title: Arsenite-inducible RNA-associated protein (AIRAP) protects cells from arsenite toxicity.
abstract: Exposure of cells to arsenicals activates multiple stress pathways resulting in the induction of specific genes whose identity and role in the adaptation to arsenical-induced cellular stress are poorly understood. We report here the identification of a novel gene encoding an arsenite-inducible, cysteine- and histidine-rich RNA-associated protein, AIRAP, that is conserved among mammals, Drosophila and C elegans. Immunochemistry and cell fractionation experiments indicate that, when induced, AIRAP is present in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm, and cross-linking experiments indicate that it associates with RNA in vivo. The expression of a C elegans homologue of AIRAP, aip-1, is also induced by exposure to arsenite, and expression of an aip-1::gfp transgene is most pronounced in hypodermal cells. RNA-mediated interference (RNAi) of aip-1 lowers the resistance of nematodes to arsenite yet does not appear to affect viability under standard growth conditions. These experiments suggest a role for AIRAP/AIP-1 in protecting cells from the toxic effects of arsenite.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, and the Kaplan Cancer Center, New York University School of Medicine, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sok
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calfon
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lichtlen
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D018053:Arsenites / Q000633:toxicity*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D018869:Heat-Shock Response / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012377:Rodentia; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018053:Arsenites; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C436043:Zfand2a protein, mouse