The role of sentrin-specific protease 2 substrate recognition in TGF-β-induced tumorigenesis

Sci Rep. 2018 Jun 28;8(1):9786. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-28103-8.

Abstract

Smad4, a common-mediator of Smads, plays a central role in forming complexes with receptor-phosphorylated Smads, and then transduces transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signals into the nuclei. Although many cellular factors are involved in TGF-β induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell migration, very little is known with the mechanism of Smad4 regulation on pro-oncogenes response by TGF-β. Herein, we demonstrate the interaction of Sentrin-specific protease 2 (SENP2) with Smad4 through SENP2 residue 363~400. The same segment is also important for desumoylation of Smad4, and able to relieve sumoylation-mediated TGF-β repression. The SENP2363~400 segment is critical for TGF-β-induced cell migration, which is correlated with SENP2363~400 deletion mutant failed to increase matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and EMT marker gene expression. Moreover, our results suggest that the interaction and desumoylation between SENP2 and Smad4 promote cell migration in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Altogether, our data show how SENP2 regulates its substrate for desumoylation, and also the role of SENP2 in TGF-β induced cancer cell migration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carcinogenesis / metabolism*
  • Carcinogenesis / pathology*
  • Cell Movement
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Protein Binding
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Smad4 Protein / metabolism
  • Spheroids, Cellular / metabolism
  • Spheroids, Cellular / pathology
  • Substrate Specificity
  • Sumoylation
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta

Substances

  • Smad4 Protein
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • SENP2 protein, human