Phosphorylation of SMC1A promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and migration
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Authors: Zhang, Ying; Yi, Fei; Wang, Liang; Wang, Zhuo; Zhang, Naijin; Wang, Zhijun; Li, Ziwei; Song, Xiaoyu; Wei, Shi; Cao, Liu
Abstract
Structural maintenance of chromosomes protein 1A (SMC1A) has been implicated in the development of a variety of cancer types. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma remains unknown. In this study, we found that phosphorylated SMC1A was highly expressed in HepG2 and Bel7402 cells when compared with other cancer cell lines. Furthermore, SMC1A knockdown dramatically reduced HepG2 and Bel7402 cell proliferation and migration. Re-expressing phosphomimetic mutants S957DS966D significantly enhanced the proliferation and migration of SMC1A knockdown HepG2 and Bel7402 cells. In addition, phosphorylated SMC1A promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cells growth in vivo. Importantly, the expression of phosphorylated SMC1A was significantly higher in human hepatocellular carcinomacells when compared to peri-tumor benign hepatocytes, and its overexpression was significantly associated with worse prognostic outcomes. These observations suggest that phosphorylation of SMC1A is a vital event in tumorigenesis and disease progression in hepatocellular carcinoma thus necessitating further investigation.
NIPBL Controls RNA Biogenesis to Prevent Activation of the Stress Kinase PKR
CELL REPORTS
Authors: Yuen, Kobe C.; Xu, Baoshan; Krantz, Ian D.; Gerton, Jennifer L.
Abstract
NIPBL, a cohesin loader, has been implicated in transcriptional control and genome organization. Mutations in NIPBL, cohesin, and its deacetylase HDAC8 result in Cornelia de Lange syndrome. We report activation of the RNA-sensing kinase PKR in human lymphoblastoid cell lines carrying NIPBL or HDAC8 mutations, but not SMC1A or SMC3 mutations. PKR activation can be triggered by unmodified RNAs. Gene expression profiles in NIPBL-deficient lymphoblastoid cells and mouse embryonic stem cells reveal lower expression of genes involved in RNA processing and modification. NIPBL mutant lymphoblastoid cells show reduced proliferation and protein synthesis with increased apoptosis, all of which are partially reversed by a PKR inhibitor. Non-coding RNAs from an NIPBL mutant line had less m(6) A modification and activated PKR activity in vitro. This study provides insight into the molecular pathology of Cornelia de Lange syndrome by establishing a relationship between NIPBL and HDAC8 mutations and PKR activation.