Endoplasmic reticulum chaperone GRP78 suppresses the aggregation of proteins containing expanded polyglutamine tract

Polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases are inherited neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the aggregation of proteins containing expanded polyQ tract. It has been shown that expanded polyQ tract-containing proteins impair the functions of other cellular proteins. However, quantitative changes of cellular proteins in cells expressing expanded polyQ tract-containing proteins have not been performed. Here, we performed proteomic analysis of cells expressing expanded polyQ tract-containing proteins, and showed that GRP78, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone, was significantly decreased in the cells expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein with a pathological-length polyQ tract (EGFP–polyQ97), but not with a non-pathological-length polyQ tract (EGFP–polyQ24). In addition, we revealed that down-regulation of GRP78 expression resulted in increase of the aggregation of EGFP–polyQ97. Conversely, the aggregation of EGFP–polyQ97 was suppressed by the overexpression of GRP78 in the cells. Furthermore, it seemed that the decreased GRP78 expression in the cells expressing EGFP–polyQ97 was due to the enhanced protein degradation of GRP78 through the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. These findings indicated that GRP78, which has an inhibitory effect on the aggregation of proteins containing expanded polyQ tract, may be an effective target for the treatment of polyQ diseases.

► GRP78 was decreased in the cells expressing expanded polyQ tract-containing proteins.
► It is due to the enhanced GRP78 degradation through the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway.
► Down-regulated GRP78 expression resulted in increased aggregation of polyQ tract.
► Conversely, the protein aggregation was suppressed by the overexpression of GRP78.
► GRP78 may be an effective target for the treatment of polyQ diseases.