PP2A negatively regulates the hypertrophic response by dephosphorylating HDAC2 S394 in the heart
EXPERIMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
Authors: Yoon, Somy; Kook, Taewon; Min, Hyun-Ki; Kwon, Duk-Hwa; Cho, Young Kuk; Kim, Mira; Shin, Sera; Joung, Hosouk; Jeong, Seung Hoon; Lee, Sumin; Kang, Gaeun; Park, Yunchul; Kim, Yong Sook; Ahn, Youngkeun; McMullen, Julie R.; Gergs, Ulrich; Neumann, Joachim; Kim, Kyung Keun; Kim, Jungchul; Nam, Kwang-Il; Kim, Young-Kook; Kook, Hyun; Eom, Gwang Hyeon
Abstract
Cardiac hypertrophy occurs in response to increased hemodynamic demand and can progress to heart failure. Identifying the key regulators of this process is clinically important. Though it is thought that the phosphorylation of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 2 plays a crucial role in the development of pathological cardiac hypertrophy, the detailed mechanism by which this occurs remains unclear. Here, we performed immunoprecipitation and peptide pull-down assays to characterize the functional complex of HDAC2. Protein phosphatase (PP) 2 A was confirmed as a binding partner of HDAC2. PPP2CA, the catalytic subunit of PP2A, bound to HDAC2 and prevented its phosphorylation. Transient overexpression of PPP2CA specifically regulated both the phosphorylation of HDAC2 S394 and hypertrophyassociated HDAC2 activation. HDAC2 S394 phosphorylation was increased in a dose-dependent manner by PP2A inhibitors. Hypertrophic stresses, such as phenylephrine in vitro or pressure overload in vivo, caused PPP2CA to dissociate from HDAC2. Forced expression of PPP2CA negatively regulated the hypertrophic response, but PP2A inhibitors provoked hypertrophy. Adenoviral delivery of a phosphomimic HDAC2 mutant, adenovirus HDAC2 S394E, successfully blocked the anti-hypertrophic effect of adenovirus-PPP2CA, implicating HDAC2 S394 phosphorylation as a critical event for the anti-hypertrophic response. PPP2CA transgenic mice were protected against isoproterenolinduced cardiac hypertrophy and subsequent cardiac fibrosis, whereas simultaneous expression of HDAC2 S394E in the heart did induce hypertrophy. Taken together, our results suggest that PP2A is a critical regulator of HDAC2 activity and pathological cardiac hypertrophy and is a promising target for future therapeutic interventions.
Restoration of PPP2CA expression reverses epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and suppresses prostate tumour growth and metastasis in an orthotopic mouse model
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
Authors: Bhardwaj, A.; Singh, S.; Srivastava, S. K.; Arora, S.; Hyde, S. J.; Andrews, J.; Grizzle, W. E.; Singh, A. P.
Abstract
Background: Emergence of castration-resistance in prostate cancer (PCa) is invariably associated with aggressive and metastatic disease. Previously, we reported promotion of castration-resistance upon downregulation of PPP2CA (encoding catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), alpha-isoform); however, its role in PCa growth and metastasis remained undetermined. Methods: PPP2CA was overexpressed/silenced in PCa cells by stable transfection. Gene expression was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunoblot and immunofluorescence analyses, and transcriptional activity measured by luciferase-based promoter-reporter assay. Effect on PCa phenotype was studied in vitro and in orthotopic mouse model, and immunohistochemical/histological analyses performed to assess proliferation/apoptosis and confirm metastatic lesions. Results: An inverse association of PPP2CA expression was observed with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and aggressive PCa phenotype. PPP2CA restoration resulted in decreased nuclear accumulation and transcriptional activity of beta-catenin/NF-kappa B, and restitution of their activity abrogated PPP2CA-induced EMT reversal and suppression of PCa invasiveness. Akt mediated PPP2CA loss-induced nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin/NF-kappa B through inactivation of Gsk3-beta and I kappa B-alpha, respectively. Animal studies revealed a suppressive effect of PPP2CA expression on PCa growth and metastasis. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that PPP2CA downregulation serves as a molecular link between gain of castration-resistance and aggressive PCa phenotype, and its restoration could be an effective preventive/therapeutic approach against the advanced disease.