241 human active and 13 inactive phosphatases in total;
194 phosphatases have substrate data;
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336 protein substrates;
83 non-protein substrates;
1215 dephosphorylation interactions;
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299 KEGG pathways;
876 Reactome pathways;
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last scientific update: 11 Mar, 2019
last maintenance update: 01 Sep, 2023
TGF-beta receptor type-1;TGFR-1;2.7.11.30;Activin A receptor type II-like protein kinase of 53kD;Activin receptor-like kinase 5;ALK-5;ALK5;Serine/threonine-protein kinase receptor R4;SKR4;TGF-beta type I receptor;Transforming growth factor-beta receptor type I;TGF-beta receptor type I;TbetaR-I;
Protein Family
Belongs to the protein kinase superfamily TKL Ser/Thrprotein kinase family TGFB receptor subfamily
Transmembrane serine/threonine kinase forming with theTGF-beta type II serine/threonine kinase receptor, TGFBR2, thenon-promiscuous receptor for the TGF-beta cytokines TGFB1, TGFB2and TGFB3 Transduces the TGFB1, TGFB2 and TGFB3 signal from thecell surface to the cytoplasm and is thus regulating a plethora ofphysiological and pathological processes including cell cyclearrest in epithelial and hematopoietic cells, control ofmesenchymal cell proliferation and differentiation, wound healing,extracellular matrix production, immunosuppression andcarcinogenesis The formation of the receptor complex composed of2 TGFBR1 and 2 TGFBR2 molecules symmetrically bound to thecytokine dimer results in the phosphorylation and the activationof TGFBR1 by the constitutively active TGFBR2 Activated TGFBR1phosphorylates SMAD2 which dissociates from the receptor andinteracts with SMAD4 The SMAD2-SMAD4 complex is subsequentlytranslocated to the nucleus where it modulates the transcriptionof the TGF-beta-regulated genes This constitutes the canonicalSMAD-dependent TGF-beta signaling cascade Also involved in non-canonical, SMAD-independent TGF-beta signaling pathways Forinstance, TGFBR1 induces TRAF6 autoubiquitination which in turnresults in MAP3K7 ubiquitination and activation to triggerapoptosis Also regulates epithelial to mesenchymal transitionthrough a SMAD-independent signaling pathway through PARD6Aphosphorylation and activation
Catalytic Activity (UniProt annotation)
ATP + [receptor-protein] = ADP + [receptor-protein] phosphate
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is a highly conserved module that is involved in various cellular functions, including cell proliferation, differentiation and migration. Mammals express at least four distinctly regulated groups of MAPKs, extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK)-1/2, Jun amino-terminal kinases (JNK1/2/3), p38 proteins (p38alpha/beta/gamma/delta) and ERK5, that are activated by specific MAPKKs: MEK1/2 for ERK1/2, MKK3/6 for the p38, MKK4/7 (JNKK1/2) for the JNKs, and MEK5 for ERK5. Each MAPKK, however, can be activated by more than one MAPKKK, increasing the complexity and diversity of MAPK signalling. Presumably each MAPKKK confers responsiveness to distinct stimuli. For example, activation of ERK1/2 by growth factors depends on the MAPKKK c-Raf, but other MAPKKKs may activate ERK1/2 in response to pro-inflammatory stimuli.
Cytokines are soluble extracellular proteins or glycoproteins that are crucial intercellular regulators and mobilizers of cells engaged in innate as well as adaptive inflammatory host defenses, cell growth, differentiation, cell death, angiogenesis, and development and repair processes aimed at the restoration of homeostasis. Cytokines are released by various cells in the body, usually in response to an activating stimulus, and they induce responses through binding to specific receptors on the cell surface of target cells. Cytokines can be grouped by structure into different families and their receptors can likewise be grouped.
The forkhead box O (FOXO) family of transcription factors regulates the expression of genes in cellular physiological events including apoptosis, cell-cycle control, glucose metabolism, oxidative stress resistance, and longevity. A central regulatory mechanism of FOXO proteins is phosphorylation by the serine-threonine kinase Akt/protein kinase B (Akt/PKB), downstream of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), in response to insulin or several growth factors. Phosphorylation at three conserved residues results in the export of FOXO proteins from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, thereby decreasing expression of FOXO target genes. In contrast, the stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and the energy sensing AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), upon oxidative and nutrient stress stimuli phosphorylate and activate FoxOs. Aside from PKB, JNK and AMPK, FOXOs are regulated by multiple players through several post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation, but also acetylation, methylation and ubiquitylation.
Endocytosis is a mechanism for cells to remove ligands, nutrients, and plasma membrane (PM) proteins, and lipids from the cell surface, bringing them into the cell interior. Transmembrane proteins entering through clathrin-dependent endocytosis (CDE) have sequences in their cytoplasmic domains that bind to the APs (adaptor-related protein complexes) and enable their rapid removal from the PM. In addition to APs and clathrin, there are numerous accessory proteins including dynamin. Depending on the various proteins that enter the endosome membrane, these cargoes are sorted to distinct destinations. Some cargoes, such as nutrient receptors, are recycled back to the PM. Ubiquitylated membrane proteins, such as activated growth-factor receptors, are sorted into intraluminal vesicles and eventually end up in the lysosome lumen via multivesicular endosomes (MVEs). There are distinct mechanisms of clathrin-independent endocytosis (CIE) depending upon the cargo and the cell type.
Cellular senescence is a state of irreversible cellular arrest and can be triggered by a number of factors, such as telomere shortening, oncogene activation, irradiation, DNA damage and oxidative stress. It is characterized by enlarged flattened morphology, senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-b-gal) activity, secretion of inflammatory cytokines, growth factors and matrix metalloproteinases, as part of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Cellular senescence is functionally associated with many biological processes including aging, tumor suppression, placental biology, embryonic development, and wound healing.
The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family members, which include TGF-betas, activins and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), are structurally related secreted cytokines found in species ranging from worms and insects to mammals. A wide spectrum of cellular functions such as proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation and migration are regulated by TGF-beta family members. TGF-beta family member binds to the Type II receptor and recruits Type I, whereby Type II receptor phosphorylates and activates Type I. The Type I receptor, in turn, phosphorylates receptor-activated Smads ( R-Smads: Smad1, Smad2, Smad3, Smad5, and Smad8). Once phosphorylated, R-Smads associate with the co-mediator Smad, Smad4, and the heteromeric complex then translocates into the nucleus. In the nucleus, Smad complexes activate specific genes through cooperative interactions with other DNA-binding and coactivator (or co-repressor) proteins.
Apelin is an endogenous peptide capable of binding the apelin receptor (APJ), which was originally described as an orphan G-protein-coupled receptor. Apelin and APJ are widely expressed in various tissues and organ systems. They are implicated in different key physiological processes such as angiogenesis, cardiovascular functions, cell proliferation and energy metabolism regulation. On the other hand, this ligand receptor couple is also involved in several pathologies including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
The osteoclasts, multinucleared cells originating from the hematopoietic monocyte-macrophage lineage, are responsible for bone resorption. Osteoclastogenesis is mainly regulated by signaling pathways activated by RANK and immune receptors, whose ligands are expressed on the surface of osteoblasts. Signaling from RANK changes gene expression patterns through transcription factors like NFATc1 and characterizes the active osteoclast.
Hippo signaling is an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway that controls organ size from flies to humans. In humans and mice, the pathway consists of the MST1 and MST2 kinases, their cofactor Salvador and LATS1 and LATS2. In response to high cell densities, activated LATS1/2 phosphorylates the transcriptional coactivators YAP and TAZ, promoting its cytoplasmic localization, leading to cell apoptosis and restricting organ size overgrowth. When the Hippo pathway is inactivated at low cell density, YAP/TAZ translocates into the nucleus to bind to the transcription enhancer factor (TEAD/TEF) family of transcriptional factors to promote cell growth and proliferation. YAP/TAZ also interacts with other transcriptional factors or signaling molecules, by which Hippo pathway-mediated processes are interconnected with those of other key signaling cascades, such as those mediated by TGF-beta and Wnt growth factors.
Cell-cell adherens junctions (AJs), the most common type of intercellular adhesions, are important for maintaining tissue architecture and cell polarity and can limit cell movement and proliferation. At AJs, E-cadherin serves as an essential cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). The cytoplasmic tail binds beta-catenin, which in turn binds alpha-catenin. Alpha-catenin is associated with F-actin bundles directly and indirectly. The integrity of the cadherin-catenin complex is negatively regulated by phosphorylation of beta-catenin by receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases (Fer, Fyn, Yes, and Src), which leads to dissociation of the cadherin-catenin complex. Integrity of this complex is positively regulated by beta -catenin phosphorylation by casein kinase II, and dephosphorylation by protein tyrosine phosphatases. Changes in the phosphorylation state of beta-catenin affect cell-cell adhesion, cell migration and the level of signaling beta-catenin. Wnt signaling acts as a positive regulator of beta-catenin by inhibiting beta-catenin degradation, which stabilizes beta-catenin, and causes its accumulation. Cadherin may acts as a negative regulator of signaling beta-catenin as it binds beta-catenin at the cell surface and thereby sequesters it from the nucleus. Nectins also function as CAMs at AJs, but are more highly concentrated at AJs than E-cadherin. Nectins transduce signals through Cdc42 and Rac, which reorganize the actin cytoskeleton, regulate the formation of AJs, and strengthen cell-cell adhesion.
Interleukin (IL)-17-producing helper T (Th17) cells serve as a subset of CD4+ T cells involved in epithelial cell- and neutrophil mediated immune responses against extracellular microbes and in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In vivo, Th17 differentiation requires antigen presentation and co-stimulation, and activation of antigen presenting-cells (APCs) to produce TGF-beta, IL-6, IL-1, IL-23 and IL-21. This initial activation results in the activation and up-regulation of STAT3, ROR(gamma)t and other transcriptional factors in CD4+ T cells, which bind to the promoter regions of the IL-17, IL-21 and IL-22 genes and induce IL-17, IL-21 and IL-22. In contrast, the differentiation of Th17 cells and their IL-17 expression are negatively regulated by IL-2, Th2 cytokine IL-4, IL-27 and Th1 cytokine IFN-gamma through STAT5, STAT6 and STAT1 activation, respectively. Retinoid acid and the combination of IL-2 and TGF-beta upregulate Foxp3, which also downregulates cytokines like IL-17 and IL-21. The inhibition of Th17 differentiation may serve as a protective strategy to 'fine-tune' the expression IL-17 so it does not cause excessive inflammation. Thus, balanced differentiation of Th cells is crucial for immunity and host protection.
Human relaxin-2 (relaxin), originally identified as a peptidic hormone of pregnancy, is now known to exert a range of pleiotropic effects including vasodilatory, anti-fibrotic and angiogenic effects in both males and females. It belongs to the so-called relaxin peptide family which includes the insulin-like peptides INSL3 and INSL5, and relaxin-3 (H3) as well as relaxin. INSL3 has clearly defined specialist roles in male and female reproduction, relaxin-3 is primarily a neuropeptide involved in stress and metabolic control, and INSL5 is widely distributed particularly in the gastrointestinal tract. These members of relaxin peptide family exert such effects binding to different kinds of receptors, classified as relaxin family peptide (RXFP) receptors: RXFP1, RXFP2, RXFP3, and RXFP4. These G protein-coupled receptors predominantly bind relaxin, INSL3, relaxin-3, and INSL-5, respectively. RXFP1 activates a wide spectrum of signaling pathways to generate second messengers that include cAMP and nitric oxide, whereas RXFP2 activates a subset of these pathways. Both RXFP3 and RXFP4 inhibit cAMP production, and RXFP3 activate MAP kinases.
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a complex group of compounds produced through the non-enzymatic glycation and oxidation of proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, primarily due to aging and under certain pathologic condition such as huperglycemia. Some of the best chemically characterized AGEs include N-epsilon-carboxy-methyl-lysine (CML), N-epsilon-carboxy-ethyl-lysine (CEL), and Imidazolone. The major receptor for AGEs, known as receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE or AGER), belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily and has been described as a pattern recognition receptor. AGE/RAGE signaling elicits activation of multiple intracellular signal pathways involving NADPH oxidase, protein kinase C, and MAPKs, then resulting in NF-kappaB activity. NF-kappa B promotes the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha and a variety of atherosclerosis-related genes, including VCAM-1, tissue factor, VEGF, and RAGE. In addition, JAK-STAT-mediated and PI3K-Akt-dependent pathways are induced via RAGE, which in turn participate in cell proliferation and apoptosis respectively. Hypoxia-mediated induction of Egr-1 was also shown to require the AGE-RAGE interaction. The results of these signal transductions have been reported to be the possible mechanism that initates diabetic complications.
Trypanosoma cruzi is an intracellular protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease. The parasite life cycle involves hematophagous reduviid bugs as vectors. Once parasites enter the host body, they invade diverse host cells including cardiomyocytes. Establishment of infection depends on various parasite molecules such as cruzipain, oligopeptidase B, and trans-sialidase that activate Ca2+ signaling. Internalized parasites escape from the parasitophorous vacuole using secreted pore-forming TcTOX molecule and replicate in the cytosol. Multiplied parasites eventually lyse infected host cells and are released in the circulation. During these events, the parasites manipulate host innate immunity and elicit cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. T lymphocyte responses are also disturbed.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an enveloped virus and contains a partially double-stranded relaxed circular DNA (RC-DNA) genome. After entry into hepatocytes, HBV RC-DNA is transported to the nucleus and converted into a covalently closed circular molecule cccDNA. The cccDNA is the template for transcription of all viral RNAs including the pregenomic RNA (pgRNA), encoding for 7 viral proteins: large, middle, and small envelope proteins (LHBs, MHBs, and SHBs) that form the surface antigen (HBsAg), the core antigen (HBcAg), the e antigen (HBeAg), the HBV polymerase, and the regulatory protein X (HBx). The pgRNA interacts with the viral polymerase protein to initiate the encapsidation into the core particles. Through endoplasmic reticulum, the core particles finish assembling with the envelope proteins and are released. HBV infection leads to a wide spectrum of liver diseases raging from chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma. The mechanism of liver injury is still not clear. However, HBV proteins target host proteins, involved in a variety of functions, thus regulating transcription, cellular signaling cascades, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.
Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a pathogenic retrovirus that is associated with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL). It is also strongly implicated in non-neoplastic chronic inflammatory diseases such as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Expression of Tax, a viral regulatory protein is critical to the pathogenesis. Tax is a transcriptional co-factor that interfere several signaling pathways related to anti-apoptosis or cell proliferation. The modulation of the signaling by Tax involve its binding to transcription factors like CREB/ATF, NF-kappa B, SRF, and NFAT.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second largest cause of cancer-related deaths in Western countries. CRC arises from the colorectal epithelium as a result of the accumulation of genetic alterations in defined oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes (TSG). Two major mechanisms of genomic instability have been identified in sporadic CRC progression. The first, known as chromosomal instability (CIN), results from a series of genetic changes that involve the activation of oncogenes such as K-ras and inactivation of TSG such as p53, DCC/Smad4, and APC. The second, known as microsatellite instability (MSI), results from inactivation of the DNA mismatch repair genes MLH1 and/or MSH2 by hypermethylation of their promoter, and secondary mutation of genes with coding microsatellites, such as transforming growth factor receptor II (TGF-RII) and BAX. Hereditary syndromes have germline mutations in specific genes (mutation in the tumour suppressor gene APC on chromosome 5q in FAP, mutated DNA mismatch repair genes in HNPCC).
Infiltrating ductal adenocarcinoma is the most common malignancy of the pancreas. When most investigators use the term 'pancreatic cancer' they are referring to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Normal duct epithelium progresses to infiltrating cancer through a series of histologically defined precursors (PanINs). The overexpression of HER-2/neu and activating point mutations in the K-ras gene occur early, inactivation of the p16 gene at an intermediate stage, and the inactivation of p53, SMAD4, and BRCA2 occur relatively late. Activated K-ras engages multiple effector pathways. Although EGF receptors are conventionally regarded as upstream activators of RAS proteins, they can also act as RAS signal transducers via RAS-induced autocrine activation of the EGFR family ligands. Moreover, PDA shows extensive genomic instability and aneuploidy. Telomere attrition and mutations in p53 and BRCA2 are likely to contribute to these phenotypes. Inactivation of the SMAD4 tumour suppressor gene leads to loss of the inhibitory influence of the transforming growth factor-beta signalling pathway.
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder of a pluripotent stem cell. The natural history of CML has a triphasic clinical course comprising of an initial chronic phase (CP), which is characterized by expansion of functionally normal myeloid cells, followed by an accelerated phase (AP) and finally a more aggressive blast phase (BP), with loss of terminal differentiation capacity. On the cellular level, CML is associated with a specific chromosome abnormality, the t(9; 22) reciprocal translocation that forms the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome. The Ph chromosome is the result of a molecular rearrangement between the c-ABL proto-oncogene on chromosome 9 and the BCR (breakpoint cluster region) gene on chromosome 22. The BCR/ABL fusion gene encodes p210 BCR/ABL, an oncoprotein, which, unlike the normal p145 c-Abl, has constitutive tyrosine kinase activity and is predominantly localized in the cytoplasm. While fusion of c-ABL and BCR is believed to be the primary cause of the chronic phase of CML, progression to blast crisis requires other molecular changes. Common secondary abnormalities include mutations in TP53, RB, and p16/INK4A, or overexpression of genes such as EVI1. Additional chromosome translocations are also observed,such as t(3;21)(q26;q22), which generates AML1-EVI1.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major type of primary liver cancer and one of the rare human neoplasms etiologically linked to viral factors. It has been shown that, after HBV/HCV infection and alcohol or aflatoxin B1 exposure, genetic and epigenetic changes occur. The recurrent mutated genes were found to be highly enriched in multiple key driver signaling processes, including telomere maintenance, TP53, cell cycle regulation, the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway (CTNNB1 and AXIN1), the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Recent studies using whole-exome sequencing have revealed recurrent mutations in new driver genes involved in the chromatin remodelling (ARID1A and ARID2) and the oxidative stress (NFE2L2) pathways.
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the world's most common cancers. According to Lauren's histological classification gastric cancer is divided into two distinct histological groups - the intestinal and diffuse types. Several genetic changes have been identified in intestinal-type GC. The intestinal metaplasia is characterized by mutations in p53 gene, reduced expression of retinoic acid receptor beta (RAR-beta) and hTERT expression. Gastric adenomas furthermore display mutations in the APC gene, reduced p27 expression and cyclin E amplification. In addition, amplification and overexpression of c-ErbB2, reduced TGF-beta receptor type I (TGFBRI) expression and complete loss of p27 expression are commonly observed in more advanced GC. The main molecular changes observed in diffuse-type GCs include loss of E-cadherin function by mutations in CDH1 and amplification of MET and FGFR2F.
TGF-beta receptor signaling is downregulated by proteasome and lysosome-mediated degradation of ubiquitinated TGFBR1, SMAD2 and SMAD3, as well as by dephosphorylation of TGFBR1, SMAD2 and SMAD3. In the nucleus, SMAD2/3:SMAD4 complex stimulates transcription of SMAD7, an inhibitory SMAD (I-SMAD). SMAD7 binds phosphorylated TGFBR1 and competes with the binding of SMAD2 and SMAD3 (Hayashi et al. 1997, Nakao et al. 1997). Binding of SMAD7 to TGBR1 can be stabilized by STRAP, a protein that simultaneously binds SMAD7 and TGFBR1 (Datta et al. 2000). BAMBI simultaneously binds SMAD7 and activated TGFBR1, leading to downregulation of TGF-beta receptor complex signaling (Onichtchouk et al. 1999, Yan et al. 2009). In addition to competing with SMAD2/3 binding to TGFBR1, SMAD7 recruits protein phosphatase PP1 to phosphorylated TGFBR1, by binding to the PP1 regulatory subunit PPP1R15A (GADD34). PP1 dephosphorylates TGFBR1, preventing the activation of SMAD2/3 and propagation of TGF-beta signal (Shi et al. 2004). SMAD7 associates with several ubiquitin ligases, SMURF1 (Ebisawa et al. 2001, Suzuki et al. 2002, Tajima et al. 2003, Chong et al. 2010), SMURF2 (Kavsak et al. 2000, Ogunjimi et al. 2005), and NEDD4L (Kuratomi et al. 2005), and recruits them to phosphorylated TGFBR1 within TGFBR complex. SMURF1, SMURF2 and NEDD4L ubiquitinate TGFBR1 (and SMAD7), targeting TGFBR complex for proteasome and lysosome-dependent degradation (Ebisawa et al. 2001, Kavsak et al. 2000, Kuratomi et al. 2005). The ubiquitination of TGFBR1 can be reversed by deubiquitinating enzymes, UCHL5 (UCH37) and USP15, which may be recruited to ubiquitinated TGFBR1 by SMAD7 (Wicks et al. 2005, Eichhorn et al. 2012). Basal levels of SMAD2 and SMAD3 are maintained by SMURF2 and STUB1 ubiquitin ligases. SMURF2 is able to bind and ubiquitinate SMAD2, leading to SMAD2 degradation (Zhang et al. 2001), but this has been questioned by a recent study of Smurf2 knockout mice (Tang et al. 2011). STUB1 (CHIP) binds and ubiquitinates SMAD3, leading to SMAD3 degradation (Li et al. 2004, Xin et al. 2005). PMEPA1 can bind and sequester unphosphorylated SMAD2 and SMAD3, preventing their activation in response to TGF-beta signaling. In addition, PMEPA1 can bind and sequester phosphorylated SMAD2 and SMAD3, preventing formation of SMAD2/3:SMAD4 heterotrimer complexes (Watanabe et al. 2010). A protein phosphatase MTMR4, residing in the membrane of early endosomes, can dephosphorylate activated SMAD2 and SMAD3, preventing formation of SMAD2/3:SMAD4 complexes (Yu et al. 2010)
Binding of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1, i.e. TGFB1) to TGF beta receptor type 2 (TGFBR2) activates TGF beta receptor signaling cascade. TGFB1 is posttranslationally processed by furin (Dubois et al. 1995) to form a homodimer and secreted to the extracellular space as part of the large latent complex (LLC). After the LLC disassembles in the extracellular space, dimeric TGFB1 becomes capable of binding to TGFBR2 (Annes et al. 2003, Keski Oja et al. 2004). Formation of TGFB1:TGFBR2 complex creates a binding pocket for TGF-beta receptor type-1 (TGFBR1) and TGFBR1 is recruited to the complex by binding to both TGFB1 and TGFBR2. This results in an active heterotetrameric TGF-beta receptor complex that consists of TGFB1 homodimer bound to two heterodimers of TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 (Wrana et al. 1992, Moustakas et al. 1993, Franzen et al. 1993). TGF-beta signaling can also occur through a single heterodimer of TGFBR1 and TGFBR2, although with decreased efficiency (Huang et al. 2011). TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 interact through their extracellular domains, which brings their cytoplasmic domains together. Ligand binding to extracellular receptor domains is cooperative, but no conformational change is seen from crystal structures of either TGFB1- or TGFB3-bound heterotetrameric receptor complexes (Groppe et al. 2008, Radaev et al. 2010).Activation of TGFBR1 by TGFBR2 in the absence of ligand is prevented by FKBP1A (FKBP12), a peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase. FKBP1A forms a complex with inactive TGFBR1 and dissociates from it only after TGFBR1 is recruited by TGFB1-bound TGFBR2 (Chen et al. 1997). Both TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 are receptor serine/threonine kinases. Formation of the hetero-tetrameric TGF-beta receptor complex (TGFBR) in response to TGFB1 binding induces receptor rotation, so that TGFBR2 and TGFBR1 cytoplasmic kinase domains face each other in a catalytically favourable configuration. TGFBR2 trans-phosphorylates serine residues at the conserved Gly-Ser-rich juxtapositioned domain (GS domain) of TGFBR1 (Wrana et al. 1994, Souchelnytskyi et al. 1996), activating TGFBR1.In addition to phosphorylation, TGFBR1 may also be sumoylated in response to TGF-beta stimulation. Sumoylation enhances TGFBR1 kinase activity (Kang et al. 2008). The activated TGFBR complex is internalized by clathrin-mediated endocytosis into early endosomes. With the assistance of SARA, an early endosome membrane protein, phosphorylated TGFBR1 within TGFBR complex recruits SMAD2 and/or SMAD3 , i.e. R-SMADs (Tsukazaki et al. 1998). TGFBR1 phosphorylates recruited SMAD2/3 on two C-terminal serine residues (Souchelnytskyi et al. 2001). The phosphorylation changes the conformation of SMAD2/3 MH2 domain, promoting dissociation of SMAD2/3 from SARA and TGFBR1 (Souchelnytskyi et al. 1997, Macias-Silva et al. 1996, Nakao et al. 1997) and formation of SMAD2/3 trimers (Chacko et al. 2004). The phosphorylated C-terminal tail of SMAD2/3 has high affinity for SMAD4 (Co-SMAD), inducing formation of SMAD2/3:SMAD4 heterotrimers, composed of two phosphorylated R-SMADs (SMAD2 and/or SMAD3) and SMAD4 (Co-SMAD). SMAD2/3:SMAD4 heterotrimers are energetically favored over R-SMAD trimers (Nakao et al. 1997, Qin et al. 2001, Kawabata et al. 1998, Chacko et al. 2004). SMAD2/3:SMAD4 heterotrimers translocate to the nucleus where they act as transcriptional regulators
In normal cells and in the early stages of cancer development, signaling by TGF-beta plays a tumor suppressive role, as SMAD2/3:SMAD4-mediated transcription inhibits cell division by downregulating MYC oncogene transcription and stimulating transcription of CDKN2B tumor suppressor gene. In advanced cancers however, TGF-beta signaling promotes metastasis by stimulating epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). TGFBR1 is recruited to tight junctions by binding PARD6A, a component of tight junctions. After TGF-beta stimulation, activated TGFBR2 binds TGFBR1 at tight junctions, and phosphorylates both TGFBR1 and PARD6A. Phosphorylated PARD6A recruits SMURF1 to tight junctions. SMURF1 is able to ubiquitinate RHOA, a component of tight junctions needed for tight junction maintenance, leading to disassembly of tight junctions, an important step in EMT (Wang et al. 2003, Ozdamar et al. 2005)
The conserved phosphorylation motif Ser-Ser-X-Ser at the C-terminus of SMAD2 and SMAD3 is subject to disruptive mutations in cancer. The last two serine residues in this conserved motif, namely Ser465 and Ser467 in SMAD2 and Ser423 and Ser425 in SMAD3, are phosphorylated by the activated TGF beta receptor complex (Macias Silva et al. 1996, Nakao et al. 1997). Once phosphorylated, SMAD2 and SMAD3 form transcriptionally active heterotrimers with SMAD4 (Chacko et al. 2001, Chacko et al. 2004). Phosphorylation motif mutants of SMAD2 and SMAD3 cannot be activated by the TGF-beta receptor complex either because serine residues are substituted with amino acid residues that cannot be phosphorylated or because the phosphorylation motif is deleted from the protein sequence or truncated (Fleming et al. 2013)
Mutations in the MH2 domain of SMAD2 and SMAD3 affect their ability to form heterotrimers with SMAD4, thereby impairing TGF-beta signaling (Fleming et al. 2013).The SMAD2 and SMAD3 MH2 domain residues most frequently targeted by missense mutations are those that are homologous to SMAD4 MH2 domain residues shown to be involved in the formation of SMAD heterotrimers. Asp300 of SMAD2 and Asp258 of SMAD3 correspond to the frequently mutated Asp351 of SMAD4. Pro305 of SMAD2 corresponds to the frequently mutated Pro356 of SMAD4, while Ala354 of SMAD2 corresponds to Ala406 of SMAD4. Arg268 of SMAD3 corresponds to the frequently mutated Arg361 of SMAD4. SMAD2 and SMAD3 MH2 domain mutations have been examined in most detail in colorectal cancer (Fleming et al. 2013)
Missense mutations in the kinase domain (KD) of TGF-beta receptor II (TGFBR2) are found in ~20% of microsatellite stable (MSS) colon cancers and make affected tumors resistant to TGF-beta (TGFB1)-mediated growth inhibition (Grady et al. 1999). While both alleles of TGFBR2 are affected by inactivating mutations in MSS colorectal cancer (Grady et al. 1999), a study of MSS esophageal carcinoma indicates that TGFBR2 KD mutations may function in a dominant-negative way (Tanaka et al. 2000). KD mutations in TGFBR2 are rarely reported in microsatellite instable (MSI) colorectal cancer (Parsons et al. 1995, Takenoshita et al. 1997)
Mutations in the kinase domain (KD) of TGF-beta receptor 1 (TGFBR1) have been found in Ferguson-Smith tumor i.e. multiple self-healing squamous epithelioma - MSSE (Goudie et al. 2011), breast cancer (Chen et al. 1998), ovarian cancer (Chen et al. 2001) and head-and-neck cancer (Chen et al. 2001). KD mutations reported in MSSE are nonsense and frameshift mutations that cause premature termination of TGFBR1 translation, resulting in truncated receptors that lack substantial portions of the kinase domain, or cause nonsense-mediated decay of mutant transcripts. A splice site KD mutation c.806-2A>C is predicted to result in the skipping of exon 5 and the absence of KD amino acid residues 269-324 from the mutant receptor. The splice site mutant is expressed at the cell surface but unresponsive to TGF-beta stimulation (Goudie et al. 2004).TGFBR1 KD mutations reported in breast, ovarian and head-and-neck cancer are missense mutations, and it appears that these mutant proteins are partially functional but that their catalytic activity or protein stability is decreased (Chen et al. 1998, Chen et al. 2001a and b). These mutants are not shown
Mutations in the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of TGF-beta receptor 1 (TGFBR1) have been reported as germline mutations in Ferguson-Smith tumor (multiple self-healing squamous epithelioma - MSSE), an autosomal-dominant skin cancer condition (Ferguson-Smith et al. 1934, Ferguson-Smith et al. 1971), with tumors frequently showing loss of heterozygosity of the wild-type TGFBR1 allele (Goudie et al. 2011). Somatic mutations in the LBD of TGFBR1 have been reported in esophageal carcinoma (Dulak et al. 2013)
DUBs of the Ub C-terminal Hydrolase (UCH) family are thiol proteases that have an N-terminal catalytic domain sometimes followed by C-terminal extensions that mediate protein-protein interactions. Humans have four UCH DUBs (UCH-L1, UCH-L3, UCH37/UCH-L5, and BAP1) that can be divided into the smaller UCH DUBs (UCH-L1 and UCH-L3), which cleave small leaving groups from the C-terminus of ubiquitin (Larsen et al. 1998), and the larger UCH DUBs (UCH37 and BAP1), which can disassemble poly-Ub chains (Misaghi et al. 2009, Lam et al. 1997)
Ub-specific processing proteases (USPs) are the largest of the DUB families with more than 50 members in humans. The USP catalytic domain varies considerably in size and consists of six conserved motifs with N- or C-terminal extensions and insertions occurring between the conserved motifs (Ye et al. 2009). Two highly conserved regions comprise the catalytic triad, the Cys-box (Cys) and His-box (His and Asp/Asn) (Nijman et al. 2005, Ye et al. 2009, Reyes-Turcu & Wilkinson 2009). They recognize their substrates by interactions of the variable regions with the substrate protein directly, or via scaffolds or adapters in multiprotein complexes
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