[HMGB Proteins as DNA Chaperones That Modulate Chromatin Activity].

HMGB proteins are involved in structural rearrangements caused by regulatory chromatin remodeling factors. Particular interest is attracted to a DNA chaperone mechanism, suggesting that the HMGB proteins introduce bends into the double helix, thus rendering DNA accessible to effector proteins and facilitating their activity. The review discusses the role that the HMBG proteins play in key intranuclear processes, including assembly of the preinitiation complex during transcription of ribosomal genes; transcription by RNA polymerases I, II, and III; recruitment of the SWI/SNF complex during transcription of nonribosomal genes; DNA repair; etc. The functions of the HMGB proteins are considered in detail with the examples of yeast HMO1 and NHP6. The two proteins possess unique features in adition to properties characteristic of the HMGB proteins. Thus, NHP6 stimulates a large-scale ATP-independent unwrapping of nucleosomal DNA by the FACT complex, while in its absence FACT stabilizes the nucleosome. HMO1 acts as an alternative linker histone. Both HMO1 and NHP6 are of applied interest primarly because they are homologs of human HMGB1, an important therapeutic target of anticancer and anti-inflammatory treatments.

[Inhibiting the pro-tumor and transcription factor FACT: Mechanisms].

Conventional antitumor therapy is often complicated by the emergence of the so-called cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are characterized by low metabolic rates and high resistance to almost all existing therapies. Many problems of clinical oncology and a poor efficacy of current treatments in particular are ascribed to CSCs. Therefore, it is important to develop new compounds capable of eliminating both rapidly proliferating tumor cells and standard treatment-resistant CSCs. Curaxins have been demonstrated to manifest various types of antitumor activity. Curaxins simultaneously affect at least three key molecular cascades involved in tumor development, including the p53, NF-κB, and HSF1 metabolic pathways. In addition, studies of some curaxins indicate that they can inhibit the transcriptional induction of the genes for matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 8 (MMP1 and MMP8); the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling cascades; cIAP-1 (apoptosis protein 1) inhibitor activity; topoisomerase II; and a number of oncogenes, such as c-MYC and others. In vivo experiments have shown that the CSC population increases on gemcitabine monotherapy and is reduced on treatment with curaxin CBL0137. The data support the prospective use of FACT inhibitors as new anticancer drugs with multiple effects on cell metabolism.

[PHF10 isoforms are phosphorylated in the PBAF mammalian chromatin remodeling complex].

Chromatin remodeling complex PBAF(SWI/SNF) alters the structure of chromatin and controls gene expression. PHF10 is a specific subunit of PBAF complex and is expressed as four isoforms in mammalian cells. We demonstrated that all isoforms are expressed in various human cell types of different histological origins. All four isoforms are extensively phosphorylated and their phosphorylation level is depended on the cell type. Phosphorylation of PHF10 isoforms occurs while they are incorporated as a subunit of the PBAF complex, and therefore phosphorylation of PHF10 isoforms may play an essential role in regulation of PBAF complex's function and mechanism of action.

[Structure and function of histone chaperone FACT].

FACT is heterodimer protein complex and histone chaperone that plays an important role in maintaining and modifying chromatin structure during various DNA-dependent processes. FACT is involved in nucleosome assembly de novo and in the preservation and recovery of the nucleosome structure during and after transcription, replication and repair of DNA. During transcript elongation FACT reduces the height of the nucleosome barrier and supports survival of the nucleosomes during and after passage of RNA polymerase II. In this process FACT interacts with histone H2A-H2B dimer in nucleosomes, thus facilitating uncoiling of nucleosomal DNA from the octamer of histones; it also facilitates subsequent recovery of the canonical structure of the nucleosome after transcription. FACT also plays an important role in transformation of human cells and in maintaining the viability of the tumor cells.