Cited by 122Ubiquitin and proteasome pathwaysCellular transport and secretionHER2/EGFR in Cancer Research

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 52 of the 52 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 6 of the 77 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Regulation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Ubiquitination and Trafficking by the USP8·STAM Complex

Open access
Berlin, Ilana, Schwartz, Heather, Nash, Piers D.·2010·Journal of Biological Chemistry

Abstract

Reversible ubiquitination of activated receptor complexes signals their sorting between recycling and degradation and thereby dictates receptor fate. The deubiquitinating enzyme ubiquitin-specific protease 8 (USP8/UBPy) has been previously implicated in the regulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR); however, the molecular mechanisms governing its recruitment and activity in this context remain unclear. Herein, we investigate the role of USP8 in countering ligand-induced ubiquitination and down-regulation of EGFR and characterize a subset of protein-protein interaction determinants critical for this function. USP8 depletion accelerates receptor turnover, whereas loss of hepatocyte growth factor-regulated substrate (Hrs) rescues this phenotype, indicating that USP8 protects EGFR from degradation via an Hrs-dependent pathway. Catalytic inactivation of USP8 incurs EGFR hyperubiquitination and promotes receptor localization to endosomes marked by high ubiquitin content. These phenotypes require the central region of USP8, containing three extended Arg-X-X-Lys (RXXK) motifs that specify direct low affinity interactions with the SH3 domain(s) of ESCRT-0 proteins, STAM1/2. The USP8·STAM complex critically impinges on receptor ubiquitination status and modulates ubiquitin dynamics on EGFR-positive endosomes. Consequently, USP8-mediated deubiquitination slows progression of EGFR past the early-to-recycling endosome circuit in a manner dependent upon the RXXK motifs. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a role for the USP8·STAM complex as a protective mechanism regulating early endosomal sorting of EGFR between pathways destined for lysosomal degradation and recycling.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

The paper shows that USP8 protects EGFR from ligand-induced degradation via an Hrs-dependent pathway and that its central RXXK motifs mediate low-affinity binding to STAM1/2 SH3 domains. This USP8·STAM interaction regulates EGFR ubiquitination and slows progression through the early-to-recycling endosome circuit.

Key findings

  • USP8 depletion accelerated EGFR turnover, and concomitant Hrs knockdown rescued this phenotype, indicating that USP8 protects EGFR via an Hrs-dependent pathway; USP8 depletion also increased EGFR ubiquitination at 5 min after 2.5 ng/ml EGF.
  • Catalytic inactivation of USP8 (C748A or ΔC) caused EGFR hyperubiquitination and a 2.5-fold increase in EGFR co-localization with HA-ubiquitin; these effects required the central region of USP8, whereas MIT or MIT-Rhod fragments were insufficient.
  • USP8 contains three conserved RXXK motifs that bind STAM1/2 SH3 domains with low affinity; triple RXXK mutation (R3K) or STAM1 SH3 mutation abrogated co-immunoprecipitation/BiFC complex formation. STAM1/2 overexpression increased EGFR ubiquitination by 50%, and SH3-domain mutations abrogated this effect.
  • USP8 overexpression delayed EGFR progression past transferrin receptor-positive endosomes at 45 min after EGF, whereas the R3K mutant abrogated this delay; R3K also compromised USP8-mediated EGFR deubiquitination, while ΔMIT did not.

Methods

  • HeLa cells were used for all cell-culture experiments; transient siRNA knockdown of USP8 or Hrs and overexpression of wild-type or mutant USP8, STAM1/2, Gads, ubiquitin, and other constructs were performed, including site-directed mutants C748A, R3K, and SH3-domain mutants.
  • Degradation assays used 2.5 ng/ml EGF with Western blot against endogenous EGFR; ubiquitination assays used HA-ubiquitin, EGFR immunoprecipitation, and 2.5 or 10 ng/ml EGF for 5–10 min; co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence/confocal microscopy, BiFC, peptide SPOT arrays, and fluorescence polarization were also used.
  • Quantification included Western band intensities, degradation plots, Mander’s/JACoP colocalization coefficients, and equilibrium dissociation constants, with n = 2–3 independent experiments and S.D. reported.

Limitations

  • No limitations section is stated in the paper.
  • Evident from the text: all cell-culture experiments used HeLa cells, and no in vivo validation of the proposed USP8·STAM mechanism is presented in this study.
  • Evident from the text: conclusions rely on overexpression, siRNA depletion, and BiFC, which forms an irreversible fluorescent complex; the RXXK–SH3 interactions are low affinity, and the paper notes that USP8’s broad distribution has made ascribing loss of a specific protein-protein interaction difficult.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1074/jbc.m109.016287

Cites

52 of 52 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

6 of 77 cited sources checked · 4 supported · 1 flagged · accuracy not yet measured

Show all 62 claims

  • Probably not a substantial claim. 17
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 32
45 of 45
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The effects of USP8 depletion on EGFR turnover and ubiquitination are due to specific loss of USP8 and not off-target effects of siRNA.

    “Ambion oligonucleotide 105117 targeted against USP8 (siUSP8) and Silencer Negative Control #1 were obtained from Applied Biosystems.”
    “A previously reported sequence (27) coding an anti-USP8 siRNA was custom-synthesized by Integrated DNA Technologies and cloned into the pSilencer vector according to the manufacturer's instructions.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The USP8 C748A and ΔC mutants are catalytically inactive and act as loss-of-function forms.

    “inactivation of USP8 through either a point mutation in the catalytic cysteine residue (C748A) or a truncation of the entire catalytic domain (⌬C, Fig. 2A) resulted in acute hyperubiquitination of EGFR”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The RXXK motifs within the central region of USP8 mediate its effect on EGFR ubiquitination.

    “These phenotypes require the central region of USP8, containing three extended Arg-X-X-Lys (RXXK) motifs that specify direct low affinity interactions with the SH3 domain(s) of ESCRT-0 proteins, STAM1/2.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The in vitro binding affinities and peptide array interactions reflect the interactions of full-length USP8 and STAM in cells.

    “Individually, each of the three RXXK motifs of USP8 was found to exhibit lower affinities for the RXXK subclass of SH3 domains than any of the previously measured interactions with single RXXK motifs in Slp76, Blnk, Gab1, or Gab2 (19).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    HeLa cells are a valid model for EGFR trafficking in vivo.

    “HeLa cells were used for all experiments requiring cell cultures in this study.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    No experimental evidence had been produced that the USP8 RXXK–STAM SH3 complex promotes USP8 function on endosomes.

    “Although the complex between the RXXK motifs of USP8 and the SH3 domains of STAM has previously been speculated to promote USP8 function on endosomes, no experimental evidence to that end has been produced.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The ability of USP8 to influence receptor ubiquitination and turnover through its interaction with the ESCRT machinery had not been described.

    “Although the association of USP8 with the ESCRT machinery has been previously speculated to target the DUB to its EGFR substrate on endosomes, the ability of USP8 to influence receptor ubiquitination and turnover by virtue of such interaction(s) has not been described.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Previous studies had not addressed the temporal aspects of USP8 function in EGFR deubiquitination.

    “Although it has been appreciated for some time that USP8 promotes EGFR deubiquitination, previous studies have not addressed the temporal aspects of USP8 function in this context.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The molecular determinants responsible for targeting USP8 activity to EGFR and STAM in their cellular context had not been elucidated.

    “Although both EGFR and STAM have formerly been identified as USP8 substrates, the molecular determinants responsible for targeting USP8 activity to these proteins in their cellular context have not been elucidated.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    No phenotypic outcomes for disrupting the USP8·STAM interaction in endocytosis had been identified.

    “Similarly, no phenotypic outcomes for disrupting the USP8⅐STAM interaction in endocytosis have been identified.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    No direct experimental evidence in support of the STAM-mediated recruitment of USP8 to the sorting endosome model had been produced.

    “Although it has previously been speculated that STAMmediated recruitment of USP8 to the sorting endosome may constitute an important regulatory mechanism in EGFR trafficking (21,29), no direct experimental evidence in support of this model has been produced (27).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    EGFR ubiquitination status dictates partitioning of endocytosed receptors between recycling and degradation.

    “Because EGFR ubiquitination status dictates partitioning of endocytosed receptors between recycling and degradation”
12 of 12

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Citations

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Hu, 2005, Curr. Protoc. Protein Sci., 19.10.1

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Metadata

Authors
Berlin, I., Schwartz, H., & Nash, P. D.
Affiliations
University of Chicago (US)
Corresponding author
Nash, Piers D.
Venue
Journal of Biological Chemistry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2010-11
Volume
285
Issue
45
Pages
34909-34921
ISSN
0021-9258 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1583797852
Cited by
121
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 10
FWCI
3.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Biological Chemistry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Defense
  • American Cancer Society
  • V Foundation for Cancer Research
  • Concern Foundation
  • Purdue University
  • Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Ubiquitin and proteasome pathways
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Cellular transport and secretion
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › HER2/EGFR in Cancer Research
Keywords
epidermal growth factor receptor, USP8, STAM, deubiquitination, receptor trafficking, receptor degradation, Hrs, ESCRT-0, SH3 domain, early endosomes, endosomal sorting, receptor recycling
MeSH terms
Animals, HeLa Cells, Humans, Lysosomes, Endopeptidases, Phosphoproteins, Endosomes, Protein Structure, Tertiary, Amino Acid Motifs, Protein Transport, Ubiquitin Thiolesterase, Multiprotein Complexes, Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing, Mice, Ubiquitination, Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport, ErbB Receptors

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