Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (Brd4) and hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA) inducible protein 1 (HEXIM1) are two opposing regulators of the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb), which is the master modulator of RNA polymerase II during transcriptional elongation. While Brd4 recruits P-TEFb to promoter-proximal chromatins to activate transcription, HEXIM1 sequesters P-TEFb into an inactive complex containing the 7SK small nuclear RNA. Besides regulating P-TEFb's transcriptional activity, recent evidence demonstrates that both Brd4 and HEXIM1 also play novel roles in cell cycle progression and tumorigenesis. Here we will discuss the current knowledge on Brd4 and HEXIM1 and their implication as novel therapeutic options against cancer.

Background:To investigate the involvement of HEXIM1 in the p53 signaling pathway, we examine the functional connection between HEXIM1 and p53. Results: HEXIM1 directly interacts with p53 and enhances the protein stability of p53. Conclusion: HEXIM1 is a novel regulator of p53. Significance: Our results reveal a new function of HEXIM1 in regulating the protein stability and induction of p53.

Hexamethylene bis-acetamide inducible protein 1 (HEXIM1) is an inhibitor of the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb), which controls RNA polymerase II transcription and human immunodeficiency virus Tat transactivation. In cells, more than half of P-TEFb is associated with HEXIM1 resulting in the inactivation of P-TEFb. Recently, we found that nucleophosmin (NPM), a key factor involved in p53 signaling pathway, interacts with HEXIM1 and activates P-TEFb-dependent transcription. Here we report that human double minute-2 protein (HDM2), a p53-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase, specifically ubiquitinates HEXIM1 through the lysine residues located within the basic region of HEXIM1. However, the HDM2-induced HEXIM1 ubiquitination does not lead to proteasome-mediated protein degradation. Fusion of ubiquitin to HEXIM1 demonstrates stronger inhibition on P-TEFb-dependent transcription. Our results demonstrate that HDM2 functions as a specific E3 ubiquitin ligase for HEXIM1, suggesting a possible role for HEXIM1 ubiquitination in the regulation of P-TEFb activity.

X-box binding protein 1 (XBP-1) is a key regulator required for cellular unfolded protein response (UPR) and plasma cell differentiation. In addition, involvement of XBP-1 in host cell–virus interaction and transcriptional regulation of viruses, such as human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), has been revealed recently. Two XBP-1 isoforms, XBP-1U and XBP-1S, which share an identical N-terminal domain, are present in cells. XBP-1S is a transcription activator while XBP-1U is the inactive isoform. Although the transactivation domain of XBP-1S has been identified within the XBP-1S-specific C-terminus, molecular mechanism of the transcriptional activation by XBP-1S still remains unknown. Here we report the interaction between p300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF) and XBP-1S through the C-terminal domain of XBP-1S. No binding between XBP-1U and PCAF is detected. In a cell-based reporter assay, overexpression of PCAF further stimulates the XBP-1S-mediated cellular and HTLV-1 transcription while knockdown of PCAF exhibits the opposite effect. Expression of endogenous XBP-1S cellular target genes, such as BiP and CHOP, is significantly inhibited when PCAF is knocked down. Furthermore, PCAF is recruited to the promoters of XBP-1S target genes in vivo, in a XBP-1S-dependent manner. Collectively, our results demonstrate that PCAF mediates the XBP-1S-dependent transcription through the interaction with XBP-1S.