cancers
Review
Emerging Roles of TRIM Family Proteins in Gliomas
Pathogenesis
Angeliki-Ioanna Giannopoulou 1,† , Charalampos Xanthopoulos 2,† , Christina Piperi 1,‡
and Efterpi Kostareli 2, *,‡
1
2
*
†
‡
Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,
11527 Athens, Greece
Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine,
School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7B, UK
Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +44-(0)28-9097-6475
These authors contributed equally to this work.
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Simple Summary: Gliomas remain challenging tumors due to their increased heterogeneity, complex
molecular profile, and infiltrative phenotype that are often associated with a dismal prognosis. In a
constant search for molecular changes and associated mechanisms, the TRIM protein family has
emerged as an important area of investigation because of the regulation of vital cellular processes
involved in brain pathophysiology that may possibly lead to brain tumor development. Herein, we
discuss the diverse role of TRIM proteins in glioma progression, aiming to detect potential targets for
future intervention.
Citation: Giannopoulou, A.-I.;
Xanthopoulos, C.; Piperi, C.;
Kostareli, E. Emerging Roles of TRIM
Family Proteins in Gliomas
Pathogenesis. Cancers 2022, 14, 4536.
https://doi.org/10.3390/
cancers14184536
Academic Editor: Manuel
Abstract: Gliomas encompass a vast category of CNS tumors affecting both adults and children.
Treatment and diagnosis are often impeded due to intratumor heterogeneity and the aggressive nature
of the more malignant forms. It is therefore essential to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and
explore the intracellular signaling pathways underlying tumor pathology to provide more promising
diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tools for gliomas. The tripartite motif-containing (TRIM)
superfamily of proteins plays a key role in many physiological cellular processes, including brain
development and function. Emerging evidence supports the association of TRIMs with a wide variety
of cancers, exhibiting both an oncogenic as well as a tumor suppressive role depending on cancer
type. In this review, we provide evidence of the pivotal role of TRIM proteins in gliomagenesis and
exploit their potential as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
B. Graeber
Received: 10 August 2022
Accepted: 13 September 2022
Keywords: gliomas; brain tumors; gliomagenesis; glioblastoma; TRIM proteins; tripartite motif;
RBCC proteins
Published: 19 September 2022
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral
with regard to jurisdictional claims in
1. Introduction
published maps and institutional affil-
Gliomas represent a group of central nervous system (CNS) neoplasms which account
for the majority of primary brain tumors both in adults and children [1]. Although they have
been named after glial cells, their origin is still rather ambiguous. Several lines of evidence
suggest that they are derived from neural stem cells (NSCs) or oligodendrocyte progenitor
cells (OPCs), normal glial cells, or other cell types [2]. Based on the recent elucidation of
histopathological and molecular features characterizing gliomas, the latest 2021 WHO classification of tumors of the CNS encompasses distinct glioma families, including adult-type
diffuse gliomas, pediatric-type diffuse low-grade gliomas, pediatric-type diffuse high-grade
gliomas, and circumscribed astrocytic gliomas [3]. Each glioma family contains several
tumor types, using a grading system of Arabic numerals (1–4). More specifically, the adulttype diffuse gliomas include the astrocytomas with IDH-mutant, the oligodendrogliomas
with IDH-mutant and 1p/19q-codeleted, as well as the glioblastomas with IDH-wildtype.
iations.
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Cancers 2022, 14, 4536. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14184536
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Cancers 2022, 14, 4536
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The pediatric-type diffuse low-grade gliomas include the diffuse astrocytomas with MYBor MYBL1-altered, the angiocentric gliomas, the polymorphous low-grade neuroepithelial
tumors of the young, and the diffuse low-grade gliomas with MAPK pathway-altered.
Furthermore, the pediatric-type diffuse high-grade gliomas include the diffuse midline
gliomas with H3 K27-altered, the diffuse hemispheric gliomas with H3 G34-mutant, the
diffuse pediatric-type high-grade gliomas with H3-wildtype and IDH-wildtype and the
infant-type hemispheric gliomas. The circumscribed astrocytic gliomas encompass the
pilocytic astrocytomas, the high-grade astrocytomas with piloid features, the pleomorphic
xanthoastrocytomas, the subependymal giant cell astrocytomas, the chordoid gliomas,
and the astroblastomas with MN1-altered [4]. Moreover, the new WHO classification has
defined ten specific ependymoma tumor types characterized based on their specific location
and molecular characteristics [3].
The diagnosis of different glioma tumor types is highly based on their molecular
peculiarities. Adult-type diffuse gliomas are graded and characterized by the presence or
lack of IDH mutations, chromosome 7 gain and/or loss of chromosome 10, EGFR amplification, TERT promoter mutations, CDKN2A/B deletion, PTEN mutations or deletion,
TP53 and ATRX mutations, MDM2 or MDM4 amplification, BRAFV600E mutations, and
MGMT promoter methylation. Pediatric-type diffuse low-grade gliomas are characterized
by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway activation and by lack of IDH or histone mutations. Aberrant MAPK signaling may result from BRAF V600E mutations, NTRK
alterations, and FGFR/2/3 or MYB/MYBL1 fusions. Pediatric-type diffuse high-grade
gliomas are mostly characterized by the presence or absence of histone 3 (H3) mutations,
such as H3K27M and H3G34V/R. However, RTK-activating fusions, MYCN amplification,
and EGFR, PDGFRA, TP53, NF1, or TERT mutations are also present among the different
types. Circumscribed astrocytic gliomas may carry PRKCA, MN1, MAPK cascade-activating
alterations, and IDH mutations [4].
Although circumscribed gliomas are considered benign and can be removed by complete surgical resection, diffuse types are more aggressive and require further treatment
following surgical resection with limited options. To improve treatment results and diagnosis of gliomas, a continuous effort to understand the molecular mechanisms and underlying
signaling pathways involved in gliomagenesis is mandatory [5]. Current studies have shown
that activation of key signaling pathways is regulated by multiple molecules, including the
tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) protein family. This is one of the most prominent families
of RING domain-containing E3 ligases which mediate post-translational modifications and
regulate a wide range of cellular processes [6]. In this review, we discuss the structural
and functional diversity and the biological impact of TRIM proteins in brain physiology,
highlighting their pivotal role in the development and progression of brain tumors.
2. TRIM Proteins: An Overview of Structure and Function
TRIM (tripartite motif-containing) family proteins, also known as RBCC proteins
(from the initials of RING-B-box-Coiled-Coil regions), bear a characteristic N-terminal
tripartite (RBCC) motif. This motif is comprised in most cases of a RING domain, either
one or two B-boxes (B1 and B2), and a coiled-coil (CC) domain, followed by a C-terminal
domain (Figure 1). Based on the presence of a RING domain, most TRIMs are defined as
E3 ligases. E3 ligases are responsible for substrate recognition [7–10] by directly binding
to and activating E2 conjugating enzymes [11,12], which mediate the attachment of proteins to ubiquitin, SUMO, ISG15, or NEDD8 [13], therefore contributing to the biological
flexibility of numerous TRIM proteins [9]. E3 ligase-independent biological roles of TRIM
proteins have also been identified, including RNA-binding [14]. TRIM proteins can also
form homopolymers and heteropolymers with each other through their coiled-coil domain,
while the B-box domains are designated as a universal domain in TRIMs [15]. To date, more
than 70 TRIM family members have been reported in humans and mice [16]. Their classification into subfamilies (I to XI) is based on differences in the C-terminal domain [16–18]
(Figure 1). About 60% of TRIMs contain the PRY-SPRY domain (also known as B30.2), which
Cancers 2022, 14, 4536
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confers to protein–protein interactions and RNA binding [19,20], along with the NHL
domain [21]. The C-terminal subgroup one signature (COS) domain is necessary for microtubule binding [16], while the plant homeodomain (PHD) with the adjacent bromodomain
(BRD), provides DNA-binding properties and confers transcriptional regulation [22]. For
example, TRIM24 was shown to bear epigenetic reader functions via the interaction of
its tandem PHD-bromodomain with chromatin [23]. Another common domain identified
among TRIM proteins is the ADP ribosylation factor-like (ARF) domain, which regulates
intracellular trafficking due to its GTP hydrolysis activity [24]. The fibronectin type III motif
(FN3) is primarily found in cell surface proteins, all of which are involved in a molecule
recognition [25]. The filamin domain possesses an immunoglobulin-like structure which
is involved in mRNA regulation for TRIM-NHL proteins [21]. Finally, the meprin and
tumor-necrosis factor receptor-associated factor homology (MATH) domain is involved in
receptor binding and oligomerization [18]. Notably, some TRIM proteins do not contain a
RING (Figure 1), such as the PRY-SPRY motif-containing TRIM14 and TRIM16 or the PHDand BRD-containing TRIM66 [26] (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Classification of human TRIM proteins based on the nature of their C-terminal domains.
The TRIM protein family is composed of 11 subfamilies, from CI to CXI, and one unclassified group of
RING-less TRIM proteins. Individual proteins involved in brain physiology and tumors are marked
with black and red, respectively, while the ones reported in both cases are shown in blue (created by
BioRender.com (2022)).
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Bearing these structural features, it is no surprise that TRIM proteins are involved in
a broad range of biological processes, including transcriptional regulation, DNA repair,
cell proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, metabolic and immune signaling, stem cell differentiation, and neurogenesis [13,27–29]. A single TRIM protein can play multifaced roles
within a cell. For instance, TRIM28 (also called KAP1) can mediate DNA damage response,
maintain stem cell pluripotency, induce autophagy [30], and also act as a transcription
regulator. It can interact with chromatin and confer transcriptional repression by localizing
in Lamina-associated domains, or function as a critical metabolic regulator through its
E3 ubiquitin ligase function [31,32]. The transcriptional regulation properties of TRIM28
concern both activation and repression of essential transcriptional programs and has raised
considerable interest across disciplines and conditions. Hitherto, the underlying mechanisms of this functional duality have not been fully elucidated and are highly required for
planning translational approaches and applicability in a clinical context [33].
About half of all TRIM proteins have been reported to contribute to autophagy [27,34–37]
by mediating binding to components of the autophagy machinery and/or to receptors
that recognize ubiquitinated autophagy cargo and forming the so-called TRIMosomes.
TRIM-mediated autophagy has been shown to target viral components and to be critically
involved in innate immunity [24,38]. The functional role of TRIM proteins during infection
has been highlighted by numerous studies and review articles. TRIMs promote host defense
against viral infection, whereas viruses possess adaptation strategies to hijack TRIMmediated defense mechanisms [39,40]. Apparently, the broad range of TRIM functions are
critical not only at a cellular level but also at a system level and are tightly linked to human
health and disease.
Besides acting as an antiviral host defense, a large number of TRIM proteins have
been reported to exert oncogenic or tumor suppressive potential in solid tumors and blood
cancers [41,42]. The emerging significance of TRIM proteins in various malignancies arises
not only from key mechanistic insights into tumorigenesis but also from the important
translational potential. As for the latter, TRIM-targeted therapies in cancer are gaining
momentum over the past years, such as the TRIM8-targeting approaches for chemo-resistant
colorectal cancer [43] or the TRIM24-targeting options for glioblastoma [44]. However, as
mentioned above, pharmacological targeting of TRIMs and the transition from bench to the
clinic is very much dependent on elucidating the functional role of each TRIM of interest
per cancer entity. Functional duality (as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor) can represent
a pure challenge for therapeutic interventions and is often depicted in the complexity of
molecular signaling cascades [45–47] that TRIM regulate or can be regulated by (Figure 2).
TRIM proteins are also involved in numerous non-cancerous human pathologies,
including inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, as they possess key roles in immunerelated pathways. For instance, TRIM21 is involved in GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis and
has been suggested as a target for controlling inflammation and inflammatory-related
disorders [48]. TRIM21 was also reported to contribute to abnormal cytokine production
in Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) [49]. A recent study describing exciting crosstalk
between epigenetic regulation and optineurin (OPTN)-autophagy was identified in the
context of inflammation. TRIM14 was shown to act as an epigenetic regulator that reduces
histone H3K9 trimethylation by inhibiting the OPTN-mediated selective autophagic degradation of the histone demethylase KDM4D. Additionally, TRIM14-deficient dendritic cells
led to impaired KDM4D-directed proinflammatory cytokines and offered protection from
autoimmune inflammation [50].
Finally, it is worth noting that various TRIM proteins have been implicated in metabolic
disorders, ranging from obesity (i.e., TRIM23, TRIM25, TRIM28, and TRIM67) [51,52]
to diabetes (i.e., TRIM7, TRIM27, TRIM32, and TRIM72), [53] as well as cardiovascular
diseases [54]. The muscle-specific TRIM called Mitsugumin 53 (MG53 or TRIM72) is leading
research attention in this field, and it has been shown to negatively regulate myogenesis and
promote diabetic as well as cardiovascular complications. Importantly, TRIM72 induces
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insulin resistance by mediating (as an E3 ligase) the degradation of the insulin receptor and
insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1) [55,56].
Figure 2. Representation of the multifaced functional roles of TRIM proteins within a brain tumor
cell. (a) Summary of TRIM proteins and their involvement in critical signaling pathways and gene
regulation. Their contribution to activation (positively correlated TRIMs) is marked with bold black
letters, while the ones leading to downregulation of the pathway (negatively correlated TRIMs) are
shown with red. (b) Characteristic example of TRIM28 oncogenic mechanism of function leading
to autophagy inactivation and mitochondrial dysfunction through AMPK inhibition in a glioma
cell. (c) TRIM28 epigenetic mechanism of action for transcription regulation in neuronal progenitor
cells. TRIM28 plays a key role in controlling neuronal differentiation processes by establishing local
heterochromatin with H3K9me3 enrichment to transposable elements and their target genes which
are responsible for neuronal proliferation. Loss of TRIM28 leads to upregulation of the ERV-mediated
transcriptional network (created by BioRender.com (2022)).
This broad involvement of TRIM proteins in various physiological processes and
diseases further highlights their versatile functionality and clinical significance arising
from their multifaceted molecular roles: from regulating numerous genes and proteins
within the cell at the transcriptional level (epigenetic reader, co-transcription factor, and
chromatin accessibility: nuclear functions) to the posttranslational level regulation (E3 ligase,
protein degradation, and protein subcellular localization: cytoplasmic functions) (Figure 2).
Altogether, TRIM family proteins’ structure (Figure 1) is well mirrored on the remarkable range
of functions, such as their involvement in PI3K/AKT, JAK/STAT, NF-κB, and EGFR/MAPK
(Figure 2a) in addition to their role in mitochondrial function and metabolism (Figure 2b)
and their critical epigenetic functions (Figure 2c).
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3. TRIM Proteins and the Nervous System: Insights into Brain Physiology
and Pathophysiology
Since TRIM proteins are highly involved in stem cell regulation and differentiation,
they play essential roles in the function of neurons and the physiology of the nervous system.
Research efforts aiming at shedding light on TRIM function in normal and pathological
conditions in the nervous system have attracted increasing interest over the past decade.
The most recent and prominent cases of the role of TRIM proteins for brain physiology and
pathophysiology (besides brain cancer) are discussed in the following section.
3.1. Healthy Brain
TRIM28—along with TRIM24, TRIM33, and TRIM66—is a member of the TIF1 family
of chromatin-binding proteins (TIF1: transcriptional intermediary factor 1) with critical
roles in the regulation of stem cell and brain development [57]. TRIM28 has been identified
as one of the main epigenetic modifiers that controls the transition between somatic and
pluripotent states within a cell (Table 1). The underlying mechanism involves the generation of a heterochromatin environment with H3K9me3 marks, which leads to silencing
of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) and blocking the expression of specific genes. Ectopic
expression of OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC (OSKM) is known to be used for cell reprogramming and formation of pluripotent stem cells. When this expression of OSKM was
accompanied by TRIM28 knockdown, an increased expression of genes around H3K9me3
was detected, which enhanced the reprogramming efficiency [58]. A key study has shown
that TRIM28 regulates the transcription of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) by silencing
ERVs. This affects transcriptional dynamics by activation of nearby genes and expression
of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Moreover, lack of TRIM28 was shown to lead to
overexpression of ERV groups IAP1 and MMERVK10C. The reported TRIM28-mediated
gene regulation is of high clinical significance, offering a link between ERVs and brain
disorders [59]. Brattas et al. expanded upon that work and reported a TRIM28-dependent
gene regulatory network based on ERVs, which is implicated in the control of gene expression for transcripts that are important for brain development [60]. TRIM28 interaction with
Paupar lncRNA was further shown to affect target gene expression for neuronal differentiation. Specifically, Paupar was demonstrated to promote TRIM28 chromatin occupancy
and H3K9me3 enrichment at a subset of distal targets, forming a ribonucleoprotein complex containing Paupar, TRIM28 and the PAX6 transcription factor. The association of the
complex in chromatin was identified within the regulatory region of shared target genes,
critical for neural cell proliferation and function [61]. Interestingly, TRIM28 was identified
as a master regulator for gene expression in the mammalian brain by binding thousands of
transposable elements (TEs) in NPCs and influencing nearby gene expression [62].
TRIM11, a member of the largest family group (Group IV, Figure 1) plays a pivotal
role in modulating cortical neurogenesis by altering Pax6 transcription factor levels [63].
Specifically, it was shown that TRIM11 binds the neurogenic factor Pax6 for ubiquitous
degradation and that TRIM11 overexpression is followed by decreased Pax6 levels, while
lack of the protein increases the insoluble Pax6 levels, leading to apoptotic events in the
developing brain [63] (Table 1).
A role for TRIM3 (Family Group C-VII, Figure 1) in regulating post synaptic density
(PSD) proteins composition and dendritic spine morphology has been reported by Hung
and colleagues (Table 1). They showed that TRIM3 is one of the key ubiquitin-related
proteins in actively stimulated neurons, by recognizing the PSD scaffold GKAP/SAPAP1
for degradation. Interestingly, RNAi assays for TRIM3 at post synaptic sites increased the
levels of GKAP/SAPAP1 and resulted in dendritic spine head enlargement [64].
TRIM45, the only member of Group C-X, is critical for diencephalon and eye development at the early stages of zebrafish morphogenesis (Table 1). Knockdown of TRIM45 led
to a reduction of both tissues’ size at twenty-four hours post-fertilization and affected the
spatial distribution of olig2 and rx1/rx3 marker genes in the diencephalon, retina, and optic
primordia [65].
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Another member of TRIM family with an implicated role in brain physiology is TRIM67
(Group C-I, Figure 1). Boyer et al. identified that TRIM67 is critical for proper mammalian
brain development, cognitive ability, and social behavior. The researchers generated a knockout mouse and used a suite of behavioral assays to clarify the physiological importance of the
specific ubiquitin ligase. TRIM67-deficient showed defects in the development of specific
brain regions and neural functions such as spatial memory, motor function, sociability
and sensorimotor gating [66] (Table 1). One year later, the same group reported that
the ubiquitin ligase affects the development of specific axon tracts and filopodia dynamics by interfering and competing with another E3 ligase and Group C-I member, named
TRIM9 [67]. Focusing on Group C-I members TRIM9/TRIM67 interplay in neuronal development, they identified that both are essential for appropriate morphogenesis of cortical and
hippocampal neurons and responses to the axon guidance cue netrin-1 (Table 1). Furthermore, they evaluated the mechanistic effects of their interaction, by performing an unbiased
proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) approach and reported a restricted list
of co-interactors, which showed dynamic co-localization with both TRIM proteins at the
axonal periphery, including at the tips of the filopodia [68].
3.2. Pathological Conditions-Injured Brain
Inflammatory challenges posed by traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, infections,
toxins exposure, microbes, neurodegenerative disease, or aging can activate the brain’s
innate immune system leading to chronic inflammatory responses of the nervous tissues
(referred as neuroinflammation). Chronic inflammation involves the sustained activation
of glial cells (microglia and astrocytes) and recruitment of other immune cells into the brain
which secrete reactive oxygen species, growth factors and cytokines, compromising the
blood–brain barrier. Evaluating the role of TRIM9 in pathological conditions in the brain,
which is a key driver of brain injury, Zen et al. identified that the ligase function is critical
for resolving NF-κB-dependent neuroinflammation and, therefore, alleviation of stroke
damage. TRIM9-knockout mice were reported to be more vulnerable to ischemia than
wild-type, while systemic administration of a recombinant TRIM9 adeno-associated virus
effectively restricted inflammation [69]. TRIM32 (Group C-VII) was also reported to have
a key role in a neuropathological condition, and specifically in cerebral ischemia reperfusion injuries (Table 1). TRIM32 was overexpressed in hippocampal neurons subjected
to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) as compared to normoxia conditions. Interestingly, knockdown of TRIM32 led to a Nrf2 pathway-dependent protection of
hippocampal neurons from OGD/R-induced oxidative injury [70].
Zen and colleagues suggested TRIM31 (Group C-V) as a potential target for ischemic
stroke therapy (Table 1). Their findings showed that TRIM31 triggered cerebral ischemic
injury by ubiquitous degradation of the apoptosis regulator TIGAR, resulting in ROS, deregulation and mitochondrial dysfunction after brain ischemia [71]. Another potential regulator
during ischemic injury is TRIM45 (Group C-X), as reported more recently. Specifically, it
was demonstrated that TRIM45 regulates cerebral I/R injury by activating NF-κB signaling
in microglia through interaction with TAB2, consequently leading to neuronal apoptosis.
Knockdown of TRIM45 has proved to provide striking results for the above effects by
inhibiting the inflammatory response [72].
Another interesting study aimed to shed light on the role of TRIM13 (Group C-XI,
Figure 1) in brain injury, focusing on high fat diet (HFD)-induced CNS damage (Table 1).
Brain-specific deletion of TRIM13 in mice promoted HFD-induced metabolic disorder,
hypothalamic insulin resistance and systematic inflammatory response. In vitro analysis of
TRIM13 knockout glial cells showed an enhanced palmitate (PAL)-induced inflammatory
response by accelerating the NF-κB signal, which then contributed to the insulin resistance
in the isolated primary neuron [73].
TRIM proteins also play a role in brain disorders such as Schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s
disease (Table 1). For instance, TRIM11 was identified to negatively regulate the peptide
Humanin, which has neuroprotective roles against Alzheimer’s. The deletion of the B30.2
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domain of TRIM11 or alteration of the RING finger domain sequence blocked the interaction
with Humanin [74]. TRIM8 has been suggested to be one of the key genes for schizophrenia
etiology by regulating neural development and synaptic functions. From a mechanistic
point of view, it was shown that the transcription factor POU3F2 is involved, since TRIM8
expression levels were induced upon POU3F2 binding to a schizophrenia-associated SNP,
located within the TRIM8 promoter area [75]. Interestingly, de novo mutations on the
highly conserved C-terminus section of TRIM8 have been linked with four cases of patients
who developed Epileptic Encephalopathy (EE) [76,77].
TRIM3 has been also involved in the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal
disorders (Table 1). Work with in vivo and in vitro Parkinson’s disease (PD) models, showed
that TRIM3 is involved in the reduction of an apoptotic phenotype in PD cells through the
PI3K/Akt pathway [78]. Mutations in TRIM32 have been associated with a rare autosomal recessive degenerative myopathy called Limb–Girdle Muscular Dystrophy R8 (LGMDR8) [79],
which is characterized by important neurological defects (Table 1). Experimental work with
TRIM32 knockout mice showed that a lack of TRIM32 negatively impacts the concentration
of neurofilament proteins in the brain and the diameter of the motor axon. Additionally,
in neural stem cells (NSCs), TRIM32 distributes asymmetrically upon cell division and
promotes cell differentiation via translocating into the nucleus and targeting of c-MYC for
degradation [80].
It becomes apparent, that the importance of TRIM proteins for both physiology and
pathology of the neuron, the brain and the nervous system has been to-date only fragmentarily unraveled. A more systematic view across conditions with multidisciplinary work is
required for an in-depth understanding of the impact of TRIM proteins’ functional versality
on brain and nervous system in health and disease.
Table 1. TRIM protein family members implicated in brain physiology and related pathologies.
Group
C-I
TRIM
TRIM67
Role in Brain Physiology
•
•
•
•
•
•
C-I
TRIM9
•
Role in Brain Pathologies
mammalian brain development
cognitive ability and social behavior
morphogenesis of cortical and
hippocampal neurons
response to the axon guidance cue
netrin-1
brain-specific ubiquitin (Ub) ligase
regulates netrin-dependent axon
guidance and morphogenesis of cortical
and hippocampal neurons
response to the axon guidance cue
netrin-1
-
•
•
•
[67,68]
[63,74]
TRIM11
•
involved in cortical neurogenesis
•
implication in Alzheimer’s development
C-V
TRIM8
•
controls neural development and
synaptic functions
•
•
role in schizophrenia etiology
de novo TRIM8 mutations involved in
epileptic encephalopathy
TRIM31
•
regulates TP53-induced glycolysis and
apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) in neurons
•
C-V
triggers cerebral ischemic injury through
enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS)
production
•
epigenetic regulator of gene
transcription
reprogramming pluripotent-somatic cell
state transition
neural cell differentiation, proliferation,
and function
TRIM28
•
•
C-VII
TRIM3
•
involved in dendritic spine morphology
by regulating PSD proteins composition
•
•
[66–68]
regulation of NF-κB-dependent
neuroinflammation
highly expressed in the peri-infarct areas
shortly after ischemic insults in mice
promotes recovery and repair after brain
injury in mice
C-IV
C-VI
References
[75,76]
[71]
activation of human endogenous
retroviruses (HERVs) related to autism
spectrum disorder (ASD)
[58–62]
regulation of apoptosis in Parkinson’s
disease (PD) cell model via PI3K/AKT
signalling pathway activation
[64,78]
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Table 1. Cont.
Group
TRIM
C-VII
TRIM32
C-X
TRIM45
C-XI
TRIM13
Role in Brain Physiology
Role in Brain Pathologies
involved in cerebral ischemia
reperfusion injury
TRIM32 mutations implicated in
Limb–Girdle Muscular Dystrophy R8
(LGMDR8)
•
•
•
promotes cell differentiation in NSCs
involved in neural regeneration
indirect regulation of proteome in the
brain and motor axon formation
•
•
eye development and diencephalon
development
•
regulation of cerebral ischemia
reperfusion injury
•
highly expressed in the brains of human
adult and embryonic tissues
regulates NF-κB signaling in microglia
•
regulation of neuroinflammation during
ischemic injury
involved in cerebral ischemia and
reperfusion injury process in mice
•
•
•
References
[70]
[65,72]
[72]
4. TRIM Proteins in Brain Tumors
The versatile role of TRIM proteins is illustrated by their involvement in a broad range
of molecular pathways and biological processes. Many TRIMs have been linked to carcinogenesis, and changes in their expression have been strongly correlated with the cancer type
or stage and disease outcome [36]. An increasing number of TRIMs are involved in glioma
development and progression (Table 2) with oncogenic, tumor suppressor or a dual role
targeting one or more proteins and pathways at the cytoplasm, and/or exerting their gene
regulatory/epigenetic function in the nucleus at a genome-wide level, thereby affecting
multiple genes (Figure 2). For instance, an oncogenic role for TRIM37 in glioma progression has been reported since TRIM37 targets proliferation, migration/invasion, and the
epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) via the regulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway [81]
(Figure 2a and Table 2). TRIM28 is overexpressed in gliomas, and its expression inversely
correlates with overall survival and progression-free survival [82]. TRIM24 overexpression
is characteristic of gliomas and is required for EGFR activation and for STAT3 recruitment
and stabilization, which is important for exerting its oncogenic potential [83,84] (Figure 2a
and Table 2). At the same time, a tumor suppressive role has been suggested for TRIM45 as
it was found to interact with p53 and stabilize it through the K63-linked ubiquitination,
thus impairing GBM proliferation and tumorigenicity [85] (Figure 2a and Table 2).
4.1. Family Group C-IV: TRIM11, TRIM17, TRIM21, TRIM22, TRIM47 and TRIM65
The TRIM proteins of Group C-IV, the larger family group, are characterized by the
lack of COS, FN3, PHD, and NHL domains (Figure 1). One of the early studies identified
TRIM11 as being upregulated in high-grade gliomas (HGG) and glioma-derived stemlike cells (GSCs), leading to a more aggressive glioma phenotype [86]. TRIM11 has been
suggested as a poor prognostic marker in gliomas, since HGG patients with lower levels of
TRIM11 exhibited prolonged survival compared to those with a higher TRIM11 expression.
TRIM11 can also serve as a superior biomarker for GSC detection compared to CD133
and nestin. Knockdown of TRIM11 inhibited glioma cell proliferation, migration, and
invasion, whereas low levels of TRIM11 resulted in downregulation of EGFR, p-c-Raf,
p-MEK1/2, and p-44/42MAPK. TRIM11 silencing led to a decrease in HB-EGF (heparinbinding EGF-like growth factor) and CCND1 (Cyclin D1) expression, while EGFR levels
remained stable. Furthermore, overexpression experiments suggest that TRIM11 exerts
its oncogenic function in gliomas via EGFR/MAPK signaling (Figure 2a) and most likely
without involvement of the PI3K/Akt pathway [86].
Xiao et al. identified a TRIM-based gene expression signature which could serve as
a prognostic biomarker for overall survival. High expression of TRIM13, TRIM17, and
TRIM8 was indicative of the high-risk group, while TRIM24, TRIM14, TRIM29, TRIM59, and
TRIM38 were indicative of the low-risk group. Importantly, TRIM17 was downregulated in
gliomas compared to normal brain tissue, and its expression was inversely correlated with
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tumor grade. Functional assays on glioma cell lines supported a tumor suppressive role for
TRIM17 involving suppression of cell proliferation [87].
TRIM21 has been recently shown to serve as a poor prognosis marker in gliomas.
It was reported to be highly expressed in glioma cases compared to a normal brain and
its levels were correlated with the malignancy grade. Elevated TRIM21 levels were significantly associated with a poor prognosis in all glioma types, including HGGs and GBM,
suggesting an oncogenic role for this TRIM protein. Gain-of-function or loss-of-function
assays in glioma cell lines indicated that TRIM21 mediates cell proliferation and migration.
Experiments in xenograft murine models confirmed the oncogenic potential of TRIM21
since mice injected with glioma cells overexpressing TRIM21 or depleted of TRIM21, exhibited decreased and increased OS, respectively, compared to control mice. In addition,
differential expression analysis between control and TRIM21-silenced glioma cells revealed
numerous genes involved in cellular senescence pathways. TRIM21 knockdown resulted
in the downregulation of TP53 and CDKN1, whereas its overexpression showed opposite
effects. TRIM21-mediated cellular senescence in glioma cells was shown to involve the
p53/p21 pathway, as a potential mechanism for glioma progression. The link between
temozolomide (TMZ) resistance, aberrant p53 function, and TRIM21 was further investigated. TRIM21 mRNA levels were elevated in GBM patients with IDH1wt or non-G-CIMP,
in contrast with those carrying IDH1 mutations or G-CIMP. Likewise, TRIM21 expression
followed a similar pattern in patients with unmethylated and methylated MGMT. In vitro
work suggests that TRIM21 promotes glioma cell resistance to TMZ. Therefore, TRIM21mediated TMZ resistance could justify the poor prognosis of glioma patients with a high
TRIM21 expression [88].
TRIM22 was shown to confer GBM cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo,
possibly through TRIM22 E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Moreover, knockdown of TRIM22
was linked to reduced NF-κB signaling and increased half-life of the IκBα protein, possibly
attributed to reduced proteasomal degradation and augmented stabilization of IκBα protein
with a lack of TRIM22 ligase activity. Ji et al. also showed that TRIM22 mediates NF-κB
signaling by activation of the IKK complex, since decreased TRIM22 expression correlated
positively with the phosphorylation of IKKα/β (Ser176/180), IκBα (Ser32/36), P65, and
K63 ubiquitination levels of IKKγ. Additionally, the study used a constitutively stable
mutant form of IκBα to demonstrate that the growth-promoting properties of TRIM22
relied upon IκBα function both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, TRIM22 expression was
further increased in primary HGGs samples compared to LGGs, while it was almost absent
in normal tissues. In addition, high levels of TRIM22 were linked to IDH1-wild type and
ATRX-wild type gliomas. In agreement with the above effects of TRIM22 expression in
gliomas, transfected mice with TRIM22-knockdown primary GBM cells led to a reduction
of tumor volume and a longer survival period [89].
TRIM47 expression was found to be elevated in glioma specimens compared to normal
brain tissues. Knockdown experiments in TRIM47-highly expressing glioma cell lines,
attenuated the proliferative, invasive, and migratory potential of these cells and decreased
the expression of EMT markers, while an abrogation of tumor growth was observed in vivo.
Moreover, it was shown that the effects of TRIM47 knockdown were mediated by the
Wnt/b-catenin pathway. While downregulation of TRIM47 lowered the expression levels
of β-catenin, c-MYC, and cyclin D1, exogenous activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling
(Figure 2a) abolished the previous effects of TRIM47 knockdown observed in glioma
cells [90]. Furthermore, Ji et al. showed that TRIM47 expression was higher in GBM and
low-grade glioma specimens compared to normal brain and also correlated positively with
the malignancy grade [91]. TRIM47 expression was shown to have a prognostic value in
gliomas as a marker for poorer overall survival (OS). In addition, TRIM47 knockdown
hampered the proliferative, invasive, and migratory potential of glioma cells in line with
previous work by Chen et al. [90,91].
Hu et al. suggested a mechanism that implicated TRIM65 in glioma progression
through the long noncoding RNA (LncRNA) LINC01857. LINC01857 protein levels were
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elevated in glioma tissues compared to normal tissues and correlated with glioma grade.
Patients with high LINC01857 expression exhibited poorer survival. Upregulation of
LINC01857 was reported in glioma cell lines and was shown to induce glioma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. LINC01857 also functions as a sponge for miR-1281,
which expression is decreased in glioma tissues. TRIM65 mRNA is targeted by miR-1281,
and LINC01857 induces TRIM65 expression in gliomas by restraining miR-1281. Therefore,
LINC01857 is believed to promote glioma progression and tumor growth via regulation of
the miR-1281/TRIM65 axis [92].
4.2. Family Group C-V: TRIM8 and TRIM31
TRIM8 is very frequently deleted in GBMs. This finding is possibly attributed to the
TRIM8 location on chromosome 10q24.3, where deletions commonly occur in IDHwt GBMs.
Nevertheless, TRIM8 protein levels in GBM tissues and cell lines were similar to their
normal counterparts. Interestingly, TRIM8 was primarily located in the cytoplasm of normal
brain neurons, whereas in GBM, TRIM8 was predominantly present in the nucleus of
neoplastic cells. Moreover, TRIM8 expression in GBM showed a positive correlation with
that of known stemness markers, including STAT3, SOX2, NESTIN, OLIG2, NANOG,
and BMI. Overexpression of TRIM8 in GBM neurosphere cell lines induced expression
levels of stemness mediators, such as CD133, NESTIN, Sox2, and c-MYC. In addition,
overexpression of TRIM8 in patient-derived GBM cells resulted in a stemness phenotype,
whereas TRIM8-knockdown in GBM neurosphere cells reversed stemness and promoted
cell differentiation. A positive feedback loop between TRIM8 and STAT3 was reported to
mediate GBM neurosphere stemness. TRIM8 was found to suppress PIAS3 protein levels by
mediating its ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation, which ultimately led to STAT3
upregulation (Figure 2a). However, STAT3 promoted TRIM8 expression either directly or
indirectly through c-MYC and OCT1, since binding sites for all three transcription factors
were detected on the TRIM8 promoter [93].
TRIM31 was overexpressed in glioma tissues and cell lines compared to normal
counterparts. Overexpression of TRIM31 in glioma cell lines enhanced cell proliferation
and invasiveness whereas TRIM31 silencing impeded such abilities. Furthermore, elevated TRIM31 levels were associated with high activity of the NF-κB signaling pathway
(Figure 2a). TRIM31 was shown to induce p65 translocation to the nucleus, and subsequent
phosphorylation of IκBα, leading ultimately to the upregulation of numerous genes involved in tumor proliferation, migration, and invasion, such as BCL2L1, Snail, MYC, MMP9,
MMP13, CXCL5, TWIST1, and CCND1. Inhibition of the NF-κB pathway abrogated the
effects of TRIM31 overexpression [94]. Moreover, Shi et al. reported that TRIM31 expression
was increased in high-grade gliomas (hGGs) compared to normal samples and pointed out
its expression as an independent prognostic factor for poor prognosis of glioma patients. In
addition, increased TRIM31 expression was associated with elevated p-Akt (S473), PCNA
and E-cadherin expression. By using Akt agonists in TRIM31-silenced cells or Akt antagonists in TRIM31-overexpressing cells, it was shown that TRIM31 mediates tumorigenesis
through Akt signaling [95] (Figure 2a).
4.3. Family Group C-VI: TRIM24, TRIM28, and TRIM33
Overexpression of TRIM24 (also known as TIF-1α) has been reported in high-grade
gliomas (hGGs), such as anaplastic astrocytoma and GBM, compared to less malignant
glial tumors and normal brain tissue. Increasing levels of TRIM24 protein levels have
been detected upon disease recurrence in GBM, and TRIM24 has been suggested as a
prognostic marker of adverse clinical outcomes. The oncogenic potential of TRIM24 has
been linked to the promotion of the GBM growth via the PI3K/Akt signaling axis (Figure 2a)
by affecting Akt phosphorylation and regulating PI3KCA through the interaction of its
promoter with the PHD–Bromodomain of TRIM24. Knockdown of TRIM24 was shown to
revert chemoresistance to TMZ, and TRIM24 downregulation was shown to increase TMZ
sensitivity by attenuating NF-κB activity. In this way, NF-κB binding to the O6-methylguanine-
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DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter and subsequent MGMT expression is hindered.
A firm correlation of TRIM24 expression with treatment outcomes has been demonstrated,
as chemotherapy-treated patients with low TRIM24 expression exhibited improved overall
survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) compared to treated patients expressing
high levels of TRIM24, as well as untreated patients of diverse TRIM24 status [84].
The expression of the EGFR mutant variant EGFRvIII, which is commonly found in
GBM, has been shown to reinforce the expression of the histone H3 lysine 23 acetylation
(H3K23ac) mark through its kinase activity in GBM cell lines. Lv et al. demonstrated that
active EGFR signaling in GBM cells leads to TRIM24 upregulation and enhancement of
the interaction of TRIM24 bromodomain with H3K27ac marks. The TRIM24/H3K27ac
interaction is essential for the EGFR/EGFRvIII-dependent gliomagenesis. In this context,
TRIM24 acts as a transcriptional co-activator of STAT3 (Figure 2a). TRIM24 promoter activity
is enhanced by STAT3 in EGFR/EGFRvIII active GBM cells and TRIM24 is acting as a cofactor for transcriptional regulation of STAT3-target genes, such as Inhibitor of DNA binding
1 (ID1). It was found that arginine 193 (R193) and lysine 195 (K195) residues within the
BBOX1 domain of TRIM24 proteins are those that mediate the TRIM24/H3K27ac interaction
and the TRIM24-mediating STAT3 recruitment (Figure 2a). Importantly, these interactions
mediate transcription activation in EGFR/EGFRvIII-driven tumorigenesis, stemness and
aggressiveness of GBM [83]. Zhang et al. reported that TRIM24 was co-expressed with certain
stem-cell markers and its protein levels were markedly increased in glioma stem cells (GSCs)
and neural stem cells (NSCs) compared to GBM cells or normal astrocytes [96]. TRIM24 was
also interacting with the SOX2 promoter in vitro, thereby mediating its transcription in
GSC-containing GBM tumors [96,97]. Importantly, Han et al. treated patient-derived GSC
cell lines with two TRIM24 inhibitors (IACS-9571 and dTRIM24), which interact with the
TRIM24 bromodomain. The reduction of tumor sphere formation, GSC proliferation, and
self-renewal was partially attributed to decreased SOX2 expression [98] (Figure 2a).
TRIM28 (also known as TIF1β or KAP1) is another Group C-VI protein with important
implications in gliomas. Like TRIM24, TRIM28 has been recognized as a protein with a
versatile role within the malignant cell both as an E3 ligase in the cytoplasm (Figure 2a,b)
and as an epigenetic reader and gene co-repressor in the nucleus (Figure 2a,c). Studies of
two decades ago, had already provided key evidence for the role of TRIM28 in gliomas.
Specifically, Golding et al. reported that ATM inhibition by KU-60019 hindered the phosphorylation of TRIM28, alongside p53 and H2AX, affecting DNA damage pathways and
leading to enhanced radiosensitivity in glioblastoma cell lines [99]. At about the same time,
TRIM28 phosphorylation was shown to pose an important barrier to DNA double-strand
break (DSB) repair within heterochromatin. ATM-dependent phosphorylation of TRIM28
inhibits TRIM28 action and promotes heterochromatic DSB repair and chromatin relaxation via the activation of the CHD3 nucleosome remodeler [100]. Furthermore, a link
between MGMT promoter-hypermethylation and increased phosphorylation of the DNA
Damage Response (DDR) proteins (TRIM28, Chk1, Chk2, and H2AX) was reported in a
study comparing veliparib/TMZ versus TMZ-alone treatment [101].
In recent studies, TRIM28 was reported to be differentially expressed in GBM and
higher in the classical (CL) GB subtype versus the mesenchymal (MES) subtype. Moreover,
studies based on a nanobody-based anti-proteome approach revealed that TRIM28 can
be employed as a diagnostic marker for distinguishing glioblastomas from lower-grade
gliomas [102]. The effect of the anti-TRIM28 nanobody was more notable on GSC invasion
than on differentiated GB cells [82]. Furthermore, TRIM28 was upregulated in GBM-stem-like
cells, glioma tissues and cell lines, compared to normal counterparts. TRIM28 expression
levels correlated with the tumor grade and presented a marker for poor prognosis. Knockdown of TRIM28 was shown to abolish glioma cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth
in vivo, further supporting an oncogenic role for TRIM28 (Table 2). Silencing of TRIM28
induced the expression of p21, whereas patients exhibiting the high TRIM28/negative p21
expression combination were of a poor prognosis [103]. Additionally, a study by Peng et al.
showed that TRIM28 was upregulated in gliomas (mostly Grade III and IV), and it was corre-
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lated with autophagy. Functional assays provided further evidence that TRIM28-mediated
glioma cell proliferation was due to TRIM28-induced autophagy [35].
TRIM28 and its epigenetic role as transcriptional co-repressor (Figure 2c) has been
well established in cancer [30], including glioma cells. For instance, inhibition of histone
methyltransferases SETD8 and G9a was reported to increase radiosensitivity of glioma cells.
In particular, loss of H3K9 methylation reduced DNA damage and ATM signaling and, of
note, reduced phosphorylation of the KAP1 (TRIM28) repressor [104]. These data highlight
the importance of TRIM28 as an epigenetic player (Figure 2c) in abolishing tumor suppressive regulatory programs, thereby exerting its oncogenic potential, conferring, among other
things, a resistance to radiotherapy. Another histone methyltransferase, SETDB1, has also
been implicated in gliomagenesis [105]. SETDB1 expression was found upregulated in glioma
cell lines and glioma tissues compared to a normal brain, and it was positively correlated
with tumor grades and histological type. Suppression of SETDB1 was shown to affect
cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation of glioma cells [105,106]. Interestingly,
SETDB1 is a member of the KAP1 co-repressor complex, and TRIM28 protects SETDB1
from degradation [107].
A recent study demonstrates that TRIM28 is part of a co-repressor complex in glioblastoma. Yu and colleagues investigated the regulatory mechanisms for SIX3, a transcription
factor vital for neurogenesis with a bivalent promoter [108]. SIX3 was previously shown
to act as a tumor suppressor in glioma cell lines [109]. SIX3 was shown to be regulated by
the EGFR-ZNF264 axis. More specifically, EGFR activation leads to SIX3 promoter DNA
methylation through MAPK signaling. Activated ERK binds to ZNF263, abrogating its
ubiquitination and stabilization. ZNF263 then binds to the core promoter region of SIX3
and recruits the TRIM28/HATS/DNMT corepressor complex. TRIM28 is a key element
of the co-repressor complex that induces SIX3 silencing by both the H3K27me3 and DNA
methylation at the SIX3 promoter. Interestingly, the activity of the EGFR-ZNF263 signaling
axis was shown to enhance tumorigenicity and be associated with a poor prognosis in
glioblastoma [108].
Exciting insights on the epigenetic role of TRIM28 have arisen by multi-omics studies
on the differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to postmitotic neurons [110]. Bunina
et al. reported that genomic rewiring of SOX2-related chromatin networks is a key phenomenon that drives neuronal differentiation. Of note, when researchers evaluated SOX2
interactors, TRIM28 was shown to preferentially bind to SOX2 in ESCs, whereas ADNP
and MYEF2 preferentially bound to SOX2 in neurons. A later study showed that SOX2
together with OCT4 induce an immunosuppressive phenotype of GSCs in a BRD/H3k27Acdependent manner [111] (Figure 2a–c). The crosstalk of TRIM28 with transcription factors
of stemness (Figure 2a) in glioblastoma is further explored in a recent study by Porčnik and
colleagues [82]. Specifically, they reported that GBM core versus rim is characterized by an
altered cancer stem cell marker profile. Both GSC stemness-related genes (SOX2 and ID1)
and MES subtype-related genes (THBS1 and CD44) were enriched in the core of the GBM
tumors, along with significantly higher TRIM28 expression. The enrichment of TRIM28
expression was associated with GSCs, homing to the core of the tumor [82]. This finding is
in agreement with the earlier observations of higher TRIM28 expression in GSCs compared
to GBM cells [102].
TRIM28 forms complexes to exert its versatile roles, not only in the nucleus but also
in the cytoplasm (Figure 1). For instance, the melanoma antigen A6 (MAGEA6)/TRIM28
complex is a cancer-specific ubiquitin ligase which targets the tumor suppressor AMPactivated protein kinase (AMPK) for degradation, thus promoting oncogenesis. MAGEA3/6
is activated in response to energy stress and can rewire cancer metabolism through mTORdependent cell survival mechanisms. It is thus considered to be a master sensor of cellular
energy. AMPK promotes catabolic processes while inhibiting anabolic processes and cell
growth to restore energy balance. Depletion of MAGEA3/6 or TRIM28 increases both total
and active AMPK levels, leading to the suppression of the mTOR signaling pathway. AMPK
accumulation upon TRIM28 knockdown mediates the metabolic switch from OXPHOS
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to glycolysis (Figure 2b) [29]. Pan and colleagues reported that MAGEA6 is expressed in
human glioma tissues and cells and correlates with AMPKα1 downregulation. Moreover,
MAGEA6 knockdown restored AMPKα1 expression and inhibited glioma cell survival via
mTORC1 inactivation as well as glioma xenograft growth [112], while AMPKα1 silencing
ameliorated glioma cell death. A later study showed that MAGEA6-AMPK signaling
was activated by silencing the long non-coding RNA THOR, which inhibited human
glioma cell survival [113]. Lnc-THOR functions via a conserved interaction with insulinlike growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) and binding to IGF2BP1 was
shown to be essential for Lnc-THOR function. Interestingly, IGF2BP1 is upregulated in
human glioma tissue and associated with cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor
progression. Besides Lnc-THOR, other non-coding RNAs (i.e., miR- 4500, miR-837, miR506, and LINC00689) have been reported to promote tumorigenesis in gliomas through
targeting IGF2BP1 [114,115]. Inhibition of the axis MAGE3/6-TRIM28 and OXPHOS has
been also proposed as a strategy for immunotherapy in glioblastoma. Targeting tumor
metabolism and the mitochondrion emerges as an attractive therapeutic opportunity for
certain subtypes of the disease [116,117].
For the third member of the group C-VI, TRIM33 (TIF1γ, also known as RFG7, PTC7,
or Ectodermin), a tumor suppressor potential has been recently suggested in brain tumors [118]. TRIM33 acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase and targets nuclear β-catenin for degradation. The TRIM33-mediated nuclear β-catenin degradation leads to the suppression
of glioma cell proliferation. Furthermore, TRIM33 levels are inversely correlated with
β-catenin in GBM patient samples [118]. TRIM33 was shown to interact with β-catenin
within the nucleus of GBM cells with a constitutively active EGFRvIII mutant. A negative
regulatory loop between TRIM33 and β-catenin for the inactivation of the Wnt pathway
upon overstimulation was reported (Figure 2a). Aberrant active Wnt signaling was shown
to activate PKCδ, which in turn mediated the phosphorylation of β-catenin at Ser715 and
promoted TRIM33 and β-catenin interaction. The consequent degradation of β-catenin inactivated Wnt signaling (Figure 2a). Importantly, the group suggested that TRIM33 may
act as a tumor suppressor in GBM since its downregulation and subsequent Wnt pathway
constant activation, promoting tumorigenesis in vivo and GBM cell proliferation in vitro.
TRIM33 expression leads to accumulation of β-catenin in the cytoplasm and its depletion
from the nucleus, and IGFBP2 stabilizes the cytoplasmic β-catenin which is involved in the
Oct4 transcripts regulation. IGFBP2 overexpression in GBM cells was shown to regulate
TRIM33, β-catenin and Oct4. IGFBP2 and IGFBP2-induced TRIM33 were associated with
stemness induction of glioma cells [119]. These findings suggest a novel therapeutic focus
area in cancer aiming at aberrant activation of β-catenin [118]. However, TRIM33 may play
further roles in the nucleus as a transcriptional regulator (Figure 2a). For example, the
EN1 transcription factor regulates neurogenesis-related genes and EN1-bound chromatin
complexes are associated with the TRIM33 (among other members of the family Group
C-VI) [120]. High expression of EN1 correlates with an increased risk of developing brain
metastases in breast cancer patients [120]. Finally, a study profiling diffuse leptomeningeal
glioneuronal tumors (DLGNT) revealed fusions of TRIM33:RAF1 among other genetic
lesions leading to aberrant MAPK/ERK signaling [121].
4.4. Family Group C-VII: TRIM3 and TRIM32
TRIM3, an NHL- and filamin-domain-containing TRIM protein (Figure 1) seems to
exert a tumor suppressor role in glioma cells linked to the control of c-MYC, restoration
of asymmetric cell division and attenuation of Notch Nuclear Transport [122,123]. Interestingly, an early study had reported loss of TRIM3 heterozygosity (LOH) via frequent
deletions at 11p15.5 in primary human gliomas [124]. Besides TRIM3, the β-globin gene
cluster resides in the chromosome region 11p15.5, harboring immunity-related genes, such
as IGF2, H19, PHLDA2/TSSC3, and SLC22A18, associated with cancers and gliomas [125].
Another Group C-VII protein, TRIM32 was reported as being upregulated in glioma
tissues. Cai et al. showed that overexpression of TRIM32 promotes glioma cell proliferation
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and confers cell resistance to TMZ [126]. Conversely, knockdown of TRIM32 inhibited glioma
cells proliferation in vitro and in vivo and sensitized glioma cells to TMZ in a p53-dependent
and -independent manner. This was partially attributed to the TRIM32-mediated apoptosis.
TRIM32 interacts with the antiapoptotic proteins BCL-xL and BCL-w, which antagonize the
inhibitory effect of TRIM32 knockdown.
4.5. Family Group C-VIII: TRIM37
TRIM37 is the single member of the Group C-VIII characterized by a MATH domain
(Figure 1). TRIM37 was found to be significantly overexpressed, both at the mRNA and
protein level, in glioma tissues and cell lines in contrast with adjacent normal tissues and
human astrocytes. Moreover, knockdown of TRIM37 impeded proliferation, migration,
and invasiveness of glioma cells. Of importance, TRIM37 downregulation prohibited the
activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, as seen by the decrease in PI3K and Akt phosphorylation (Figure 2a). Thus, Tang et al. suggested that TRIM37 expression might promote glioma
aggressive features, such as EMT, by activating the PI3K/Akt axis [81].
4.6. Family Group X: TRIM45
TRIM45 is the only member assigned to Group X and is characterized by a Filamin
group—like the Group C-VII TRIM proteins—but is missing the NHL domain (Figure 1).
TRIM45 is downregulated in glioma tissues compared to a normal brain. TRIM45 expression levels are also inversely correlated with tumor grades, as HGGs (Grade III/IV) were
reported to exhibit significant lower levels of TRIM45 than LGGs (Grade I/II). Overexpression and knockdown experiments in GBM cell lines and xenograft models suggested a
tumor suppressive role of TRIM45, as its expression attenuated GBM growth. The growth
inhibitory effect of TRIM45 relied on activation of apoptotic pathways. Furthermore,
TRIM45 was identified as a mediator of transcriptional activity of p53 and induced glioma
cell apoptosis in a p53-dependent manner. Moreover, p53 proteasomal degradation was
rescued in the presence of TRIM45 and indicated an interaction between the two proteins.
Notably, Zhang et al. demonstrated that TRIM45 primarily binds to p53 via its FLMN
region, while the CC region might also be acquired for their interaction. Regarding p53
structure, the amino acid sequence 301–393 of its C-terminal domain was shown to be
mandatory for its binding to TRIM45. In conclusion, the study revealed that TRIM45
regulates K63-linked polyubiquitination on the C-terminal six lysine residues of p53 via its
E3 ligase activity, thereby hindering the subsequent K48-linked polyubiquitination of these
residues which would result in p53 degradation [85].
4.7. No-Ring Group: TRIM14, TRIM44, and TRIM66
The members of the no-Ring Group are distinct from all other groups C-I–C-XI as
they do not bear a Ring-domain and therefore are also called BCC motif-containing TRIM
proteins (Figure 1). TRIM14 and TRIM44 share structural similarities, but TRIM44 does not
possess SPRY and PRY domains, as opposed to TRIM14 [26,36]. Feng et al. reported that
TRIM14 expression was markedly increased in GBM tissues and cell lines compared to a
normal brain and human astrocytes, respectively. The TRIM14 expression levels correlated
positively with the glioma malignancy grade and were indicative of a poor clinical outcome.
Through loss-of-function and gain-of-function assays, it was shown that TRIM14 induced
EMT, migration, and proliferation of glioblastoma cells. A connection between TRIM14
and the EMT-promoting transcription factor ZEB2 was reported, as TRIM13 can obstruct
the poly-ubiquitylation of ZEB2, and hence its proteasomal degradation, by impeding the
function of the F-Box protein 45 (FBXO45) E3 ubiquitin ligase. In vivo experiments showed
that GBM cells were significantly less invasive in TRIM14-knockdown mice, due to the
interplay between TRIM14-ZEB2. These findings were also confirmed in GBM samples,
where TRIM14 levels correlated with ZEB2 levels [127]. In a later study, Deng et al. reported
that circ_0005198 and TRIM14 expression were highly expressed in glioma tissues and
TMZ-resistant glioma cell lines compared to a normal brain and astrocytes, whereas miR-
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198 levels were significantly lower. They provided evidence that circ_0005198 functions as
a cytoplasmic sponge for miR-198 via a shared sequence in its 3′ -UTR and that the negative
regulation of miR-198 was linked to TMZ-resistance. TRIM14 3′ UTR was also identified as
a target of miR-198, and an oncogenic role for TRIM14 has been suggested since high levels
of TRIM14 were conferring TMZ-resistance [128].
Regarding TRIM44, studies in GBM cell lines showed that it is targeted by miR-101-3p
through binding to TRIM44 3′ -UTR which blocks its transcription. Of note, miR-101-3p
expression in GBM cell lines was hampering proliferation, colony formation, migratory and
invasive properties of glioma cells, and suppressing EMT via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway
(Figure 2a). On the contrary, TRIM44 expression was found to enhance the aforementioned
processes and thereby an oncogenic role for TRIM44 was proposed [129] (Table 2). One year
later, Zhou et al. showed that high TRIM44 expression correlates with poor survival of
glioma patients. TRIM44 expression was found increased in GBM and GSC cell lines
compared to normal human astrocytes and TRIM44 knockdown resulted in glioma cell
proliferation and migration inhibition, downregulation of EMT marker genes and activation
of apoptotic pathways. Furthermore, TRIM44 silencing led to decreased phosphorylation
of Akt (Figure 2a) and a subsequent increase in p21/p27 levels, which are known to cause
cell cycle arrest [130].
Another recent study by Song et al. showed that another no-Ring TRIM protein,
TRIM66 (Figure 1) was highly expressed in gliomas compared to normal brain tissues and
in a tumor-grade-associated manner (significantly upregulated at Grade III gliomas and
GBM). This shows that TRIM66 can exert an oncogenic potential since in vitro and in vivo
assays showed that TRIM66 induces glioma cell proliferation, migration, and tumor growth.
Conversely, TRIM66-silencing was activating apoptotic pathways. In addition, TRIM66
appears to regulate the metabolic potential of glioma cells, since its expression affected ATP
levels and glucose uptake. TRIM66 also impacts c-MYC and GLUT3 protein expression
levels. Mechanistically, TRIM66-induced upregulation of GLUT3 protein was shown to be
a result of the binding of c-MYC on SLC2A3/GLUT3 promoters in glioma cells [131].
Table 2. Main TRIM protein family members implicated in gliomas.
Group
TRIM
Expression and Function
Role *
References
ONC
[86]
TS
[87]
TRIM11
•
•
•
•
↑ in HGG and glioma-derived GSCs
aggressive phenotype -poor prognostic marker
marker for GSC improved detection
EGFR/MAPK signaling
TRIM17
•
•
•
↓ in gliomas vs. normal tissue
inverse correlation with tumor grade
↓ glioma cell proliferation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ONC
[88]
•
↑ in gliomas/correlation with tumor grade
poor prognostic marker (OS and PFS)
potential prognostic value in hGGs including GBM
↑ GBM patients with IDH1wt or non-G-CIMP > IDH1mut or G-CIMP
↑ in patients with unmethylated MGMT promoter
↑glioma cell proliferation and migration
↑ glioma progression ⇒ TRIM21-mediated cellular senescence via
p53/p21
↑ treatment resistance to TMZ
•
•
•
↑ in primary hGGs > lGGs > normal
↑ tumor growth and glioma cell proliferation
NF-κB signaling ⇒ stability of IκBα
ONC
[89]
•
•
•
•
↑ in gliomas vs. normal tissue
poor prognostic marker
↑ in GBM > lGGs > normal, correlation with tumor grade
Silencing ⇒ ↓ proliferation, invasiveness, migration, EMT markers,
tumor growth
Wnt/b-catenin pathway
ONC
[90,91]
TRIM21
C-IV
TRIM22
TRIM47
•
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Table 2. Cont.
Group
TRIM
Expression and Function
•
TRIM65
•
•
•
TRIM8
•
•
•
•
C-V
TRIM31
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
C-VI
TRIM24
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
TRIM28
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
TRIM33
•
•
TRIM3
C-VII
TRIM32
C-VIII
TRIM37
•
Role *
References
↓ in gliomas ⇒ regulated by miR-1281 and LINC01857 induced
TRIM65 expression in gliomas by restraining miR-1281
↑ LINC01857 levels in glioma cell lines ⇒ ↑ glioma cell proliferation,
migration and invasiveness
UNCLEAR
[92]
frequent hemizygous deletion (88%) in GBMs
GBM tissues and cell lines vs. normal ⇒ similar expression levels but
different subcellular localization
GBM ⇒ in the nucleus vs. normal (cytoplasmic)
correlation with stemness marker
positive feedback loop between TRIM8 and STAT3, ⇒ GBM
neurosphere stemness regulation
STAT3 ⇒ ↑ TRIM8 expression either directly or indirectly via c-MYC
and OCT1
DUAL
[93,132]
↑ in glioma tissues and cell lines
↑ glioma cell proliferation and invasiveness
↑ NF-κB signaling pathway ⇒ p65 translocation to the nucleus and
IκBα phosphorylation
poor prognostic marker in hGGs
Akt signaling pathway ⇒ oncogenesis
ONC
[94,95,133]
↑ in hGGs, GSCs and NSCs of GBM
correlation with stemness markers in GBM
poor prognostic marker in GBM (OS) and for chemo-treated glioma
patients (OS and PFS)
required for EGFR activation and STAT3 recruitment/stabilization
↑ GBM growth via Akt phosphorylation and regulation of PI3KCA
↑ TMZ treatment resistance via NF-κB signaling
↑ GBM tumorigenesis, stemness and aggressiveness via
TRIM24/H3K27ac marks interactions ⇒ EGFR/EGFRvIII
its expression regulated by STAT3
SOX2 promoter interaction in GSC-containing GBM samples
ACS-9571 and dTRIM24 inhibitors ⇒ ↓ SOX2 expression and ↓
tumorigenicity in GSCs
ONC
[83,84,98]
↑ GBM samples
↑ ↑ classical > ↑ mesenchymal subtype
correlation with tumor grade
poor prognostic marker (OS)
TRIM28 downregulation ⇒ ↑ p21
TRIM28high/p21neg ⇒ poor prognosis
↑ TRIM28 ⇒ ↑ autophagy
TRIM28/HATS/DNMT complex ⇒ ↓ SIX3 ↑ EGFR-ZNF263 signaling
⇒ ↑ tumorigenicity
MAGEA3/6-TRIM28 complex ⇒ ↓ AMPK ⇒ metabolic switch
OXPHOS/glycolysis
ONC
[35,82,103,108,
112,134]
targets nuclear β-catenin for degradation ⇒ ↓ glioma cell proliferation
inverse correlation with β-catenin in GBM
induced by IGFBP2 ⇒ ↑ TRIM33 ⇒ ↑ cytoplasmic β-catenin and ↓
nuclear β-catenin
↑ IGFBP2 overexpression in GBM ⇒ ↑ TRIM33 ⇒ ↑ stemness
induction
fusions of TRIM33:RAF1 in DLGNT ⇒ aberrant MAPK/ERK signaling
TS
[118,119,121]
altered genomic dosage of TRIM3 was detected in gliomas, including
homozygous deletions of TRIM3
•
•
•
•
↑ in gliomas
↑ cell proliferation ⇒ ↑TMZ resistance
p53-dependent and -independent pathways
interaction with antiapoptotic proteins BCL-xL and BCL-w
•
↑ in glioma tissues and cell lines vs. normal tissues and human
astrocytes
↑ proliferation, migration/invasion/EMT
↑ glioma aggressiveness via PI3K/Akt axis activation
•
•
[124]
[126]
ONC
[81]
Cancers 2022, 14, 4536
18 of 25
Table 2. Cont.
Group
C-X
no-Ring
TRIM
Expression and Function
Role *
References
TS
[85]
•
↓ in gliomas
inverse correlation with tumor grade
tumor suppressive function in gliomas ⇒ activating apoptotic
pathways in a p53-dependent manner
↓ ubiquitination via its ligase activity
TRIM14
•
•
•
•
•
↑ GBM tissues and cell lines
correlation with tumor grade
poor prognostic marker (OS)
↑ proliferation and ↑ migration
↑ EMT by blocking ZEB2 proteasomal degradation
ONC
[127]
TRIM44
•
•
•
•
•
•
↑ proliferation ↑ migration ↑ invasiveness of glioma cells
EMT mediation via the Wnt/b-catenin pathway
poor prognostic marker in glioma (OS)
↑ in GBM and GSC vs. normal
TRIM44 inhibition by miR-101-3p in GBM cell lines
Silencing ⇒ ↓ phospho-Akt and ↑ p21/p27 ⇒ cell cycle arrest
ONC
[129,130]
TRIM66
•
•
•
•
•
↑ in glioma tissues vs. normal brain
correlation with tumor grade
↑ cell proliferation, migration and tumor growth
↑ ATP levels and glucose uptake
↑ c-MYC and GLUT3 expression
ONC
[131]
TRIM45
•
•
•
* Role in Gliomas: ONC—Oncogene, TS—Tumor Suppressor. OS—Overall Survival, PFS—Progression Free Survival.
5. Conclusions
TRIM proteins are without doubt vital for the conservation of cellular homeostasis.
These multidomain-containing proteins play a multifaceted role in gene expression regulation and cell signaling repertoire, thus affecting a wide range of processes, such as
DNA repair, autophagy, and apoptosis. The complexity of their biological nature can be
depicted by their contribution in both physiological and pathological conditions depending
on the context. Regarding the nervous system, TRIM proteins may act as guardians by
confining inflammation and mediating neural differentiation programs, thus ensuring
proper brain development. However, several members of the family (TRIM11, TRIM17,
TRIM21, TRIM22, TRIM47, TRIM65, TRIM8, TRIM31, TRIM24, TRIM28, TRIM33, TRIM37,
TRIM45, TRIM14, TRIM44, and TRIM3) seem to be implicated either as oncogenes or
tumor-suppressors in the pathogenesis of gliomas.
The dual role of TRIMs in these CNS malignancies, which is extensively argued in
this review, highlights their potential as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
As mentioned before, TRIM24, TRIM47, TRIM44, TRIM31, TRIM14, TRIM21, and TRIM28
have exhibited significant prognostic value regarding OS and/or PFS of glioma patients.
TRIMs may also prove useful as targets in the therapy of gliomas. For instance, regarding
TRIM24, which functions as an oncogenic factor in gliomas, four inhibitors (Compound
34, IACS-6558, IACS-9571, and dTRIM24) have been developed so far. Inhibitor dTRIM24
induces the degradation of the TRIM24 protein, while the rest impede the protein’s function
by targeting its bromodomain [98]. Therefore, it is of great importance to further unveil
the role of TRIM proteins in gliomagenesis and exploit their potential as prognostic and
therapeutic tools.
Author Contributions: Conceptualization, E.K. and C.P.; methodology, A.-I.G. and C.X.; software,
A.-I.G. and C.X.; validation, E.K. and C.P.; formal analysis, A.-I.G. and C.X.; investigation, A.-I.G.,
E.K., C.X. and C.P.; resources, E.K.; data curation, C.P.; writing—original draft preparation, A.-I.G.
and C.X.; writing—review and editing, E.K. and C.P.; visualization, A.-I.G. and C.X.; supervision, E.K.
and C.P.; project administration, C.P. and E.K.; funding acquisition, E.K. All authors have read and
agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Cancers 2022, 14, 4536
19 of 25
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Abbreviations
ARF
BioID
BRD
CC
CCND1
CL
CNS
COS
DDR
DEGs
DLGNT
EE
ESCs
EGFRvIII
EMT
ERVs
FBXO45
FN3
GBM
GSCs
H3
H3K23ac
HB-EGF
HFD
HGGs
ID1
IRS1
K195
KAP1
KEAP1
LGGs
LGMDR8
lncRNAs
LOH
MAPK
MATH
MES
MG53
MGMT
NPCs
NSCs
OGD/R
OPCs
OPTN
OS
OSKM
PFS
PHD
PSD
R193
RBCC
RNAi
shRNAs
SLE
ADP ribosylation factor-like
Biotin Identification
Bromodomain
Coiled-Coil
Cyclin D1
Classical
Central Nervous System
C-terminal subgroup one signature
DNA damage response
Differentially Expressed Genes
Diffuse Leptomeningeal Glioneuronal Tumors
Epileptic Encephalopathy
Embryonic Stem Cells
EGF receptor vIII
Endothelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Endogenous retroviruses
F-Box protein 45
Fibronectin type III motif
Glioblastoma
Glioma-derived stem cells
Histone 3
H3 lysine 23 acetylation
Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor
High Fat Diet
High Grade Gliomas
Inhibitor of DNA binding 1
Insulin Receptor Substrate-1
Lysine 195
KRAB-associated protein-1 (TRIM28)
Kelch-like ECH- Associated Protein 1
Low Grade Gliomas
Limb–Girdle Muscular Dystrophy R8
Long Non-Coding RNAs
Loss of Heterozygosity
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase
Meprin And Tumor-necrosis factor receptor-associated factor Homology
Mesenchymal
Mitsugumin 53
O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase
Neural Progenitor Cells
Neural Stem Cells
Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation/Reperfusion
Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells
Optineurin
Overall Survival
OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC
Progression Free Survival
Plant Homeodomain
Post Synaptic Density
arginine 193
RING-B-box-Coiled-Coil
RNA interference
Short Hairpin RNAs
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Cancers 2022, 14, 4536
20 of 25
TEs
TIF1
TIF1γ
TMZ
TRIM
Transposable Elements
Transcriptional Intermediary Factor 1
Transcriptional Intermediary Factor 1 γ
Temozolomide
Tripartite Motif-containing
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