title: Role of proteasomes in T cell activation and proliferation.
abstract: The role of proteasomes in T cell activation, proliferation, and apoptosis was investigated using a proteasome-specific inhibitor lactacystin (LAC). Inhibition of the proteasome activity by LAC repressed the mitogen-induced T cell proliferation. The proteasome activity was definitively required for the T cells to progress from the G0 to S phase. It was necessary to optimize the progress from the G1/S boundary to the G2/M phase, but not for the progress from the G2/M phase to the next G1 phase. Probably as a result of a blockage of cell cycle progress, the cycling, but not the resting, T cells underwent apoptosis when treated with LAC. Mechanistically, we have found that cyclin-dependent kinase-2 (CDK2) and the cyclin E-associated kinase (largely CDK2), but not CDK4, in the G1 phase were strongly inhibited by LAC. This could be an important mechanism for the proteasome to regulate the cell cycle. The degradation of cyclin E in the late G1 and early S phases was dependent on the proteasome, although it was unlikely that this accounted for the observed inhibition of T cell proliferation. There was a reduced decay of p27Kip1 in the late G1 phase when the proteasome activity was suppressed, and this might be a contributing mechanism for the observed inhibition of CDK2 activity. Interestingly, p21Cip1 was up-regulated during the G1 phase, and the up-regulation was inhibited by LAC. Our study shows that the proteasome plays pivotal roles in regulating T cell activation and proliferation, and its effect is probably exerted through multiple mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Louis-Charles Simard Research Center, Notre-Dame Hospital, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Duguid
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D019925:Cyclin A / Q000378:metabolism; D019927:Cyclin E / Q000378:metabolism; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D016213:Cyclins / Q000378:metabolism; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000502:physiology*; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007399:Interphase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000502:physiology*; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016196:S Phase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D019925:Cyclin A; D019927:Cyclin E; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C067713:lactacystin; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; C495894:CDK2 protein, human; C495900:CDK4 protein, human; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; D000111:Acetylcysteine