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Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Purification of Ubiquitinated p53 Proteins from Mammalian Cells
Published on: March 21, 2022
Desumoylase SENP6 maintains osteochondroprogenitor homeostasis by suppressing the p53 pathway
Jianshuang Li1,2, Di Lu1, Hong Dou3
1Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA.
Abstract:
The development, growth, and renewal of skeletal tissues rely on the function of osteochondroprogenitors (OCPs). Protein sumoylation/desumoylation has emerged as a pivotal mechanism for stem cell/progenitor homeostasis, and excessive sumoylation has been associated with cell senescence and tissue aging, but its role in regulating OCP function is unclear. Here we show that postnatal loss of the desumoylase SUMO1/sentrin-specific peptidase 6 (SENP6) causes premature aging. OCP-specific SENP6 knockout mice exhibit smaller skeletons, with elevated apoptosis and cell senescence in OCPs and chondrocytes. In Senp6 ‒/‒ cells, the two most significantly elevated pathways are p53 signaling and senescence-associated secreted phenotypes (SASP), and Trp53 loss partially rescues the skeletal and cellular phenotypes caused by Senp6 loss. Furthermore, SENP6 interacts with, desumoylates, and stabilizes TRIM28, suppressing p53 activity. Our data reveals a crucial role of the SENP6-p53 axis in maintaining OCP homeostasis during skeletal development.
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