The biologic function of Triad1 in myelopoiesis was studied by performing granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming unit (CFU-GM) assays using retrovirally transduced primary murine bone marrow cells. Triad1 severely inhibited myeloid colony formation. In contrast, 2 Triad1 RING finger point mutants that failed to bind UbcH7 did not affect colony formation. Moreover, proteasome inhibition counteracted the inhibition of colony formation exerted by wild-type Triad1. In liquid cultures, Triad1 did not influence differentiation but strongly inhibited proliferation resulting in a G0/G1 accumulation. We conclude that proteasomal degradation of proteins that are ubiquitinated by Triad1 affects the clonogenic growth of primary myeloid progenitor cells.