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Epigenetic inactivation of the Hippo pathway scaffold RASSF1A is associated with poor prognosis in a wide range of sporadic human cancers. Loss of expression reduces tumor suppressor activity and promotes genomic instability, but how this pleiotropic biomarker is regulated at the protein level is unknown. Here we show that TGF-β is the physiological signal that stimulates RASSF1A degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. In response to TGF-β, RASSF1A is recruited to TGF-β receptor I and targeted for degradation by the co-recruited E3 ubiquitin ligase ITCH. RASSF1A degradation is necessary to permit Hippo pathway effector YAP1 association with SMADs and subsequent nuclear translocation of receptor-activated SMAD2. We find that RASSF1A expression regulates TGF-β-induced YAP1/SMAD2 interaction and leads to SMAD2 cytoplasmic retention and inefficient transcription of TGF-β targets genes. Moreover, RASSF1A limits TGF-β induced invasion, offering a new framework on how RASSF1A affects YAP1 transcriptional output and elicits its tumor-suppressive function.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.molcel.2016.05.012

Type

Journal article

Journal

Mol Cell

Publication Date

07/07/2016

Volume

63

Pages

156 - 166

Keywords

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus, Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing, Breast Neoplasms, Cell Line, Tumor, Cell Membrane, Cell Movement, DNA Methylation, Epigenesis, Genetic, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Humans, Lung Neoplasms, Neoplasm Invasiveness, Phosphoproteins, Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases, Proteolysis, RNA Interference, Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I, Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta, Repressor Proteins, Signal Transduction, Smad2 Protein, Transcription, Genetic, Transfection, Transforming Growth Factor beta1, Tumor Suppressor Proteins, Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases