Association of LETM1 and MRPL36 Contributes to the Regulation of Mitochondrial ATP Production and Necrotic Cell Death

作者:Piao Longzhen; Li Yuwen; Kim Soung Jung; Byun Hee Sun; Huang Song Mei; Hwang Soon Kyung; Yang Keum Jin; Park Kyeong Ah; Won Minho; Hong Janghee; Hur Gang Min; Seok Jeong Ho; Shong Minho; Cho Myung Haing; Brazil Derek P; Hemmings Brian A; Park Jongsun*
来源:Cancer Research, 2009, 69(8): 3397-3404.
DOI:10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-08-3235

摘要

Leucine zipper/EF hand-containing transmembrane-1 (LETM1) is a mitochondrial inner membrane protein that was first identified in Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, and was deleted in nearly all patients with the syndrome. LETM1 encodes for the human homologue of yeast Mdm38p, which is a mitochondria-shaping protein of unclear function. Here, we describe LETM1-mediated regulation of mitochondrial ATP production and biogenesis. We show that LETM1 overexpression can induce necrotic cell death in HeLa cells, in which LETM1 reduces mitochondria) biogenesis and ATP production. LETM1 acts as an anchor protein and associates with mitochondrial ribosome protein L36. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of LETM1 reduced mitochondrial mass and expression of many mitochondrial proteins. LETM1-mediated inhibition of mitochondrial biogenesis enhanced glycolytic ATP supply and activated protein kinase B activity and cell survival signaling. The expression levels of LETM1 were significantly increased in multiple human cancer tissues compared with normals. These data suggest that LETM1 serves as an anchor protein for complex formation with the mitochondrial ribosome and regulates mitochondrial biogenesis. The increased expression of LETM1 in human cancer suggests that deregulation of LETM1 is a key feature of tumorigenesis. [Cancer Res 2009;69(8):3397-404]