Thomas Haarmann-Stemmann

Growth factors, cytokines and their receptors as downstream targets of arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling pathways.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a widespread environmental pollutant, which causes a variety of severe health effects, e.g. immunosuppression, hepatotoxicity, and carcinogenesis. The main mediator of TCDD toxicity is the arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which, upon activation, translocates into the nucleus and enforces gene expression. Since most of the pleiotropic effects caused by TCDD are associated with alterations in cell growth and differentiation, the analysis of the interference of the AhR with factors controlling these cellular functions seems to be a promising target regarding the prevention and treatment of chemical-provoked diseases. Cell growth and differentiation are regulated by numerous growth factors and cytokines. These multifunctional peptides promote or inhibit cell growth and regulate differentiation and other cellular processes, depending on cell-type and developmental stage. They are involved in the regulation of a broad range of physiological processes, including immune response, hematopoiesis, neurogenesis, and tissue remodeling. The complex network of growth factors and cytokines is accurately regulated and disturbances of this system are associated with adverse health effects. The molecular mechanisms by which the AhR interferes with this signaling network are multifaceted and the physiological consequences of this cross-talk are quite enigmatic. The investigation of this complex interaction is an exciting task, especially with respect to the recently described non-genomic and/or ligand-independent activities of AhR. Therefore, we summarize the current knowledge about the interaction of the AhR with three cytokine-/growth factor-related signal transducers -- the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) -- with regard to pathophysiological findings.

Cross-talk between Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor and the Inflammatory Response A ROLE FOR NUCLEAR FACTOR-κB

Background: Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a protein regulating differentiation and function of immune cells. Results: NF-κB activates transcription of AhR and enhances activity of AhR-regulated genes. Conclusion: Activation of NF-κB involves RelA-mediated expression of AhR. Significance: Inflammatory stimuli and cytokines that regulate NF-κB induce AhR expression during activation and differentiation of immune cells. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is involved in the regulation of immune responses, T-cell differentiation, and immunity. Here, we show that inflammatory stimuli such as LPS induce the expression of AhR in human dendritic cells (DC) associated with an AhR-dependent increase of CYP1A1 (cytochrome P4501A1). In vivo data confirmed the elevated expression of AhR by LPS and the LPS-enhanced 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-mediated induction of CYP1A1 in thymus of B6 mice. Inhibition of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) repressed both normal and LPS-enhanced, TCDD-inducible, AhR-dependent gene expression and canonical pathway control of RelA-regulated AhR-responsive gene expression. LPS-mediated induction of AhR was NF-κB-dependent, as shown in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from Rel null mice. AhR expression and TCDD-mediated induction of CYP1A1 was significantly reduced in RelA-deficient MEF compared with wild type MEF cells and ectopic expression of RelA restored the expression of AhR and induction of CYP1A1 in MEF RelA null cells. Promoter analysis of the human AhR gene identified three putative NF-κB-binding elements upstream of the transcription start site. Mutation analysis of the AhR promoter identified one NF-κB site as responsible for mediating the induction of AhR expression by LPS and electrophoretic shift assays demonstrated that this NF-κB motif is recognized by the RelA/p50 heterodimer. Our results show for the first time that NF-κB RelA is a critical component regulating the expression of AhR and the induction of AhR-dependent gene expression in immune cells illustrating the interaction of AhR and NF-κB signaling.

Functions of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in the skin

Among other functions, the skin serves as the barrier against the environment and provides vital protection from physical or chemical harm and from infection. Skin cells express the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a ligand-activated transcription factor and sensor of environmental chemicals; at the same time, AHR ligands are abundant in skin from exogenous or endogenous sources. For example, solar radiation, in particular ultraviolet (UV) B, generates AHR ligands from tryptophan in the skin. Recent evidence has shown that AHR is involved in the (patho)physiology of skin including the regulation of skin pigmentation, photocarcinogenesis, and skin inflammation. We here provide a state-of-the-art summary of work which relates to the role of the AHR in (1) adaptive responses against environmental challenges such as UVB or topical chemicals and (2) intrinsic developmental roles for homeostasis of skin cells and (3) skin immunity. We also discuss the existing evidence that AHR antagonists or AHR ligands may be used for the prevention and/or treatment of skin disease.

Analysis of the Transcriptional Regulation and Molecular Function of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Repressor in Human Cell Lines

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor repressor (AhRR) is a member of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling cascade, which mediates dioxin toxicity and is involved in regulation of cell growth and differentiation. The AhRR was described as a feedback modulator, which counteracts AhR-dependent gene expression. We investigated the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional regulation of the human AhRR by cloning its regulatory DNA region located in intron I of the AhRR. By means of reporter gene analyses and generation of deletion variants, we identified a functional, 3-methylcholanthrene-sensitive xenobiotic response element (XRE) site. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that the AhRR binds to this XRE, displaying an autoregulatory loop of AhRR expression. In addition we show that an adjacent GC-box is of functional relevance for AhRR transcription, since blocking of this GC-box resulted in a decrease of constitutive and inducible AhRR gene activity. The differences in constitutive AhRR mRNA level observed in HepG2, primary fibroblast, and HeLa cells are directly correlated with CYP1A1 inducibility. We show that the nonresponsiveness of high AhRR-expressing cells toward AhR-agonists is associated with a constitutive binding of the AhRR to XRE sites of CYP1A1. Treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor sodium butyrate restored the responsiveness of CYP1A1 in these cell lines, due to the dissociation of AhRR from the XREs. Furthermore, transient AhRR mRNA silencing in untreated HeLa cells was accompanied by an increase of basal CYP1A1 expression, pointing to a constitutive role of the AhRR in regulation of CYP1A1. The functional relevance of the AhRR in high AhRR-expressing primary fibroblasts is discussed.

Species-specific differential AhR expression protects human neural progenitor cells against developmental neurotoxicity of PAHs.

Background Because of their lipophilicity, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) cross the human placenta, possibly affecting central nervous system development. Most POPs are known aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligands and activators of AhR signaling. Therefore, AhR activation has been suggested to cause developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). Objective We studied the effects of AhR ligands on basic processes of brain development in two comparative in vitro systems to determine whether AhR-activation is the underlying mechanism for reported DNT of POPs in humans. Methods We employed neurosphere cultures based on human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) and wild-type and AhR-deficient mouse NPCs (mNPCs) and studied the effects of different AhR agonists [3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC), benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P], and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)] and an antagonist [3′-methoxy-4′-nitroflavone (MNF)] on neurosphere development. Moreover, we analyzed expression of AhR and genes involved in AhR signaling. Results In contrast to wild-type mNPCs, hNPCs and AhR-deficient mNPCs were insensitive to AhR agonism or antagonism. Although AhR modulation attenuated wild-type mNPC proliferation and migration, hNPCs and AhR-deficient mNPCs remained unaffected. Results also suggest that species-specific differences resulted from nonfunctional AhR signaling in hNPCs. Conclusion Our findings suggest that in contrast to wild-type mNPCs, hNPCs were protected against polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon–induced DNT because of an absence of AhR. This difference may contribute to species-specific differences in sensitivity to POPs.

The arylhydrocarbon receptor repressor (AhRR): structure, expression, and function

Abstract The arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway is known to be critical for cellular events, especially for those evoked by several environmental chemicals such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Whereas the function of the AhR in TCDD toxicity is well analyzed, the importance of the recently cloned AhRR in the TCDD-stimulated AhR signaling cascade is still unclear. In mammalian tissues, the AhRR gene seems to be ubiquitously expressed and its expression is altered by various AhR ligands. Basal and induced AhRR mRNA levels were found to be highly cell-, tissue- and species-specific. An inhibitory activity of the AhRR on AhR signaling was proposed from overexpression studies. However, there are not sufficient data showing such functional activity of the AhRR in vivo. This short overview summarizes the present knowledge about the AhRR and should stimulate research in the AhRR field to elucidate its physiological function and its toxicological importance in dioxin toxicity.

The AhR-Nrf2 Pathway in Keratinocytes: On the Road to Chemoprevention?

The ligand-activated transcription factor AhR mediates the cutaneous stress response toward a variety of environmental noxae and is therefore currently of interest for modern preventive medicine. In this issue, Tsuji et al. identify the antifungal agent ketoconazole as an inducer of AhR signaling and the Nrf2 antioxidant response in human keratinocytes. Ketoconazole-stimulated nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and its cytoprotective effects against oxidative stress strongly depend on a functional AhR. This newly identified AhR-Nrf2 pathway opens up new opportunities to prevent and treat inflammatory skin diseases.

The Janus-Faced Role of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Signaling in the Skin: Consequences for Prevention and Treatment of Skin Disorders

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor expressed in all skin cell types, which is critically involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of skin diseases and thus represents a potential therapeutic target. Recent studies indicate that blocking AHR activation is desirable in some skin conditions, whereas the opposite, i.e., stimulation of AHR activation, is beneficial in another group of skin disorders. We here propose a model based on qualitative differences in canonical versus non-canonical AHR signaling to reconcile these seemingly contradictory observations.

Evidence for a novel anti-apoptotic pathway in human keratinocytes involving the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, E2F1, and checkpoint kinase 1

Exposure of keratinocytes (KC) to ultraviolet (UV) radiation results in the initiation of apoptosis, a protective mechanism that eliminates cells harboring irreparable DNA damage. Hence, a manipulation of UV-induced apoptosis may significantly influence photocarcinogenesis. We have discovered that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a key regulator of drug metabolism and an UVB-sensitive transcription factor, serves an anti-apoptotic function in UVB-irradiated human KC. Chemical and shRNA-mediated inhibition of AHR signaling sensitized KC to UVB-induced apoptosis by decreasing the expression of E2F1 and its target gene checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1). The decreased expression of these cell-cycle regulators was due to an enhanced expression of p27KIP1 and an associated decrease in phosphorylation of both cyclin-dependent kinase 2 and its substrate molecule retinoblastoma protein. The subsequent inhibition of E2F1 autoregulation and downstream CHK1 expression resulted in an enhanced susceptibility of damaged cells to undergo apoptosis. Accordingly, ectopic overexpression of either E2F1 or CHK1 in AHR-knockdown KC attenuated the observed sensitization to UVB-induced apoptosis. Using an AHR-knockout SKH-1 hairless mouse model, we next demonstrated the physiological relevance of the anti-apoptotic function of AHR. In contrast to their AHR-proficient littermates, the constitutive expression of E2F1 and CHK1 was significantly reduced in the skin of AHR-knockout mice. Accordingly, a single exposure of the animals to UVB resulted in an enhanced cleavage of caspase-3 in the skin of AHR-knockout mice. These results identify for the first time the AHR-E2F1-CHK1 axis as a novel anti-apoptotic pathway in KC, which may represent a suitable target for chemoprevention of non-melanoma skin cancer.

The new aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonist E/Z-2-benzylindene-5,6-dimethoxy-3,3-dimethylindan-1-one protects against UVB-induced signal transduction.

TO THE EDITOR The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates the toxicity of 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and related environmental contaminants (Abel and Haarmann-Stemmann, 2010). The unligated AhR is trapped in a cytosolic multiprotein complex, which rapidly dissociates upon ligand binding. Subsequently, the AhR shuttles into the nucleus, dimerizes with ARNT, and binds to xenobiotic-responsive elements (XREs) in the promoter of target genes, e.g., encoding cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1 monooxygenases, to enforce transcription (Abel and Haarmann-Stemmann, 2010). Furthermore, AhR-triggered activation of c-src tyrosine kinase stimulates EGFR and downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, resulting in the induction of XRE-independent genes, such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2; Abel and Haarmann-Stemmann, 2010). We have previously shown that the AhR in keratinocytes is not only activated by anthropogenic chemicals but also by UVB irradiation, which leads to the intracellular formation of the tryptophan photoproduct and high-affinity AhR ligand 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ; Rannug et al., 1995; Fritsche et al., 2007). Indeed, UVB exposure enhances AhR/XRE binding (Supplementary Figure 1 online) and accompanied CYP1A1/1B1 expression (Katiyar et al., 2000), as well as XRE-independent COX-2 expression (Fritsche et al., 2007). Because (i) overexpression of a constitutively active AhR causes inflammatory skin lesions (Tauchi et al., 2005), (ii) an increase in CYP activity leads to reactive oxygen species formation (Puntarulo and Cederbaum, 1998), (iii) CYP1 enzymes are critical for chemical-induced skin carcinogenesis (Shimizu et al., 2000), and (iv) COX-2 is involved in UV-induced inflammation and carcinogenesis (Elmets et al., 2010), it was postulated that a transient inhibition of AhR may protect human skin against the detrimental effects of UVB irradiation (Agostinis et al., 2007; Haarmann-Stemmann et al., 2012). Moreover, we have shown that the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), which is critically involved in extrinsic skin aging, is upregulated in an AhR-dependent manner in tobacco smoke extract–exposed keratinocytes (Ono et al., 2013). Therefore, we decided to develop an AHR antagonist that is suitable for topical UV-protection. We screened a library of compounds that possess the structural prerequisites to interact with AhR and identified E/Z-2-benzylidene-5,6-dimethoxy-3,3-dimethylindan-1-one (BDDI; Figure 1a) as the most promising candidate. Figure 1 Characterization of antagonistic capacities of E/Z-2-benzylidene-5,6-dimethoxy-3,3-dimethylindan-1-one (BDDI) in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) In concentrations from 0.33 to 33 µM, BDDI did not negatively affect cell viability or cause cytotoxicity in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs; Figure 1b; for description of methods see Supplementary Material online). It is noteworthy that exposure to higher concentrations of BDDI enhanced cell viability (Figure 1b) without increasing the proliferation rate (data not shown). Exposure of NHEKs to 0.33 to 33 µM BDDI or 10 µM of the specific AhR inhibitor 3′-methoxy-4′-nitroflavone (MNF; Lu et al., 1995) resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease of basal CYP1A1 expression (Figure 1c). AhR activation by 10nM FICZ or 250 nM benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] resulted in 12- to 14-fold induction of CYP1A1 transcription after 4 h, whereas irradiation with 100 Jm−2 UVB led to a fourfold increase in CYP1A1 expression after 8 hours (Figure 1c). Pretreatment with 10µM MNF or 33 µM BDDI significantly attenuated CYP1A1 induction. Interestingly, a dose of 3.3 µM BDDI was sufficient to repress UVB- and FICZ-stimulated, but not B(a)P-induced, CYP1A1 expression, which was probably due to the different half-lives of the inducing agents (Figure 1c). To confirm the inhibitory effect of BDDI on CYP1A1, we treated NHEKs for 24 h with 250 nM B(a)P alone or in combination with BDDI and measured CYP1A-mediated 7-O-ethoxyresorufin-deethylase (EROD) activities. A 1 hour pretreatment with 0.33 to 33 µM BDDI resulted in a dose-dependent decline of B(a)P-induced EROD activity (Figure 1d), thereby confirming the AhR antagonistic properties of BDDI. Importantly, BDDI only transiently represses AhR function. Whereas a BDDI pretreatment for 1 hour attenuated UVB-mediated CYP1A1 induction in NHEKs, a pretreatment for 24 hours was not effective (Figure 1e). BDDI treatment of NHEKs directly after irradiation also decreased UVB-mediated CYP1A1 induction, providing evidence that BDDI does not act as a UVB-filter (Figure 1f). To elucidate the mode of action of BDDI, we performed an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) that is well established to detect a direct binding of AhR/ARNT to a XRE consensus oligonucleotide (Denison et al., 1988; Vogel et al., 2004). Upon exposure of human HaCaT keratinocytes to 10 nM TCDD or 100 nM FICZ, we observed a strong binding of the AhR/ARNT complex to its DNA target motif (Figure 2a). Co-exposure of HaCaT cells to 3.3 µM BDDI or 10 µM MNF clearly blocked TCDD-and FICZ-triggered AhR/XRE binding (Figure 2a), providing evidence that BDDI acts as a true competitive AhR antagonist. Figure 2 BDDI disturbs XRE binding of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)/ARNT and represses UVB-induced gene expression in a human in vivo study To investigate whether BDDI is suitable for UV-protection of human skin, we treated defined skin areas of 10 healthy volunteers once daily on 4 consecutive days with a formulation containing 0.5% BDDI or a placebo formulation (Figure 2b). On day 4, 2 hours after the application of the substances, volunteers were irradiated with 1.5 MED (minimal erythema dose) UVB, and 24 hours later skin biopsies were taken. Quantitative expression analyses revealed a significantly increased expression of CYP1A1, COX-2, and MMP-1 in UVB-irradiated compared with sham-irradiated skin. Topical application of BDDI, but not the placebo formulation, significantly reduced the UVB-induced expression of all these genes, indicating that BDDI penetrates human skin and blocks AhR-dependent signaling. This experiment also revealed that the AhR is activated upon UVB irradiation in human skin in vivo. Importantly, the erythema response of the volunteers was not significantly affected during the study. As CYP1A1, COX-2, and MMP-1 are critically involved in cutaneous inflammatory diseases, skin cancer, and skin aging, we propose that the topical application of this chemical inhibitor presents a promising strategy to protect human skin against UVB-induced damage. In contrast to MNF (structural safety alert), BDDI has the clinical advantage of being suitable for dermal applications in humans. Our in vitro data further indicate that BDDI may protect against the adverse effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are frequently found on airborne particulate matter (Vierkotter et al., 2010). Finally, BDDI may serve as a tool to study the involvement of AhR signaling in human skin (patho)physiology.