Site-1 protease is a negative regulator of sarcolipin promoter activity

The timed contraction and relaxation of myofibers in tissues such as the heart and skeletal muscle occur via the tightly regulated movement of calcium ions into and out of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). In skeletal muscle, this phenomenon enables humans to exercise, perform day-to-day tasks, and to breathe. Sarcolipin, a small regulatory protein, prevents calcium ions from entering the SR by binding to and inhibiting SERCA, contributing to myofiber contraction. Disruptions in sarcolipin (SLN) expression are implicated in the pathophysiology of obesity and musculoskeletal disease. However, the mechanisms regulating sarcolipin expression are not clearly understood. We recently showed that site-1 protease (S1P) is a regulator of skeletal muscle function and mass. Here, we report that deleting S1P in mouse skeletal muscle increases sarcolipin expression, without impacting calcium SR flux. In cultured cells, S1P negatively regulates sarcolipin by activating the transcription factor ATF6, which inhibits basal- and calcineurin-stimulated sarcolipin promoter activity. We identify a cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) binding site on the sarcolipin promoter that is necessary for promoter activation, and show that in muscle, CREB binds to the sarcolipin promoter. These discoveries expand our knowledge of S1P biology and the mechanisms controlling calcium regulatory genes.