Spatial modeling reveals nuclear phosphorylation and subcellular shuttling of YAP upon drug-induced liver injury

The Hippo signaling pathway controls cell proliferation and tissue regeneration via its transcriptional effectors yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ). In this context, the canonical pathway topology is characterized by sequential phosphorylation of kinases in the cytoplasm that define the subcellular localization of YAP and TAZ. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling the nuclear/cytoplasmic shuttling dynamics of both factors under physiological and tissue-damaging conditions are poorly understood. By implementing experimental data, partial differential equation (PDE) modeling, as well as automated image analysis, we demonstrate that nuclear phosphorylation contributes to differences between YAP and TAZ localization in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Treatment of hepatocyte-derived cells with hepatotoxic acetaminophen (APAP) overdose induces a biphasic protein phosphorylation eventually leading to nuclear protein enrichment of YAP but not TAZ. APAP-dependent regulation of nuclear/cytoplasmic YAP shuttling is not an unspecific cellular response but relies on the sequential induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT, synonym: protein kinase B), as well as elevated nuclear interaction between YAP and AKT. Mouse experiments confirm this consecutive sequence of events illustrated by the expression of ROS-, AKT-, and YAP-specific gene signatures upon APAP administration. In summary, our data illustrate the importance of nuclear processes in the regulation of Hippo pathway activity. YAP and TAZ exhibit different shuttling dynamics, which explains distinct cellular responses of both factors under physiological and tissue-damaging conditions. SignificanceWe show that canonical view on the Hippo pathway must be extended by additional regulatory processes in cell nuclei. These processes significantly contribute to the activity of YAP and TAZ under unchallenged conditions (e.g., with cell density as physiological regulator of the Hippo kinase cassette) or under cell damaging conditions (e.g., after administration of APAP overdose). APAP-induced cellular damage activates YAP via distinct molecular processes as part of a cell-protective response.