Identification of proteolytic signaling pathways regulating reprogramming during iPS cell generation

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K15811
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Dental engineering/Regenerative dentistry
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Inuzuka Hiroyuki 東北大学, 歯学研究科, 准教授 (20335863)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 福本 敏 東北大学, 歯学研究科, 教授 (30264253) ; 福島 秀文 東北大学, 歯学研究科, 准教授 (70412624)
• Research Collaborator: SAWASAKI Tatsuya 愛媛大学, プロテオサイエンスセンター, 教授 ; SHIMIZU Kouhei 東北大学, 大学院歯学研究科, 助教
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: SKP2 / Ubiquitination / iPS cells

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Direct reprogramming of somatic cells to iPS cells involves global changes in epigenetic modification and gene expression. SKP2 E3 ligase is reported to play essential roles in epigenetic transcriptional regulation through degrading histone methyltransferases including MLL, PR-SET7, and CARM1. Here, to characterize the role of SKP2 signaling in human iPS generation, we conducted a screening of SKP2 interacting proteins and identified a RING-family protein as the E3 ligase of SKP2. Furthermore, we found that the protein levels of SKP2 and the RING E3 ligase are associated with the process of iPS generation. These data suggest that the identified E3 cascade may play important roles in epigenetic reprogramming of somatic to iPS cells.

Free Research Field

生化学