Phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) is involved in the cell signal transduction, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. The mechanism of its action, however, has not been fully understood, particularly, the role of PC-PLC in the cell cycle. In the present study, we found that cell division cycle 20 homolog (Cdc20) and PC-PLC were co-immunoprecipitated reciprocally by either antibody in rat hepatoma cells CBRH-7919 as well as in rat liver tissue. Using confocal microscopy, we found that PC-PLC and Cdc20 were co-localized in the perinuclear endoplasmic reticulum region (the "juxtanuclear quality control" compartment, JUNQ). The expression level and activities of PC-PLC changed in a cell-cycle-dependent manner and were inversely correlated with the expression of Cdc20. Intriguingly, Cdc20 overexpression altered the subcellular localization and distribution of PC-PLC, and caused PC-PLC degradation by the ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP). Taken together, our data indicate that PC-PLC regulation in cell cycles is controlled by APC/C(Cdc20)-mediated UPP.
2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.