Dual function of Pin1 in NR4A nuclear receptor activation: Enhanced activity of NR4As and increased Nur77 protein stability

Claudia M. van Tiel, Kondababu Kurakula, Duco S. Koenis, Erik van der Wal, Carlie J.M. de Vries

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Nur77, Nurr1 and NOR-1 form the NR4A subfamily of the nuclear receptor superfamily and have been shown to regulate various biological processes among which are cell survival and differentiation, apoptosis, inflammation and metabolism. These nuclear receptors have been proposed to act in a ligand-independent manner and we aim to gain insight in the regulation of NR4A activity. A yeast two-hybrid screen identified the peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Pin1 as a novel binding partner of NR4As, which was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. Pin1 enhances the transcriptional activity of all three NR4A nuclear receptors and increases protein stability of Nur77 through inhibition of its ubiquitination. Enhanced transcriptional activity of NR4As requires the WW-domain of Pin1 that interacts with the N-terminal transactivation domain and the DNA-binding domain of Nur77. Most remarkably, this enhanced activity is independent of Pin1 isomerase activity. A systematic mutation analysis of all 17 Ser/Thr-Pro-motifs in Nur77 revealed that Pin1 enhances protein stability of Nur77 in an isomerase-dependent manner by acting on phosphorylated Nur77 involving protein kinase CK2-mediated phosphorylation of the Ser152-Pro153 motif in Nur77. Given the role of Nur77 in vascular disease and metabolism, this novel regulation mechanism provides perspectives to manipulate Nur77 activity to attenuate these processes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1894-1904
Number of pages11
JournalBiochimica et Biophysica Acta - Molecular Cell Research
Volume1823
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2012

Keywords

  • NR4A nuclear receptors
  • Protein stability
  • Protein-protein interaction
  • Transcription factor

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