Ube2s stabilizes β-Catenin through K11-linked polyubiquitination to promote mesendoderm specification and colorectal cancer development

Cell Death Dis. 2018 May 1;9(5):456. doi: 10.1038/s41419-018-0451-y.

Abstract

The canonical Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway is widely involved in regulating diverse biological processes. Dysregulation of the pathway results in severe consequences, such as developmental defects and malignant cancers. Here, we identified Ube2s as a novel activator of the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway. It modified β-Catenin at K19 via K11-linked polyubiquitin chain. This modification resulted in an antagonistic effect against the destruction complex/β-TrCP cascade-orchestrated β-Catenin degradation. As a result, the stability of β-Catenin was enhanced, thus promoting its cellular accumulation. Importantly, Ube2s-promoted β-Catenin accumulation partially released the dependence on exogenous molecules for the process of embryonic stem (ES) cell differentiation into mesoendoderm lineages. Moreover, we demonstrated that UBE2S plays a critical role in determining the malignancy properties of human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells in vitro and in vivo. The findings in this study extend our mechanistic understanding of the mesoendodermal cell fate commitment, and provide UBE2S as a putative target for human CRC therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Female
  • Human Embryonic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Human Embryonic Stem Cells / pathology
  • Humans
  • Mesoderm / metabolism*
  • Mesoderm / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Protein Stability
  • Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitination*
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway*
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • Ube2S protein, human
  • Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes