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Published on: July 3, 2020
ADAR1 expression in different cancer cell lines and its change under heat shock
Dominika Adamczak1, Michał Fornalik1, Anna Małkiewicz1
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Święcickiego 6 Street, 60-781, Poznań, Poland.
Abstract:
Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) plays an essential role in the development of malignancies by modifying the expression of different oncogenes. ADAR1 presents three distinct activities: adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing, modulating IFN pathways, and response to cellular stress factors. Following stressors such as heat shock, ADAR1p110 isoform relocates from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, where it suppresses RNA degradation which leads to the arrest of apoptosis and cell survival. In this study, we assessed the expression of ADAR1 across different cancer cell lines. We revealed that the presence of ADAR1 varies between cells of different origins and that a high transcript level does not reflect protein abundance. Additionally, we subjected cells to a heat shock in order to evaluate how cellular stress factors affect the expression of ADAR1. Our results indicate that ADAR1 transcript and protein levels are relatively stable and do not change under heat shock in examined cell lines. This research lays a groundwork for future directions on ADAR1-related studies suggesting in which types of cancer ADAR1 may be a promising target for novel therapeutic approaches.
Insights
Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) expression varies in cancer cells. Cellular stress, like heat shock, did not significantly alter ADAR1 levels, suggesting its potential as a cancer therapeutic target.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) is crucial in malignancy development by altering oncogene expression.
- ADAR1 exhibits adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing, modulates IFN pathways, and responds to cellular stress.
- The ADAR1p110 isoform shifts to the cytoplasm under stress, inhibiting RNA degradation and promoting cell survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess ADAR1 expression across diverse cancer cell lines.
- To investigate the impact of cellular stress, specifically heat shock, on ADAR1 expression.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of ADAR1 expression (transcript and protein levels) in various cancer cell lines.
- Application of heat shock treatment to evaluate cellular stress response.
Main Results:
- ADAR1 presence and abundance differ significantly among cancer cell lines of various origins.
- High ADAR1 transcript levels do not always correlate with protein abundance.
- ADAR1 transcript and protein levels remained stable under heat shock conditions in the examined cell lines.
Conclusions:
- ADAR1 expression is cell-type specific and not consistently upregulated by heat shock.
- Further research into ADAR1's role in specific cancers may identify novel therapeutic targets.
