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Updated: Jun 16, 2025

Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies
Published on: September 30, 2016
Tripartite motif-containing protein 26 promotes colorectal cancer growth by inactivating p53
Zhihui Tan1,2, Hyun Min Ko1, Parnian Naji3
1Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
Abstract:
Tripartite motif-containing protein 26 (TRIM26) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that exhibits divergent roles in various cancer types (oncogenic and anti-oncogenic). This study investigates the interaction of TRIM26 with the tumor suppressor protein p53 in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells by performing a comprehensive set of biochemical, cell-based assays, and xenograft experiments. As a result, we found that overexpression of TRIM26 significantly enhances CRC cell proliferation and colony formation, while knockdown of TRIM26 suppresses these processes. Xenograft experiments further validated the tumor-promoting role of TRIM26 in CRC. Supporting this is that TRIM26 is highly expressed in human CRC tissues as revealed by our analysis of the TCGA database. Biochemically, TRIM26 directly bound to the C-terminus of p53 and facilitated its ubiquitination, resulting in proteolytic degradation and attenuated p53 activity independently of MDM2. Also, TRIM26 increased the MDM2-mediated ubiquitination of p53 by binding to MDM2's C-terminus. This study uncovers the oncogenic potential of TRIM26 in CRC by inhibiting p53 function. Through its ubiquitin ligase activity, TRIM26 destabilizes p53, consequently promoting CRC cell proliferation and tumor growth. These findings shed light on the complex involvement of TRIM26 in cancer and identify this ubiquitin ligase as a potential therapeutic target for future development of CRC treatment.
Insights
Tripartite motif-containing protein 26 (TRIM26) promotes colorectal cancer (CRC) by destabilizing the tumor suppressor p53. This E3 ubiquitin ligase enhances CRC cell proliferation and tumor growth, suggesting TRIM26 as a potential therapeutic target.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Tripartite motif-containing protein 26 (TRIM26) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase with varied roles in cancer.
- The tumor suppressor protein p53 is critical in preventing cancer development.
- Understanding TRIM26's interaction with p53 is crucial for colorectal cancer (CRC) research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between TRIM26 and p53 in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells.
- To elucidate the role of TRIM26 in CRC proliferation and tumor growth.
- To determine if TRIM26 could be a potential therapeutic target for CRC.
Main Methods:
- Biochemical assays
- Cell-based assays
- Xenograft experiments
- TCGA database analysis
Main Results:
- TRIM26 overexpression enhanced CRC cell proliferation and colony formation.
- TRIM26 knockdown suppressed CRC cell proliferation and colony formation.
- TRIM26 directly bound to p53, facilitating its ubiquitination, degradation, and reduced activity.
- TRIM26 enhanced MDM2-mediated p53 ubiquitination.
- TRIM26 is highly expressed in human CRC tissues.
Conclusions:
- TRIM26 exhibits oncogenic potential in CRC by inhibiting p53 function.
- TRIM26 destabilizes p53 through its ubiquitin ligase activity, promoting CRC cell proliferation and tumor growth.
- TRIM26 represents a potential therapeutic target for CRC treatment.
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