Prolactin (PRL)-stimulated ubiquitination of ZnT2 mediates a transient increase in zinc secretion followed by ZnT2 degradation in mammary epithelial cells

Young Ah Seo, Sooyeon Lee, Stephen R. Hennigar, Shannon L. Kelleher

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

The zinc transporter ZnT2 imports zinc into secretory vesicles and regulates zinc export from the mammary epithelial cell. Mutations in ZnT2 substantially impair zinc secretion into milk. The lactogenic hormone prolactin (PRL) transcriptionally increases ZnT2 expression through the Jak2/STAT5 signaling pathway, increasing zinc accumulation in secretory vesicles and zinc secretion. Herein, we report that PRL post-translationally stimulated ZnT2 ubiquitination, which altered ZnT2 trafficking and augmented vesicular zinc accumulation and secretion from mammary epithelial cells in a transient manner. Ubiquitination then down-regulated zinc secretion by stimulating degradation of ZnT2. Mutagenesis of two N-terminal lysine residues (K4R and K6R) inhibited ZnT2 ubiquitination, vesicular zinc accumulation and secretion, and protein degradation. These findings establish that PRL post-translationally regulates ZnT2-mediated zinc secretion in a multifactorial manner, first by enhancing zinc accumulation in vesicles to transiently enhance zinc secretion and then by activating ubiquitin-dependentZnT2 degradation. This provides insight into novel mechanisms through which ZnT2 and zinc transport is tightly regulated in mammary epithelial cells.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)23653-23661
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry
Volume289
Issue number34
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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