Neddylation inhibition activates the protective autophagy through NF-κB-catalase-ATF3 Axis in human esophageal cancer cells

Abstract Background Protein neddylation plays a tumor-promoting role in esophageal cancer. Our previous study demonstrated that neddylation inhibition induced the accumulation of ATF4 to promote apoptosis in esophageal cancer cells. However, it is completely unknown whether neddylation inhibition could induce autophagy in esophageal cancer cells and affect the expression of other members of ATF/CREB subfamily, such as ATF3. Methods The expression of relevant proteins of NF-κB/Catalase/ATF3 pathway after neddylation inhibition was determined by immunoblotting analysis and downregulated by siRNA silencing for mechanistic studies. ROS generation upon MLN4924 treatment was determined by H2-DCFDA staining. The proliferation inhibition induced by MLN4924 was evaluated by ATPLite assay and apoptosis was evaluated by Annexin V /PI double staining. Results For the first time, we reported that MLN4924, a specific inhibitor of Nedd8-activating enzyme, promoted the expression of ATF3 to induce autophagy in esophageal cancer. Mechanistically, MLN4924 inhibited the activity of CRLs and induced the accumulation of its substrate IκBα to block NF-κB activation and Catalase expression. As a result, MLN4924 activated ATF3-induced protective autophagy, thereby inhibiting MLN4924-induced apoptosis, which could be alleviated by ATF3 silencing. Conclusions In our study, we elucidates a novel mechanism of NF-κB/Catalase/ATF3 pathway in MLN4924-induced protective autophagy in esophageal cancer cells, which provides a sound rationale and molecular basis for combinational anti-ESCC therapy with knockdown ATF3 and neddylation inhibitor (e.g. MLN4924). Video abstract Graphical abstract