Category

Archives

Age-related cataract: GSTP1 ubiquitination and degradation by Parkin inhibits its anti-apoptosis in lens epithelial cells

Purpose: Oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of lens epithelial cells (LECs) contributes to the pathogenesis of age-related cataract (ARC). The purpose of this research is to underlie the potential mechanism of E3 ligase Parkin and its oxidative stress-associated substrate in cataractogenesis.

Methods: The central anterior capsules were obtained from patients with ARC, Emory mice, and corresponding controls. SRA01/04 cells were exposed to H2O2 combined with cycloheximide (a translational inhibitor), MG-132 (a proteasome inhibitor), chloroquine (an autophagy inhibitor), Mdivi-1 (a mitochondrial division inhibitor), respectively. Co-immunoprecipitation was employed to detect protein-protein interactions and ubiquitin-tagged protein products. Levels of proteins and mRNA were evaluated by western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR assays.

Results: Glutathione-S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) was identified as a novel Parkin substrate. Compared with corresponding controls, GSTP1 was significantly decreased in the anterior lens capsules obtained from human cataracts and Emory mice. Similarly, GSTP1 was declined in H2O2-stimulated SRA01/04 cells. Ectopic expression of GSTP1 mitigated H2O2-induced apoptosis, whereas silencing GSTP1 aggregated apoptosis. In addition, H2O2 stimulation and Parkin overexpression could promote the degradation of GSTP1 through the ubiquitin-proteasome system, autophagy-lysosome pathway, and mitophagy. After co-transfection with Parkin, the non-ubiquitinatable GSTP1 mutant maintained its anti-apoptotic function, while wildtype GSTP1 failed. Mechanistically, GSTP1 might promote mitochondrial fusion through upregulating Mitofusins 1/2 (MFN1/2).

Conclusion: Oxidative stress induces LECs apoptosis via Parkin-regulated degradation of GSTP1, which may provide potential targets for ARC therapy.

Comments:

In this study, the researchers aimed to investigate the potential mechanism of E3 ligase Parkin and its oxidative stress-associated substrate in the pathogenesis of age-related cataract (ARC). They collected central anterior capsules from patients with ARC, Emory mice, and corresponding controls, and used SRA01/04 cells to study the effects of H2O2 combined with different inhibitors on apoptosis.

The researchers identified Glutathione-S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) as a novel Parkin substrate. They found that GSTP1 was significantly decreased in the anterior lens capsules obtained from human cataracts and Emory mice, as well as in H2O2-stimulated SRA01/04 cells. The researchers also demonstrated that ectopic expression of GSTP1 mitigated H2O2-induced apoptosis, while silencing GSTP1 aggravated apoptosis.

Furthermore, the researchers found that H2O2 stimulation and Parkin overexpression promoted the degradation of GSTP1 through the ubiquitin-proteasome system, autophagy-lysosome pathway, and mitophagy. They also showed that the non-ubiquitinatable GSTP1 mutant maintained its anti-apoptotic function after co-transfection with Parkin, while wildtype GSTP1 failed.

Mechanistically, the researchers proposed that GSTP1 might promote mitochondrial fusion through upregulating Mitofusins 1/2 (MFN1/2).

In conclusion, the study suggests that oxidative stress induces lens epithelial cells (LECs) apoptosis via Parkin-regulated degradation of GSTP1, and that GSTP1 may provide a potential target for ARC therapy.

Related Products

Cat.No. Product Name Information
S2619 MG132 MG132 ((S,R,S)-(-)-MG132, Z-Leu-D-Leu-Leu-al) is a potent proteasome (ChTL, TL, and PGPH) inhibitor. MG132 also inhibits calpain (IC50=1.2 μM). MG132 can be used to induce animal models of Parkinson’s disease.

Related Targets

Proteasome