Transcriptional activation of p62/A170/ZIP during the formation of the aggregates: possible mechanisms and the role in Lewy body formation in Parkinson's disease.

Formation of intracellular inclusion bodies due to defects in the protein degradation machinery is associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Sequestosomal protein p62/A170/ZIP, which is an oxidative stress-related protein and a ubiquitin-binding protein, is a component protein of Lewy bodies that are observed in patients with Parkinson's disease. The association of p62 with poly-ubiquitinated proteins may be an important step in the formation of intracellular protein aggregates like Lewy bodies. To study the role of p62 in the formation of protein aggregates in PC12 cells, we monitored the intracellular localizations of p62 and ubiquitinated proteins and the levels of both components during treatment with MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. In the early stage of aggregate formation, p62 did not always co-localize with ubiquitin. In contrast, these proteins were always co-localized in later stages. After the treatment of the cells with MG132, we found that the expression level of p62 increased due to the transcriptional activation of the gene and that higher molecular sizes of p62, corresponding to mono- and di-ubiquitinated formes, were also formed. Both the transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D and an antisense oligonucleotide of p62 inhibited the MG132-mediated increase of p62, the sequestration of ubiquitinated proteins, and the enlargement of the aggregates. Furthermore, p62-positive aggregates were observed primarily in surviving cells. Together, these results suggest that p62 plays an important role in the protection of cells from the toxicity of misfolded proteins by enhancing aggregate formation especially in the later stages. Copyright 2004 Elsevier B.V.