Learn more: Autophagy and Proteostasis

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Chaperone-assisted degradation: multiple paths to destruction
Biol. Chem. 2010, view full abstract in PubMed

Molecular chaperones are well known as facilitators of protein folding and assembly. However, in recent years multiple chaperone-assisted degradation pathways have also emerged, including CAP (chaperone-assisted proteasomal degradation), CASA (chaperone-assisted selective autophagy), and CMA (chaperone-mediated autophagy). Within these pathways chaperones facilitate the sorting of non-native proteins to the proteasome and the lysosomal compartment for disposal. Impairment of these pathways contributes to the development of cancer, myopathies, and neurodegenerative diseases. Chaperone-assisted degradation thus represents an essential aspect of cellular proteostasis, and its pharmacological modulation holds the promise to ameliorate some of the most devastating diseases of our time. Here, we discuss recent insights into molecular mechanisms underlying chaperone-assisted degradation in mammalian cells and highlight its biomedical relevance.

Mitochondrial dysfunction, proteotoxicity, and aging: causes or effects, and the possible impact of NAD+-controlled protein glycation
Adv. Clin. Chem. 2010, view full abstract in PubMed

Aging is frequently characterized by the accumulation of altered proteins and dysfunctional mitochondria. This review discusses possible causes of these effects, their interdependence and the impact of energy metabolism on proteostasis, especially formation and elimination of altered proteins. It is suggested NAD+ to some degree regulates formation of aberrant proteins and generation of oxygen free-radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), because when NAD+ is limiting, glycolytic triose phosphates spontaneously decompose into methylglyoxal (MG), a highly deleterious glycating agent and ROS inducer. That NAD+ has stimulatory effects on stress protein expression and autophagy, while mitochondria regenerate NAD+ from NADH, further integrates energy metabolism into proteostasis. It is suggested that, as altered proteins can deleteriously interact with mitochondria, changes in synthesis, or elimination, of cytosolic error-proteins will affect mitochondrial activity. It is also suggested that functional mitochondria are essentially antiaging agents, while their dysfunction or inactivity accelerate ROS formation and aging. These proposals may also help explain the oxygen paradox that while ROS may be causal to aging, increased mitochondrial activity (i.e., oxygen utilization) suppresses aging and much associated pathology. Increased synthesis of glutathione, humanin, and mitochondrial chaperone proteins are other additional consequences of increased mitogenesis and which would help ensure proteostasis.

The ubiquitin-proteasome system is inhibited by p53 protein expression in human ovarian cancer cells
Cancer Lett. 2010, view full abstract in PubMed

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy provide major cellular pathways for protein degradation. Since the p53 pathway controls autophagy, we investigated whether p53 regulates UPS in ovarian tumour cell lines. A reporter cell line (SKOV3-EGFPu) was established to measure UPS function against a constant genetic background. Transient expression of either wild type or mutant p53 in SKOV3-EGFPu cells reduced UPS activity as compared to vector control. These results, together with those from endogenous p53 expression in seven ovarian cancer cell lines, suggest that expression of both wild-type and mutant p53 protein impairs UPS function. Thus, p53 expression may regulate protein homeostasis by down-regulating UPS function in response to cellular stress.