Pendrin is a transmembrane chloride/anion exchanger highly expressed in thyroid, kidney, and inner ear. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-retention of improperly folded Pendrin mutants is considered as the major cause for Pendred syndrome. However, the folding and degradation mechanisms of Pendrin are poorly understood. Here, we report that treatment of 17-AAG, an Hsp90 inhibitor, facilitates the folding of Pendrin through heat shock transcription factor 1 (Hsf1)-dependent induction of molecular chaperones. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Rma1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase localized in the ER membrane, is involved in Pendrin degradation.
