E3 ubiquitin ligase (E3) plays a vital role in regulating inflammatory responses by mediating ubiquitination. Previous studies have shown that ankyrin repeat and SOCS box-containing protein 3 (ASB3) is involved in immunomodulatory functions associated with cancer. However, the impact of ASB3 on the dynamic interplay of microbiota and inflammatory responses in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is unclear. Here, we systematically identify the E3 ligase ASB3 as a facilitative regulator in the development and progression of IBD. We observed that ASB3 exhibited significant upregulation in the lesions of patients with IBD. ASB3-/- mice are resistant to dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis. IκBα phosphorylation levels and production of proinflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were reduced in the colonic tissues of ASB3-/- mice compared to WT mice. This colitis-resistant phenotype was suppressed after coprophagic microbial transfer and reversed after combined antibiotics removed the gut commensal microbiome. Mechanistically, ASB3 specifically catalyzes K48-linked polyubiquitination of TRAF6 in intestinal epithelial cells. In contrast, in ASB3-deficient organoids, the integrity of the TRAF6 protein is shielded, consequently decelerating the onset of intestinal inflammation. ASB3 is associated with dysregulation of the colitis microbiota and promotes proinflammatory factors' production by disrupting TRAF6 stability. Strategies to limit the protein level of ASB3 in intestinal epithelial cells may help in the treatment of colitis.
Importance: Ubiquitination is a key process that controls protein stability. We determined the ubiquitination of TRAF6 by ASB3 in intestinal epithelial cells during colonic inflammation. Inflammatory bowel disease patients exhibit upregulated ASB3 expression at focal sites, supporting the involvement of degradation of TRAF6, which promotes TLR-Myd88/TRIF-independent NF-κB aberrant activation and intestinal microbiota imbalance. Sustained inflammatory signaling in intestinal epithelial cells and dysregulated protective probiotic immune responses mediated by ASB3 collectively contribute to the exacerbation of inflammatory bowel disease. These findings provide insights into the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease and suggest a novel mechanism by which ASB3 increases the risk of colitis. Our results suggest that future inhibition of ASB3 in intestinal epithelial cells may be a novel clinical strategy.
Keywords: ASB3; TRAF6; inflammatory bowel disease; intestinal epithelial cells; intestinal microbiota.