Eijiro Jimi

The Phosphorylation Status of Nuclear NF-ΚB Determines Its Association with CBP/p300 or HDAC-1

Abstract Homodimers of the NF-ΚB p50 subunit are transcriptionally repressive in cells, whereas they can promote transcription in vitro, suggesting that their endogenous effects are mediated by association with other factors. We now demonstrate that transcriptionally inactive nuclear NF-ΚB in resting cells consists of homodimers of either p65 or p50 complexed with the histone deacetylase HDAC-1. Only the p50-HDAC-1 complexes bind to DNA and suppress NF-ΚB-dependent gene expression in unstimulated cells. Appropriate stimulation causes nuclear localization of NF-ΚB complexes containing phosphorylated p65 that associates with CBP and displaces the p50-HDAC-1 complexes. Our results demonstrate that phosphorylation of p65 determines whether it associates with either CBP or HDAC-1, ensuring that only p65 entering the nucleus from cytoplasmic NF-ΚB:IΚB complexes can activate transcription.

Selective inhibition of NF-kappa B blocks osteoclastogenesis and prevents inflammatory bone destruction in vivo.

Bone destruction is a pathological hallmark of several chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis. Inflammation-induced bone loss of this sort results from elevated numbers of bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Gene targeting studies have shown that the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) has a crucial role in osteoclast differentiation, and blocking NF-κB is a potential strategy for preventing inflammatory bone resorption. We tested this approach using a cell-permeable peptide inhibitor of the IκB-kinase complex, a crucial component of signal transduction pathways to NF-κB. The peptide inhibited RANKL-stimulated NF-κB activation and osteoclastogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, this peptide significantly reduced the severity of collagen-induced arthritis in mice by reducing levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β, abrogating joint swelling and reducing destruction of bone and cartilage. Therefore, selective inhibition of NF-κB activation offers an effective therapeutic approach for inhibiting chronic inflammatory diseases involving bone resorption.

NF-κB Activation by the Pre-T Cell Receptor Serves as a Selective Survival Signal in T Lymphocyte Development

Activation of the transcription factor NF-kappa B and pre-T cell receptor (pre-TCR) expression is tightly correlated during thymocyte development. Inhibition of NF-kappa B in isolated thymocytes in vitro results in spontaneous apoptosis of cells expressing the pre-TCR, whereas inhibition of NF-kappa B in transgenic mice through expression of a mutated, superrepressor form of I kappa B alpha leads to a loss of beta-selected thymocytes. In contrast, the forced activation of NF-kappa B through expression of a dominant-active I kappa B kinase allows differentiation to proceed to the CD4(+)CD8(+) stage in a Rag1(-/-) mouse that cannot assemble the pre-TCR. Therefore, signals emanating from the pre-TCR are mediated at least in part by NF-kappa B, which provides a selective survival signal for developing thymocytes with productive beta chain rearrangements.

Repression of gene expression by unphosphorylated NF-κB p65 through epigenetic mechanisms

Cells from a knock-in mouse expressing a NF-kappaB p65 mutant bearing an alanine instead of serine at position 276 (S276A) display a significant reduction of NF-kappaB-dependent transcription, even though the mutant p65 forms appropriate complexes that translocate normally to the nucleus and bind to DNA. Surprisingly, however, instead of the expected embryonic lethality from hepatocyte apoptosis seen in the absence of NF-kappaB activity, the S276A knock-in embryos die at different embryonic days due to variegated developmental abnormalities. We now demonstrate that this variegated phenotype is due to epigenetic repression resulting from the recruitment of histone deacetylases by the nonphosphorylatable form of NF-kappaB into the vicinity of genes positioned fortuitously near NF-kappaB-binding sites. Therefore, unphosphorylated nuclear NF-kappaB can affect expression of genes not normally regulated by NF-kappaB through epigenetic mechanisms.

IL-1 Regulates Cytoskeletal Organization in Osteoclasts Via TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 6/c-Src Complex

Targeted disruption of either c-Src or TNFR-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) in mice causes osteoclast dysfunction and an osteopetrotic phenotype, suggesting that both molecules play important roles in osteoclastic bone resorption. We previously demonstrated that IL-1 induces actin ring formation and osteoclast activation. In this study, we examined the relationship between IL-1/TRAF6-dependent and c-Src-mediated pathways in the activation of osteoclast-like cells (prefusion cells (pOCs); multinucleated cells) formed in the murine coculture system. In normal pOCs, IL-1 induces actin ring formation and tyrosine phosphorylation of p130Cas, a known substrate of c-Src. However, in Src-deficient pOCs, p130Cas was not tyrosine phosphorylated following IL-1 treatment. In normal pOCs treated with IL-1, anti-TRAF6 Abs coprecipitate p130Cas, protein tyrosine kinase 2, and c-Src. In Src-deficient pOCs, this molecular complex was not detected, suggesting that c-Src is required for formation of the TRAF6, p130Cas, and protein tyrosine kinase 2 complex. Moreover, an immunocytochemical analysis revealed that in osteoclast-like multinucleated cells, IL-1 induced redistribution of TRAF6 to actin ring structures formed at the cell periphery, where TRAF6 also colocalized with c-Src. Taken together, these data suggest that IL-1 signals feed into the tyrosine kinase pathways through a TRAF6-Src molecular complex, which regulates the cytoskeletal reorganization essential for osteoclast activation.

Helix-loop-helix proteins regulate pre-TCR and TCR signaling through modulation of Rel/NF-κB activities

E2A and HEB are basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors essential for T cell development. Complete inhibition of their activities through transgenic overexpression of their inhibitors Id1 and Tal1 leads to a dramatic loss of thymocytes. Here, we suggest that bHLH proteins play important roles in establishing thresholds for pre-TCR and TCR signaling. Inhibition of their function allows double-negative cells to differentiate without a functional pre-TCR, while anti-CD3 stimulation downregulates bHLH activities. We also find that the transcription factor NF-kappaB becomes activated in transgenic thymocytes. Further activation of NF-kappaB exacerbates the loss of thymocytes, whereas inhibition of NF-kappaB leads to the rescue of double-positive thymocytes. Therefore, we propose that E2A and HEB negatively regulate pre-TCR and TCR signaling and their removal causes hyperactivation and apoptosis of thymocytes.

Constitutively active NF-κB triggers systemic TNFα-dependent inflammation and localized TNFα-independent inflammatory disease

NF-kappaB is well established as a key component of the inflammatory response. However, the precise mechanisms through which NF-kappaB activation contributes to inflammatory disease states remain poorly defined. To test the role of NF-kappaB in inflammation, we created a knock-in mouse that expresses a constitutively active form of NF-kappaB p65 dimers. These mice are born at normal Mendelian ratios, but display a progressive, systemic hyperinflammatory condition that results in severe runting and, typically, death 8-20 d after birth. Examination of homozygous knock-in mice demonstrates significant increases in proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Remarkably, crossing this strain with mice lacking TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) leads to a complete rescue of the hyperinflammatory phenotype. However, upon aging, these rescued mice begin to display chronic keratitis accompanied by increased corneal expression of TNFalpha, IL-1beta, and MMP-9, similar to that seen in human keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) or dry eyes. Therefore, our results show that, while constitutively active NF-kappaB can trigger systemic inflammation, it does so indirectly, through increased TNF production. However, certain inflammatory disease states, such as keratitis or KCS, a condition that is seen in Sjogrens syndrome, are dependent on NF-kappaB, but are independent of TNFR1 signaling.

Receptor Activator of NF-κB Ligand Stimulates Recruitment of SHP-1 to the Complex Containing TNFR-Associated Factor 6 That Regulates Osteoclastogenesis

Receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) is essential for differentiation and function of osteoclasts. The negative signaling pathways downstream of RANKL are not well characterized. By retroviral transduction of RAW264.7 cells with a dominant negative Src homology 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1)(C453S), we studied the role of tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 in RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. Over-expression of SHP-1(C453S) significantly enhanced the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinuclear osteoclast-like cells in response to RANKL in a dose-dependent manner. RANKL induced the recruitment of SHP-1 to a complex containing TNFR-associated factor (TRAF)6. GST pull down experiments indicated that the association of SHP-1 with TRAF6 is mediated by SHP-1 lacking the two Src homology 2 domains. RANKL-stimulated IκB-α phosphorylation, IκB-α degradation and DNA binding ability of NF-κB were increased after over-expression of SHP-1(C453S). However, RANKL-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, was unchanged. In addition, SHP-1 regulated RANKL-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase and the phosphorylation of Akt. Increased numbers of osteoclasts contribute to severe osteopenia in Mev/Mev mice due to mutation of SHP-1. Like RAW264.7 cells expressing SHP-1(C453S), the bone marrow macrophages of Mev/Mev mice generated much more osteoclast-like cells than that of littermate controls in response to RANKL. Furthermore compared with controls, RANKL induces enhanced association of TRAF6 and RANK in both RAW264.7 cells expressing SHP-1(C453S) and bone marrow macrophages from Mev/Mev mice. Therefore, SHP-1 plays a role in signals downstream of RANKL by recruitment to the complex containing TRAF6 and these observations may help to understand the mechanism of osteoporosis in Mev/Mev mice.

Differential Role of the Transcription Factor NF-κB in Selection and Survival of CD4+ and CD8+ Thymocytes

Inhibition of the transcription factor nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB activity leads to a reduction in numbers of CD8(+) single-positive (SP) thymocytes, suggesting a selective role for NF-kappaB in these cells. To further explore the role of NF-kappaB in SP thymocytes, we utilized transgenic models that allowed either inhibition or activation of NF-kappaB. We showed that activation of NF-kappaB played an important role in the selection of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted CD8(+) T cells. Surprisingly, NF-kappaB was not activated in positively selected CD4(+) thymocytes, and inhibition of NF-kappaB did not perturb positive or negative selection of CD4(+) cells. However, enforced activation of NF-kappaB via a constitutively active inhibitor of kappaB (IkappaB) kinase transgene led to a nearly complete deletion of CD4 cells by pushing positively selecting CD4(+) cells into negative selection. These studies therefore revealed a surprising difference of NF-kappaB activation in CD4(+) and CD8(+) thymocytes and suggested that NF-kappaB contributes to the establishment of thresholds of signaling that determine positive or negative selection of thymocytes.

Constitutively active NF-kappaB triggers systemic TNFalpha-dependent inflammation and localized TNFalpha-independent inflammatory disease.

NF-kappaB is well established as a key component of the inflammatory response. However, the precise mechanisms through which NF-kappaB activation contributes to inflammatory disease states remain poorly defined. To test the role of NF-kappaB in inflammation, we created a knock-in mouse that expresses a constitutively active form of NF-kappaB p65 dimers. These mice are born at normal Mendelian ratios, but display a progressive, systemic hyperinflammatory condition that results in severe runting and, typically, death 8-20 d after birth. Examination of homozygous knock-in mice demonstrates significant increases in proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Remarkably, crossing this strain with mice lacking TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) leads to a complete rescue of the hyperinflammatory phenotype. However, upon aging, these rescued mice begin to display chronic keratitis accompanied by increased corneal expression of TNFalpha, IL-1beta, and MMP-9, similar to that seen in human keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) or dry eyes. Therefore, our results show that, while constitutively active NF-kappaB can trigger systemic inflammation, it does so indirectly, through increased TNF production. However, certain inflammatory disease states, such as keratitis or KCS, a condition that is seen in Sjogrens syndrome, are dependent on NF-kappaB, but are independent of TNFR1 signaling.