Amplification of the gene for SCAP, coupled with Insig-1 deficiency, confers sterol resistance in mutant Chinese hamster ovary cells.
The endoplasmic reticulum membrane proteins Insig-1 and Insig-2 limit cholesterol synthesis, in part through their sterol-dependent binding to sterol-regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) cleavage-activating protein (SCAP). This binding prevents proteolytic processing of SREBPs, membrane-bound transcription factors that enhance cholesterol synthesis. We report here the characterization of mutant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, designated SRD-19, that are resistant to 25-hydroxycholesterol, a potent inhibitor of SREBP processing. SRD-19 cells were produced by mutagenesis of Insig-1-deficient SRD-14 cells, followed by selection in high levels of 25-hydroxycholesterol. 25-Hydroxycholesterol fails to suppress SREBP processing in SRD-19, even though they express normal levels of Insig-2. The number of copies of the gene encoding SCAP was found to be increased by 4-fold in SRD-19 cells compared with wild-type CHO cells, leading to the overproduction of SCAP mRNA and protein. Our data indicate that overproduced SCAP saturates the remaining Insig-2 in SRD-19 cells, thus explaining their resistance to 25-hydroxycholesterol. Consistent with this conclusion, regulated SREBP processing is restored in SRD-19 cells upon transfection of plasmids encoding either Insig-1 or Insig-2. These results highlight the importance of SCAP/Insig ratios in normal sterol-regulated processing of SREBPs in cultured cells.
Lee
Peter C W
PC
Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9046, USA.
Liu
Pingsheng
P
Li
Wei-Ping
WP
Debose-Boyd
Russell A
RA
D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D006888:Hydroxycholesterols / Q000494:pharmacology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism; D051779:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D006888:Hydroxycholesterols; C108626:INSIG1 protein, human; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051779:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Proteins; C007997:25-hydroxycholesterol