Inactivation of EWS reduces PGC-1α protein stability and mitochondrial homeostasis
2015
Park, Jun Hong | Kang, Hong-jun | Lee, Yun Kyung | Kang, Hyeog | Kim, Jihyun | Chung, Jay H. | Chang, Ji Suk | McPherron, Alexandra C. | Lee, Sean Bong
EWS (Ewing sarcoma) encodes an RNA/ssDNA binding protein that is frequently rearranged in a number of different cancers by chromosomal translocations. Physiologically, EWS has diverse and essential roles in various organ development and cellular processes. In this study, we uncovered a new role of EWS in mitochondrial homeostasis and energy metabolism. Loss of EWS leads to a significant decrease in mitochondria abundance and activity, which is caused by a rapid degradation of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ Coactivator (PGC-1α), a central regulator of mitochondria biogenesis, function, and cellular energy metabolism. EWS inactivation leads to increased ubiquitination and proteolysis of PGC-1α via proteasome pathway. Complementation of EWS in Ews -deficient cells restores PGC-1α and mitochondrial abundance. We found that expression of E3 ubiquitin ligase, FBXW7 (F-box/WD40 domain protein 7), is increased in the absence of Ews and depletion of Fbxw7 in Ews -null cells restores PGC-1α expression and mitochondrial density. Consistent with these findings, mitochondrial abundance and activity are significantly reduced in brown fat and skeletal muscles of Ews -deficient mice. Furthermore, expression of mitochondrial biogenesis, respiration and fatty acid β-oxidation genes is significantly reduced in the liver of Ews -null mice. These results demonstrate a novel role of EWS in mitochondrial and cellular energy homeostasis by controlling PGC-1α protein stability, and further implicate altered mitochondrial and energy metabolism in cancers harboring the EWS translocation.
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