title: IL-6 enhances the nuclear translocation of DNA cytosine-5-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) via phosphorylation of the nuclear localization sequence by the AKT kinase.
abstract: The epigenetic programming of genomic DNA is accomplished, in part, by several DNA cytosine-5-methyltransferases that act by covalently modifying cytosines with the addition of a methyl group. This covalent modification is maintained by the DNA cytosine-5-methyltransferase-1 enzyme (DNMT1), which is capable of acting in concert with other similar enzymes to silence important tumor suppressor genes. IL-6 is a multifunctional mediator of inflammation, acting through several major signaling cascades, including the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase pathway (PI-3-K), which activates protein kinase B (AKT/PKB) downstream. Here, we show that the subcellular localization of DNMT1 can be altered by the addition of IL-6, increasing the rate of nuclear translocation of the enzyme from the cytosolic compartment. The mechanism of nuclear translocation of DNMT1 is greatly enhanced by phosphorylation of the DNMT1 nuclear localization signal (NLS) by PKB/AKT kinase. Mutagenic alteration of the two AKT target amino acids within the NLS results in a major loss of DNMT1 nuclear translocation, while the creation of a "phospho-mimic" amino acid (mutation to acidic residues) restores this compartmentation ability. These observations suggest an interesting hypothesis regarding how mediators of chronic inflammation may disturb the delicate balance of cellular compartmentalization of important proteins, and reveals a potential mechanism for the induction or enhancement of tumor growth via alteration of the components involved in the epigenetic programming of a cell.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cancer Prevention, Cancer Stem Cell Section, Center for Cancer Research, The National Cancer Institute at Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hodge
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Terry D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Copeland
authors.forename: Tad
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Guszczynski
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Arun K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Seth
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Farrar
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D000076123:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D028884:Karyopherins / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals / Q000378:metabolism*; D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D028884:Karyopherins; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals; D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D000076123:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases; C000619380:DNMT1 protein, human; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt