Expression of mouse Fbxw7 isoforms is regulated in a cell cycle- or p53-dependent manner

Fbxw7 is the F-box protein component of an SCF-type ubiquitin ligase that contributes to the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of cell cycle activators and oncoproteins. Three isoforms (α, β, and γ) of Fbxw7 are produced from mRNAs with distinct 5′ exons. We have now investigated regulation of Fbxw7 expression in mouse tissues. Fbxw7α mRNA was present in all tissues examined, whereas Fbxw7β mRNA was detected only in brain and testis, and Fbxw7γ mRNA in heart and skeletal muscle. The amount of Fbxw7α mRNA was high during quiescence (G0 phase) in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and T cells, but it decreased markedly as these cells entered the cell cycle. The abundance of Fbxw7α mRNA was unaffected by cell irradiation or p53 status. In contrast, X-irradiation increased the amount of Fbxw7β mRNA in wild-type MEFs but not in those from p53-deficient mice, suggesting that radiation-induced up-regulation of p53 leads to production of Fbxw7β mRNA. Our results thus indicate that expression of Fbxw7 isoforms is differentially regulated in a cell cycle- or p53-dependent manner.