Mitochondrial accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins and differential regulation of apoptosis by polyubiquitination sites Lys‐48 and ‐63

Proteins tagged with lysine (Lys, K) 48 polyubiquitins chains are destined for degradation by the 26S proteasomal system. Impairment of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) function culminates in the accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins in many neurodegenerative conditions including Parkinson’s disease (PD). Nevertheless, the cellular mechanisms underlying cell death induced by an impaired UPS are still not clear. Intriguingly, recent studies indicate that several proteins associated with familial PD are capable of promoting the assembly of Lys‐63 polyubiquitin chains. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the role of K48 and K63 ubiquitination in mitochondria‐mediated apoptosis in in vitro models of dopaminergic degeneration. Exposure of the widely used proteasome inhibitor MG‐132 to dopaminergic neuronal cell line (N27) induced a rapid accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins in the mitochondria. This appears to result in the preferential association of ubiquitin conjugates in the outer membrane and polyubiquitination of outer membrane proteins. Interestingly, the ubiquitin K48R mutant effectively rescued cells from MG‐132‐induced mitochondrial apoptosis without altering the antioxidant status of cells; whereas the ubiqutin K63R mutant augmented the proapoptotic effect of MG‐132. Herein, we report a novel conclusion that polyubiquitinated proteins, otherwise subjected to proteasomal degradation, preferentially accumulate in the mitochondria during proteolytic stress; and that polyubiquitination of Lys‐48 and Lys‐63 are key determinants of mitochondria‐mediated cell death during proteasomal dysfunction. Together, these findings yield novel insights into a crosstalk between the UPS and mitochondria in dopaminergic neuronal cells.