The Ubiquitin Specific Protease 4 (USP4) is a New Player in the Wnt Signalling Pathway

Overview

Journal J Cell Mol Med

Specialties Cell Biology
Molecular Biology

Date 2010 Feb 10

PMID 20141612

Citations 51

Authors

Bin Zhao

Claudia Schlesiger

Maria G Masucci

Kristina Lindsten

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The canonical Wnt signalling pathway is essential for cell fate determination during embryonic development and for the maintenance of adult tissue homeostasis. Deregulation of Wnt signalling leads to developmental defects and is associated with various types of cancer. Here we have used an RNA interference (RNAi) library specifically targeting human deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) to screen for new regulators of the canonical Wnt signalling pathway. We found that suppression of the ubiquitin specific protease 4 (USP4) activates beta-catenin dependent transcription. We also show that USP4 is a DUB with dual hydrolysing activity for K(48)- and K(63)-conjugated polyubiquitin chains and interacts with two known Wnt signalling components: the Nemo like kinase (Nlk) and the transcription factor (T-cell factor 4 [TCF4]). Overexpression of a catalytically active Nlk promotes nuclear accumulation of USP4 whereas a subpopulation of TCF4 is a substrate of USP4-dependent deubiquitination. Thus, modulation of USP4 expression may provide a new means to interfere with canonical Wnt signalling in a variety of physiological and pathological conditions.

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