Nuclear Nrf2 Activity in Laryngeal Carcinoma is Regulated by SENP3 After Cisplatin-Induced Reactive Oxygen Species Stress

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a nuclear transcription factor that is activated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Recent studies reported that hyperactivation of the Nrf2 pathway creates an environment that favors the survival of normal as well as malignant cells, protecting them against oxidative stress, chemotherapeutic agents, and radiotherapy. SUMO1/sentrin/SMT3 specific peptidase 3 (SENP3) reverses sumoylation of small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)-conjugates. We demonstrated that Nrf2 was detected in the nuclei of laryngeal carcinoma cells, but not in cells of tissues surrounding the cancer, which correlated with the appearance of SENP3 in the nuclei. Silencing of Nrf2 in laryngeal carcinoma cell line Hep-2 significantly reduced cell viability and enhanced apoptosis rates under cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) exposure. Cisplatin exposure induced ROS stress in Hep-2 cells in a time-dependent manner and was accompanied by increased Nrf2 and SENP3 protein accumulations, an effect reversed by the addition of the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). Silencing of SENP3 led to reduced Nrf2 protein levels, whereas overexpression of SENP3 led to concomitant enhanced transcription of the Nrf2 target genes HO-1, NQO1, GCLC and GSTM1. Immunoprecipitation showed that overexpressed Nrf2 and SENP3 could be precipitated together, indicating that they were intracellular bound to each other. Our data identified intranuclear activation of Nrf2 is triggered by cisplatin-induced ROS development through the activity of SENP3. These findings provide novel insights into the Nrf2 reduced cancer cell response to the chemotherapy of laryngeal carcinoma.