がんを促進するPPM1D酵素の新たな分解経路を解明~プロテアソーム阻害薬との併用療法の可能性~

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2025-09-18 北海道大学

北海道大学の研究チームは、がんを促進する酵素PPM1Dがユビキチン化を介さず直接プロテアソームで分解される新経路を発見した。分解はPPM1Dのカルボキシル末端領域を介して行われ、この仕組みにより酵素量が迅速に調節される可能性がある。さらに、PPM1D阻害剤とプロテアソーム阻害剤を併用すると、がん細胞に対して相乗効果を示すことも判明した。PPM1Dは腫瘍抑制因子p53を抑制しがん進行を助長するため、この知見は新しい治療法開発につながると期待される。研究成果はJournal of Biomedical Scienceに掲載。

がんを促進するPPM1D酵素の新たな分解経路を解明~プロテアソーム阻害薬との併用療法の可能性~
PPM1Dタンパク質の分解メカニズム

<関連情報>

PPM1Dはユビキチン化に依存しない方法でカルボキシル末端領域を介してプロテアソームによって直接分解される PPM1D is directly degraded by proteasomes in a ubiquitination-independent manner through its carboxyl-terminal region

Masaki Takahashi,Takeshi Kondo,Shogo Kimura,Akira Nakazono,Shusei Yoshida,Takeshi Wada,Masashi Watanabe & Shigetsugu Hatakeyama
Journal of Biomedical Science  Published:11 September 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-025-01185-z

Abstract

Background

PPM1D (protein phosphatase Mg2⁺/Mn2⁺ dependent 1D) is a Ser/Thr phosphatase that negatively regulates p53 and functions as an oncogenic driver. Its gene amplification and overexpression are frequently observed in various malignancies and disruption of PPM1D degradation has also been reported as a cause of cancer progression. However, the precise mechanisms regulating PPM1D stability remain to be elucidated.

Methods

PPM1D stability and degradation pathways were examined using cycloheximide chase assays in multiple cell lines. Proteasome and lysosome inhibitors were used to determine the degradation mechanism, while ubiquitination dependency was assessed using TAK-243, an E1 ubiquitin-activating enzyme inhibitor. In vitro degradation assays with purified 20S proteasome were performed to evaluate direct proteasomal degradation. Immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry was performed to identify proteasomal regulators of PPM1D, with their functional roles validated through knockdown experiments. Finally, cell viability assays were conducted to assess the therapeutic potential of combined proteasome and PPM1D inhibition.

Results

Cycloheximide chase assays demonstrated that wild-type PPM1D is a short-lived protein, whereas a C-terminal truncation mutant exhibits increased stability. PPM1D undergoes rapid, ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation via its C-terminal 35 amino acid residues. Additionally, the region spanning residues 450–501 is necessary for ubiquitination-mediated suppression of the ubiquitin-independent degradation pathway. We also found that PPM1D is directly degraded by the 20S proteasome, with the regulatory proteasome subunits PSMD14 and PSME3 acting as activators in this process. Proteasome inhibition resulted in PPM1D accumulation, potentially reducing therapeutic efficacy. Combined proteasome and PPM1D inhibition synergistically enhanced the antitumor effect.

Conclusions

The rapid degradation of the cancer driver PPM1D is achieved through direct recognition by the proteasome, and proteasome inhibitors may reduce therapeutic efficacy due to the accumulation of PPM1D. PPM1D may serve as a suitable model substrate for elucidating the mechanism of ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation and represents a potential novel therapeutic target for cancer treatment based on proteasome inhibition.

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