The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway regulates claudin 5 degradation

The tight junctions (TJs) form continuous intracellular contacts, which help create selective barriers in epithelial and endothelial cell layers. The structures created by the TJs are very dynamic and can be rapidly remodeled in response to physiological and pathological signals. Claudin 5 is a membranal TJ protein which plays a critical role in determining the permeability of endothelial barriers. We describe the regulation of claudin 5 degradation by the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS). Our results indicate that claudin 5 has a relatively short half‐life and can be polyubiquitinated on lysine 199. This ubiquitination appears to trigger the proteasome‐dependent degradation of claudin 5. Other mechanisms also seem to be involved in the post‐translational regulation of claudin 5, including a ubiquitin‐independent and probably indirect lysosomal‐dependent pathway. These findings provide evidence for the involvement of the UPS in the regulation of claudin 5 levels, and set the stage for further research to determine the involvement of this pathway in the modulation of the properties of TJs and cell‐layer barriers. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 2415–2423, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.