RNF170 protein, an endoplasmic reticulum membrane ubiquitin ligase, mediates inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor ubiquitination and degradation.

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)) receptors are endoplasmic reticulum membrane calcium channels that, upon activation, are degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. While searching for novel mediators of IP(3) receptor processing, we discovered that RNF170, an uncharacterized RING domain-containing protein, associates rapidly with activated IP(3) receptors. RNF170 is predicted to have three membrane-spanning helices, is localized to the ER membrane, and possesses ubiquitin ligase activity. Depletion of endogenous RNF170 by RNA interference inhibited stimulus-induced IP(3) receptor ubiquitination, and degradation and overexpression of a catalytically inactive RNF170 mutant suppressed stimulus-induced IP(3) receptor processing. A substantial proportion of RNF170 is constitutively associated with the erlin1/2 (SPFH1/2) complex, which has been shown previously to bind to IP(3) receptors immediately after their activation. Depletion of RNF170 did not affect the binding of the erlin1/2 complex to stimulated IP(3) receptors, whereas erlin1/2 complex depletion inhibited RNF170 binding. These results suggest a model in which the erlin1/2 complex recruits RNF170 to activated IP(3) receptors where it mediates IP(3) receptor ubiquitination. Thus, RNF170 plays an essential role in IP(3) receptor processing via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.