CUL7 promotes cancer cell survival through promoting Caspase-8 ubiquitination.

The Cullin 7 (CUL7) gene encodes a member of the cullin family of E3 ubiquitin ligases. Accumulated evidence suggests that CUL7 is oncogenic. However, the mechanism by which CUL7 improves cancer cell survival has not been fully elucidated. Here, we reported that CUL7 confers anti-apoptotic functions by interacting with Caspase-8. CUL7 prevents Caspase-8 activation by promoting Caspase-8 modification with non-degradative polyubiquitin chains at K215. CUL7 knockdown sensitized cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in vitro and in nude mice. These results suggest that CUL7 limits extrinsic apoptotic signaling by promoting Caspase-8 ubiquitination.