Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 protects cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator from early stages of proteasomal degradation

ΔF508 cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) degradation involves ubiquitin modification and efficient proteasomal targeting of the nascent misfolded protein. We show that a deubiquitinating enzyme, ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1), is highly expressed in cystic fibrosis (CF) airway epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo. We hypothesized that the elevation in UCH-L1 in CF cells represents a cellular adaptation to counterbalance excessive proteasomal degradation. The bronchial epithelial cell lines IB3-1 (CF, high UCH-L1 expression) and S9 (non-CF, low UCH-L1 expression) were transiently transfected with wild type (WT) or ΔF508 CFTR, WTUCH-L1 or small interfering RNA-UCH-L1, and a variety of ubiquitin mutants. We observed a positive correlation between UCH-L1 expression and steady state levels of WT- or ΔF508-CFTR, and this stabilizing effect was confined to the early stages of CFTR synthesis. Immunolocalization of UCH-L1 by confocal microscopy revealed a partial co-localization with a ribosomal subunit and the endoplasmic reticulum. The UCH-L1-associated increase in CFTR levels was correlated with an increase in ubiquitinated CFTR (CFTR-Ub). Co-transfection with mutant ubiquitins and treatment with proteasome inhibitors suggested that UCH-L1 was reducing the proteasomal targeting of CFTR during synthesis by shortening conjugated polyubiquitin chains. Although not sufficient by itself to rescue mutant CFTR therapeutically, the elevation of UCH-L1 and its effect on CFTR processing provides insight into its potential roles in CF and other diseases.