An allosteric PRC2 inhibitor targeting the H3K27me3 binding pocket of EED.

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) consists of three core subunits, EZH2, EED and SUZ12, and plays pivotal roles in transcriptional regulation. The catalytic subunit EZH2 methylates histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27), and its activity is further enhanced by the binding of EED to trimethylated H3K27 (H3K27me3). Small-molecule inhibitors that compete with the cofactor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) have been reported.

Overexpression of Wld(S) or Nmnat2 in mauthner cells by single-cell electroporation delays axon degeneration in live zebrafish.

Axon degeneration is supposed to be a therapeutic target for treating neurodegenerative diseases. Mauthner cells (M-cells) are ideal for studying axons in vivo because of their limited numbers, large size, and long axons. In this study, we labeled M-cells by single-cell electroporation with plasmids expressing DsRed2 or EGFP.

C/EBPalpha regulates SIRT1 expression during adipogenesis.

SIRT1 plays an important role in adipogenesis, but how SIRT1 is regulated in adipogenesis is largely unknown. In this study, we show that both SIRT1 protein and mRNA levels were increased along with CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) during adipocyte differentiation. C/EBPalpha, but not C/EBPalphap30, activated SIRT1 promoter in both HeLa cells and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

Nmnat2 delays axon degeneration in superior cervical ganglia dependent on its NAD synthesis activity.

Axon degeneration is an active program of self-destruction observed in many physiological and pathological settings. There are three Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl transferase (Nmnat, EC2.7.

Patt1, a novel protein acetyltransferase that is highly expressed in liver and downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma, enhances apoptosis of hepatoma cells.

Protein acetylation is increasingly recognized as an important post-translational modification. Although a lot of protein acetyltransferases have been identified, a few putative acetyltransferases are yet to be studied. In this study, we identified a novel protein acetyltransferase, Patt1, which belongs to GNAT family.

PCAF acetylates {beta}-catenin and improves its stability.

beta-Catenin plays an important role in development and tumorigenesis. However, the effect of a key acetyltransferase p300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF) on beta-catenin signaling is largely unknown. In this study, we found PCAF could increase the beta-catenin transcriptional activity, induce its nuclear translocation, and up-regulate its protein level by inhibiting its ubiquitination and improving its stability.

Combretastatin A-4 activates AMP-activated protein kinase and improves glucose metabolism in db/db mice.

Resveratrol was reported to increase insulin sensitivity accompanied with the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is a key regulator of energy balance and an important drug target for type 2 diabetes. However, the effect of resveratrol structural analogs on AMPK activity and insulin sensitivity is still largely unknown. In this study, we analyzed the effect of several resveratrol structural analogs on AMPK activity in HepG2 cells, and combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) was identified as an activator of AMPK determined by its phosphorylation.

SIRT1 improves insulin sensitivity under insulin-resistant conditions by repressing PTP1B.

Insulin resistance is often characterized as the most critical factor contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes. SIRT1 has been reported to be involved in the processes of glucose metabolism and insulin secretion. However, whether SIRT1 is directly involved in insulin sensitivity is still largely unknown.

Cytoplasm-localized SIRT1 enhances apoptosis.

In general, SIRT1 is localized in nuclei. Here, we showed that endogenous and exogenous SIRT1 were both able to partially localize in cytoplasm in certain cell lines, and cytoplasm-localized SIRT1 was associated with apoptosis and led to increased sensitivity to apoptosis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that translocation of nucleus-localized SIRT1 from nuclei to cytoplasm was the main pathway leading to localization of SIRT1 in cytoplasm.