LncRNA induces p53 degradation by interfering with the interaction between p53 and the SART3-USP15 complex.

Mammalian genomes encode large number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that play key roles in various biological processes, including proliferation, differentiation, and stem cell pluripotency. Recent studies have addressed that some lncRNAs are dysregulated in human cancers and may play crucial roles in tumor development and progression. Here, we show that the lncRNA is required for the proliferation and tumorigenicity of colon cancer cells with wild-type p53.

UHRF1-KAT7-mediated regulation of TUSC3 expression via histone methylation/acetylation is critical for the proliferation of colon cancer cells.

The epigenetic factor UHRF1 regulates transcription by modulating DNA methylation and histone modification, and plays critical roles in proliferation, development, and tumorigenesis. Here, we show that Wnt/c-Myc signaling upregulates UHRF1, which in turn downregulates TUSC3, a candidate tumor suppressor gene that is frequently deleted or downregulated in several cancers. We also show that UHRF1-mediated downregulation of TUSC3 is required for the proliferation of colon cancer cells.

The RNA-binding protein Mex-3B plays critical roles in the development of steroid-resistant neutrophilic airway inflammation.

While most asthma can be treated with steroids, about 10%, called severe asthma, is refractory to steroids. It has recently been shown that in a subgroup of severe asthma cases, neutrophils that infiltrate into the airways play an important role in inflammation. However, the mechanisms underlying this increased neutrophil infiltration are not well understood.

The RNA Binding Protein Mex-3B Is Required for IL-33 Induction in the Development of Allergic Airway Inflammation.

Allergic airway inflammation is one of the primary features of allergic asthma. Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is recognized as a key pro-inflammatory cytokine that mediates allergic airway inflammation, and its expression is elevated in this condition, but little is known about the regulatory mechanisms underlying IL-33 induction. Here, we show that the RNA binding protein Mex-3B plays a critical role in the induction of IL-33 in the development of allergic airway inflammation.

ATF6α stimulates cholesterogenic gene expression and de novo cholesterol synthesis.

The activating transcription factor 6α (ATF6α) is a sensor of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response that regulates the expression of genes involved in the unfolded protein response. Here we found that forced expression of a constitutively active form of ATF6α, ATF6(N), stimulated the expression of cholesterogenic genes, including 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase, HMG-CoA synthase, and squalene synthase, and de novo cholesterol synthesis in hepatoma Huh-7 cells. An ATF6α mutant lacking the DNA-binding domain ATF6(N)ΔbZip failed to show these effects.

Ecdysone receptor (EcR) suppresses lipid accumulation in the Drosophila fat body via transcription control.

Lipid metabolism drastically changes in response to the environmental factors in metazoans. Lipid is accumulated at the food rich condition, while mobilized in adipocyte tissue in starvation. Such lipid mobilization is also evident during the pupation of the insects.

Epigenetic silencing of core histone genes by HERS in Drosophila.

Cell cycle-dependent expression of canonical histone proteins enables newly synthesized DNA to be integrated into chromatin in replicating cells. However, the molecular basis of cell cycle-dependency in the switching of histone gene regulation remains to be uncovered. Here, we report the identification and biochemical characterization of a molecular switcher, HERS (histone gene-specific epigenetic repressor in late S phase), for nucleosomal core histone gene inactivation in Drosophila.

Glutamine stimulates the gene expression and processing of sterol regulatory element binding proteins, thereby increasing the expression of their target genes.

Here we show that the larger the amount of glutamine added to the medium, the more the expression of genes related to lipid homeostasis is promoted by the activation of sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) at the transcriptional and post-translational levels in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Glutamine increases the mRNA levels of several SREBP targets, including SREBP-2. The gene expression of SREBP-1a, a predominant form of SREBP-1 in most cultured cells and a target of the general transcription factor Sp1, is significantly augmented by glutamine via an increased binding of Sp1 to the SREBP-1a promoter.