TRIM32 regulates mitochondrial mediated ROS levels and sensitizes the oxidative stress induced cell death

Paresh Prajapati1, Dhruv Gohel2, Anjali Shinde2

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, The M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara 390 002, Gujarat, India; Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kentucky, 800 S. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.

Cellular Signalling
|September 12, 2020
PubMed

Insights

TRIM32 acts as an E3 ligase, promoting oxidative stress-induced cell death by impacting mitochondria and reducing XIAP levels. Its E3 ligase activity is crucial for apoptosis, with implications for cancer and neurodegeneration.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Ubiquitin-mediated post-translational modification regulates cellular pathways, including cell death.
  • E3 ligases determine ubiquitin chain topology and target protein recognition.
  • The role of E3 ligases in oxidative stress-induced cell death is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of TRIM32 as an E3 ligase in regulating oxidative stress-induced cell death.
  • To explore TRIM32's cellular localization and interactions under oxidative stress.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which TRIM32 influences cell death pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Characterization of TRIM32 expression and localization in various cell lines.
  • Assessment of TRIM32's effect on oxidative stress-induced cell death.
  • Analysis of mitochondrial function, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and complex-I activity.
  • Evaluation of TRIM32's impact on X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) levels.
  • Utilizing pan-caspase inhibitors and antioxidants to rescue cell death.

Main Results:

  • TRIM32 is ubiquitously expressed and localizes to cytoplasmic speckles, interacting with mitochondria under oxidative stress.
  • Ectopic TRIM32 expression sensitizes cells to oxidative stress-induced death, while knockdown confers protection.
  • TRIM32 enhances ROS generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and complex-I inhibition.
  • TRIM32's E3 ligase activity is essential for promoting apoptosis.
  • TRIM32 downregulates XIAP, and XIAP overexpression rescues cells from TRIM32-mediated death.

Conclusions:

  • TRIM32 functions as an E3 ligase that promotes oxidative stress-induced cell death.
  • TRIM32 mediates apoptosis through mitochondrial dysfunction and XIAP downregulation.
  • These findings highlight TRIM32's critical role in cellular responses to oxidative stress with implications for diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration.