Histone chaperone Jun dimerization protein 2 (JDP2): role in cellular senescence and aging

Transcription factor Jun dimerization protein 2 (JDP2) binds directly to histones and DNA, and inhibits p300-mediated acetylation of core histones and reconstituted nucleosomes that contain JDP2-recognition DNA sequences. The region of JDP2 that encompasses its histone-binding domain and DNA-binding region is essential to inhibit histone acetylation by histone acetyltransferases. Moreover, assays of nucleosome assembly in vitro demonstrate that JDP2 also has histone-chaperone activity. The mutation of the region responsible for inhibition of histone acetyltransferase activity within JDP2 eliminates repression of transcription from the c-jun promoter by JDP2, as well as JDP2-mediated inhibition of retinoic-acid-induced differentiation. Thus JDP2 plays a key role as a repressor of cell differentiation by regulating the expression of genes with an activator protein 1 (AP-1) site via inhibition of histone acetylation and/or assembly and disassembly of nucleosomes. Senescent cells show a series of alterations, including flatten and enlarged morphology, increase in nonspecific acidic β-galactosidase activity, chromatin condensation, and changes in gene expression patterns. The onset and maintenance of senescence are regulated by two tumor suppressors, p53 and retinoblastoma proteins. The expression of p53 and retinoblastoma proteins is regulated by two distinct proteins, p16(Ink4a) and Arf, respectively, which are encoded by cdkn2a. JDP2 inhibits recruitment of the polycomb repressive complexes 1 and 2 (PRC-1 and PRC-2) to the promoter of the gene that encodes p16(Ink4a) and inhibits the methylation of lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27). The PRCs associate with the p16(Ink4a)/Arf locus in young proliferating cells and dissociate from it in senescent cells. Therefore, it seems that chromatin-remodeling factors that regulate association and dissociation of PRCs, and are controlled by JDP2, might play an important role in the senescence program. The molecular mechanisms that underlie the action of JDP2 in cellular aging and replicative senescence by mediating the dissociation of PRCs from the p16(Ink4a)/Arf locus are discussed.