Allosteric Hsp70 Modulator YM-1 Induces Degradation of BRD4.

YM-1, an allosteric modulator of heat-shock 70 kDa protein (Hsp70), inhibits cancer cell growth, but the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Here, we show that YM-1 induces the degradation of bromodomain containing 4 (BRD4), which mediates oncogene expression. Overall, our results indicate that YM-1 promotes the binding of HSP70 to BRD4, and this in turn promotes the ubiquitination of BRD4 by C-terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP), an E3 ubiquitin ligase working in concert with Hsp70, leading to proteasomal degradation of BRD4. This YM-1-induced decrease of BRD4 would contribute at least in part to the inhibition of cancer cell growth.