Acquired memory initially depends on the hippocampus (HPC) for the process of cortical permanent memory formation. The mechanisms through which memory becomes progressively independent from the HPC remain unknown. In the HPC, adult neurogenesis has been described in many mammalian species, even at old ages. Using two mouse models in which hippocampal neurogenesis is physically or genetically suppressed, we show that decreased neurogenesis is accompanied by a prolonged HPC-dependent period of associative fear memory. Inversely, enhanced neurogenesis by voluntary exercise sped up the decay rate of HPC dependency of memory, without loss of memory. Consistently, decreased neurogenesis facilitated the long-lasting maintenance of rat hippocampal long-term potentiation in vivo. These independent lines of evidence strongly suggest that the level of hippocampal neurogenesis play a role in determination of the HPC-dependent period of memory in adult rodents. These observations provide a framework for understanding the mechanisms of the hippocampal-cortical complementary learning systems.

Intracellular energy balance is important for cell survival. In eukaryotic cells, the most energy-consuming process is ribosome biosynthesis, which adapts to changes in intracellular energy status. However, the mechanism that links energy status and ribosome biosynthesis is largely unknown. Here, we describe eNoSC, a protein complex that senses energy status and controls rRNA transcription. eNoSC contains Nucleomethylin, which binds histone H3 dimethylated Lys9 in the rDNA locus, in a complex with SIRT1 and SUV39H1. Both SIRT1 and SUV39H1 are required for energy-dependent transcriptional repression, suggesting that a change in the NAD(+)/NADH ratio induced by reduction of energy status could activate SIRT1, leading to deacetylation of histone H3 and dimethylation at Lys9 by SUV39H1, thus establishing silent chromatin in the rDNA locus. Furthermore, eNoSC promotes restoration of energy balance by limiting rRNA transcription, thus protecting cells from energy deprivation-dependent apoptosis. These findings provide key insight into the mechanisms of energy homeostasis in cells.

Inactivating mutations in the 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 1alpha-hydroxylase gene are a cause of pseudovitamin D-deficiency rickets.

CHIP is a U-box-type ubiquitin ligase that induces ubiquitylation and degradation of its substrates, which include several oncogenic proteins. The relationship between CHIP and tumour progression, however, has not been elucidated. Here, we show that CHIP suppresses tumour progression in human breast cancer by inhibiting oncogenic pathways. CHIP levels were negatively correlated with the malignancy of human breast tumour tissues. In a nude mouse xenograft model, tumour growth and metastasis were significantly inhibited by CHIP expression. In contrast, knockdown of CHIP (shCHIP) in breast cancer cells resulted in rapid tumour growth and metastastic phenotypes in mice. In cell-based experiments, anchorage-independent growth and invasiveness of shCHIP cells was significantly elevated due to increased expression of Bcl2, Akt1, Smad and Twist. Proteomic analysis identified the transcriptional co-activator SRC-3 (refs 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) as a direct target for ubiquitylation and degradation by CHIP. Knocking down SRC-3 in shCHIP cells reduced the expression of Smad and Twist, and suppressed tumour metastasis in vivo. Conversely, SRC-3 co-expression prevented CHIP-induced suppression of metastasis formation. These observations demonstrate that CHIP inhibits anchorage-independent cell growth and metastatic potential by degrading oncogenic proteins including SRC-3.

DNA demethylation plays a critical role in transcriptional regulation in differentiated somatic cells. However, there is no experimental evidence that CpG methylation in a small region of a genome restricts gene expression. Here, we show that the anti-CD3repsilon/CD28 antibody stimulation of human CD4+ T cells induces IL2 expression following epigenetic changes, including active demethylation of a specific CpG site, recruitment of Oct-1, and changes in histone modifications. When the stimulatory signal is withdrawn, Oct-1 remains on the enhancer region as a stable marker of the stimulation, causing the second induction to be faster and stronger. Our observations indicate that Oct-1-binding followed by CpG demethylation are key events in the epigenetic regulation of IL2 expression and may act as a memory of the regulatory event.

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is essential for ligand-induced gene repression of 25(OH)D 3 1a-hydroxylase (1a(OH)ase) in mammalian kidney, while this gene expression is activated by protein kinase A (PKA) signaling downstream of the parathyroid hormone action. The mapped negative vitamin D response element (1anVDRE) in the human 1a(OH)ase gene promoter (around 530 bp) was distinct from those of the reported DR3-like nVDREs, composed of two E-box-like motifs. Unlike the reported nVDREs, no direct binding of VDR/RXR heterodimer to 1anVDRE was detected. A bHLH-type factor, designated VDIR, was identified as a direct sequence-specific activator of 1anVDRE. The transactivation function of VDIR was further potentiated by activated-PKA signaling through phosphorylation of serine residues in the transactivation domains, with the recruitment of a p300 histone acetyltransferase co-activator. The ligand-dependent association of VDR/RXR heterodimer with VDIR bound to 1anVDRE caused the dissociation of p300 co-activators from VDIR, and the association of HDAC co-repressor complex components resulting in ligand-induced transrepression. Thus, the present study deciphers a novel mechanism of ligandinduced transrepression by nuclear receptor via co-regulator switching.

Clinical evidence suggests that antiestrogens inhibit the development of androgen-insensitive prostate cancer. Here, we show that the estrogen receptor β (ERβ) mediates inhibition by the antiestrogen ICI 182,780 (ICI) and its enhancement by estrogen. ERβ associated with gene promoters through the tumor-suppressing transcription factor KLF5 (Krüppel-like zinc finger transcription factor 5). ICI treatment increased the recruitment of the transcription coactivator CBP [CREB (adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate response element-binding protein)-binding protein] to the promoter of FOXO1 through ERβ and KLF5, which enhanced the transcription of FOXO1. The increase in FOXO1 abundance led to anoikis in prostate cancer cells, thereby suppressing tumor growth. In contrast, estrogen induced the formation of complexes containing ERβ, KLF5, and the ubiquitin ligase WWP1 (WW domain containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1), resulting in the ubiquitination and degradation of KLF5. The combined presence of KLF5 and ERβ positively correlated with longer cancer-specific survival in prostate cancer patients. Our results demonstrate that estrogens and antiestrogens affect prostate tumor growth through ERβ-mediated regulation of KLF5.

The 5S ribonucleoprotein particle (RNP) complex, consisting of RPL11, RPL5, and 5S rRNA, is implicated in p53 regulation under ribotoxic stress. Here, we show that the 5S RNP contributes to p53 activation and promotes cellular senescence in response to oncogenic or replicative stress. Oncogenic stress accelerates rRNA transcription and replicative stress delays rRNA processing, resulting in RPL11 and RPL5 accumulation in the ribosome-free fraction, where they bind MDM2. Experimental upregulation of rRNA transcription or downregulation of rRNA processing, mimicking the nucleolus under oncogenic or replicative stress, respectively, also induces RPL11-mediated p53 activation and cellular senescence. We demonstrate that exogenous expression of certain rRNA-processing factors rescues the processing defect, attenuates p53 accumulation, and increases replicative lifespan. To summarize, the nucleolar-5S RNP-p53 pathway functions as a senescence inducer in response to oncogenic and replicative stresses.