Sign up for Table of Contents Alerts.

Email this page

Print this page

Perspectives

Hsp90 and the Fanconi Anemia Pathway: A Molecular Link Between Protein Quality Control and the DNA Damage Response

Takayuki Yamashita, Tsukasa Oda and Takayuki Sekimoto

Purchase article for $19

Subscribe to this journal for $129/year

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is a molecular chaperone that plays an essential role in cell growth and survival. The chaperone exerts these functions by regulating key signaling proteins involved in cell growth/survival and protecting cells from proteotoxic stress. Importantly, Hsp90 inhibitors including geldanamycin analogues show anti-tumor effects. We recently found that Hsp90 promotes stabilization and nuclear localization of the Fanconi anemia (FA) protein FANCA, which is required for activation of the FA pathway. The FA pathway is a multiprotein biochemical pathway involved in genotoxic signaling, defects in which cause genomic instability, hematopoietic stem cell failure and tumor development. Inhibition of Hsp90 impairs the intracellular homeostasis of FANCA, resulting in disruption of the FA pathway. These findings have important implications for rational cancer chemotherapy using Hsp90 inhibitors. We also discuss the possible functions of Hsp90 in FA pathophysiology and stem cell/cancer biology. Based on our findings and other data, we propose that Hsp90 functions as “a guardian of the genome” through the control of DNA repair proteins.

Authors

Takayuki Yamashita

Gunma University; Maebashi, Gunma, Japan

Tsukasa Oda

Gunma University; Maebashi, Gunma, Japan

Takayuki Sekimoto

Gunma University; Maebashi, Gunma, Japan

Purchase article for $19

Subscribe to this journal for $129/year