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Comment
. 2013 Oct 30;32(21):2788-9.
doi: 10.1038/emboj.2013.220. Epub 2013 Sep 27.

Usp16: key controller of stem cells in Down syndrome

Jin-chong Xu  1 , Valina L Dawson, Ted M Dawson
Affiliations
Comment

Usp16: key controller of stem cells in Down syndrome

Jin-chong Xu et al. EMBO J. .

Abstract

Nature 501: 380–384

Somatic stem cell activity is critical for tissue homeostasis. Defects in stem cells are thought to be involved in many diseases, including inherited disorders and aging (He et al, 2009). In a recent paper published in Nature, Adorno et al (2013) demonstrate that there is a general somatic stem cell defect in Down syndrome (DS), a congenital disorder with triplication of human chromosome 21 (HSA21; Roper and Reeves, 2006; Mégarbané et al, 2009). They report that the deubiquitinase Usp16 gene located on HSA21 is a key epigenetic switch that regulates stem cell self-renewal and senescence in DS, and suggest that inhibiting or reducing HSA21 may be beneficial in treating the sequelae of DS.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Usp16 deubiquitinates uH2A (ubiquitinated H2A) by removing ubiquitin from H2AK119. In the case of triplication of Usp16, H1AK119 ubiquitination is decreased leading to a reduction of self-renewal and accelerated senescence.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

  • Usp16 contributes to somatic stem-cell defects in Down's syndrome.
    Adorno M, Sikandar S, Mitra SS, Kuo A, Nicolis Di Robilant B, Haro-Acosta V, Ouadah Y, Quarta M, Rodriguez J, Qian D, Reddy VM, Cheshier S, Garner CC, Clarke MF. Adorno M, et al. Nature. 2013 Sep 19;501(7467):380-4. doi: 10.1038/nature12530. Epub 2013 Sep 11. Nature. 2013. PMID: 24025767 Free PMC article.

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