Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a highly conserved molecular chaperone that facilitates the maturation of a wide range of proteins, and it has been recognized as a crucial facilitator of oncogene addiction and cancer cell survival. Although HSP90 function is regulated by a variety of post-translational modifications, the physiological significance of methylation has not fully been elucidated. Here we demonstrate that HSP90AB1 is methylated by the histone methyltransferase SMYD2 and that it plays a critical role in human carcinogenesis. HSP90AB1 and SMYD2 can interact through the C-terminal region of HSP90AB1 and the SET domain of SMYD2. Both in vitro and in vivo methyltransferase assays revealed that SMYD2 could methylate HSP90AB1 and mass spectrometry analysis indicated lysines 531 and 574 of HSP90AB1 to be methylated. These methylation sites were shown to be important for the dimerization and chaperone complex formation of HSP90AB1. Furthermore, methylated HSP90AB1 accelerated the proliferation of cancer cells. Our study reveals a novel mechanism for human carcinogenesis via methylation of HSP90AB1 by SMYD2, and additional functional studies may assist in developing novel strategies for cancer therapy.

Although a number of JmjC-containing histone demethylases have been identified and biochemically characterized, pathological roles of their dysfunction in human disease such as cancer have not been well elucidated. Here, we report the Jumonji domain containing 2A (JMJD2A) is integral to proliferation of cancer cells. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed higher expression of JMJD2A in clinical bladder cancer tissues than in corresponding non-neoplastic tissues (P<0.0001). Immunohistochemical analysis also showed positive staining for JMJD2A in 288 out of 403 lung cancer cases, whereas no staining was observed in lung normal tissues. Suppression of JMJD2A expression in lung and bladder cancer cells overexpressing this gene, using specific siRNAs, inhibited incorporation of BrdU and resulted in significant suppression of cell growth. Furthermore, JMJD2A appears to directly transactivate the expression of some tumor associated proteins including ADAM12 through the regulation of histone H3K9 methylation. As expression levels of JMJD2A are low in normal tissues, it may be feasible to develop specific inhibitors targeting the enzyme as anti-tumor agents which should have a minimal risk of adverse reaction.