Wnt5a Controls Notch1 Signaling through CaMKII-mediated Degradation of the SMRT Corepressor Protein

Serine-threonine Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is the key component in noncanonical Wnt5a signaling and has been shown to regulate its signaling. In this study, we found that CaMKII induced by Wnt5a remarkably reduced the protein stability of the silencing mediator of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor (SMRT), a co-repressor of Notch signaling, through proteasomal degradation. Wnt5a was found to enhance Notch1 intracellular domain (Notch1-IC) transcription activity, which could be inhibited by treatment with KN93, a CaMKII inhibitor. The kinase activity of CaMKII was essential for the activation of Notch signaling. We also determined that CaMKII could enhance the association between Notch1-IC and RBP-Jk. Furthermore, the physical association between RBP-Jk and SMRT was substantially suppressed by CaMKII. We demonstrated that CaMKII directly bound and phosphorylated SMRT at Ser-1407, thereby facilitating SMRT translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and proteasome-dependent degradation. These results suggest that CaMKII down-regulated the protein stability of SMRT through proteasomal degradation. Background: Wnt and Notch signaling pathways belong to a highly conserved network that controls gene expression. Results: Wnt5a enhances Notch1 signaling through down-regulation of SMRT by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). Conclusion: CaMKII is crucial for the regulation between Notch and Wnt5a signaling. Significance: The findings of this study may begin to shed some light onto what may be a signal cross-talk mechanism of Notch1 signaling and the CaMKII.