The FYVE domain of Smad Anchor for Receptor Activation (SARA) is required to prevent skin carcinogenesis, but not in mouse development

PLoS One. 2014 Aug 29;9(8):e105299. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105299. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Smad Anchor for Receptor Activation (SARA) has been reported as a critical role in TGF-β signal transduction by recruiting non-activated Smad2/3 to the TGF-β receptor and ensuring appropriate subcellular localization of the activated receptor-bound complex. However, controversies still exist in previous reports. In this study, we describe the expression of two SARA isoforms, SARA1 and SARA2, in mice and report the generation and characterization of SARA mutant mice with FYVE domain deletion. SARA mutant mice developed normally and showed no gross abnormalities. Further examination showed that the TGF-β signaling pathway was indeed altered in SARA mutant mice, with the downregulation of Smad2 protein expression. The decreasing expression of Smad2 was caused by enhancing Smurf2-mediated proteasome degradation pathway. However, the internalization of TGF-β receptors into the early endosome was not affected in SARA mutant mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Moreover, the downregulation of Smad2 in SARA mutant MEFs was not sufficient to disrupt the diverse cellular biological functions of TGF-β signaling, including growth inhibition, apoptosis, senescence, and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Our results indicate that SARA is not involved in the activation process of TGF-β signal transduction. Using a two-stage skin chemical carcinogenesis assay, we found that the loss of SARA promoted skin tumor formation and malignant progression. Our data suggest a protective role of SARA in skin carcinogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinogenesis / genetics*
  • Carcinogenesis / metabolism
  • Carcinogenesis / pathology
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics*
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Female
  • GTP-Binding Proteins
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Protein Isoforms / chemistry
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Signal Transduction
  • Skin / metabolism
  • Skin / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Skin Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology
  • Smad2 Protein / metabolism
  • Smad3 Protein / metabolism
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Protein Isoforms
  • SARA protein, mouse
  • Smad2 Protein
  • Smad3 Protein
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • GTP-Binding Proteins

Grants and funding

This research was supported by Academia Sinica (http://www.ibms.sinica.edu.tw/index.php) and a grant (NSC-96-2311-B-001-027-MY3) from the National Science Council (http://web1.nsc.gov.tw/) in Taiwan. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.