Ulla Jalonen

Inhibition of classical PKC isoenzymes downregulates STAT1 activation and iNOS expression in LPS-treated murine J774 macrophages

Proinflammatory cytokines and bacterial products trigger inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and nitric oxide (NO) production in inflammatory and tissue cells. In inflammation, NO acts as an important mediator having both proinflammatory and destructive effects. Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of serine–threonine protein kinase isoenzymes involved in signal transduction pathways related to inflammatory responses. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of classical PKC (cPKC) isoenzymes in the regulation of iNOS expression and NO production in murine J774 macrophages and the mechanisms involved. RO318220 (inhibits PKCβ, PKCγ and PKCɛ), GÖ6976 (inhibits cPKC isoenzymes PKCα and PKCβ) and LY333531 (inhibits PKCβ) reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced NO production and iNOS expression in a dose‐dependent manner as did 6 h pretreatment with 1 μM phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA) (which was shown to downregulate PKC expression). PKC inhibitors also reduced LPS‐induced iNOS mRNA levels, but they did not affect the half‐life of iNOS mRNA. PKC inhibitors did not alter LPS‐induced activation of NF‐κB as measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. All PKC inhibitors used and pretreatment with 1 μM PMA inhibited signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) activation as measured by the translocation of STAT1α from the cytosol to the nucleus by Western blot. In addition, inhibition of STAT1 activation by AG‐490, an inhibitor of JAK‐2, also reduced NO production. These results suggest that cPKC isoenzymes, especially PKCβ, mediate the upregulation of iNOS expression and NO production in activated macrophages in an NF‐κB‐independent manner, possibly through the activation of transcription factor STAT1.

Inhibitors of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases Downregulate COX-2 Expression in Human Chondrocytes

Inducible prostaglandin synthase (cyclooxygenase-2, COX-2) is expressed in rheumatoid and osteoarthritic cartilage and produces high amounts of proinflammatory prostanoids in the joint. In the present study we investigated the effects of the inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways Erk1/2, p38, and JNK on COX-2 expression and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in human chondrocytes. Proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β caused a transient activation of Erk1/2, p38, and JNK in immortalized human T/C28a2 chondrocytes and that was followed by enhanced COX-2 expression and PGE2 production. PD98059 (an inhibitor of Erk1/2 pathway) suppressed IL-1-induced COX-2 expression and PGE2 production in a dose-dependent manner, and seemed to have an inhibitory effect on COX-2 activity. SB203580 (an inhibitor of p38 pathway) but not its negative control compound SB202474 inhibited COX-2 protein and mRNA expression and subsequent PGE2 synthesis at micromolar drug concentrations. SP600125 (a recently developed JNK inhibitor) but not its negative control compound N1-methyl-1,9-pyrazolanthrone downregulated COX-2 expression and PGE2 formation in a dose-dependent manner. SP600125 did not downregulate IL-1-induced COX-2 mRNA expression when measured 2 h after addition of IL-1β but suppressed mRNA levels in the later time points suggesting post-transcriptional regulation. Our results suggest that activation of Erk1/2, p38, and JNK pathways belongs to the signaling cascades that mediate the upregulation of COX-2 expression and PGE2 production in human chondrocytes exposed to proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β.

Down-Regulation of Tristetraprolin Expression Results in Enhanced IL-12 and MIP-2 Production and Reduced MIP-3α Synthesis in Activated Macrophages

In inflammation, the post-transcriptional regulation of transiently expressed genes provides a potential therapeutic target. Tristetraprolin (TTP) is of the factors regulating decay of cytokine mRNAs. The aim of the present study was to identify cytokines whose expression is regulated by TTP. We established a TTP knock-down cell line by expressing shRNA against TTP (shTTP cell line). A cytokine antibody array was used to measure cytokine production in macrophages exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cytokines IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α, and MIP-2 (a homologue to human IL-8) were expressed at higher levels whereas MIP-3α was produced at lower levels in LPS-treated shTTP cells than in control cells suggesting that the expression of these cytokines is regulated by TTP. The present data provide IL-12, MIP-2, and MIP-3α as novel inflammatory cytokine targets for TTP-mediated mRNA decay and stress the role of TTP in the regulation of the inflammatory process.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors induce apoptosis in human eosinophils and neutrophils

BackgroundGranulocytes are important in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory diseases. Apoptosis is pivotal in the resolution of inflammation. Apoptosis in malignant cells is induced by histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, whereas HDAC inhibitors do not usually induce apoptosis in non-malignant cells. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of HDAC inhibitors on apoptosis in human eosinophils and neutrophils.MethodsApoptosis was assessed by relative DNA fragmentation assay, annexin-V binding, and morphologic analysis. HDAC activity in nuclear extracts was measured with a nonisotopic assay. HDAC expression was measured by real-time PCR.ResultsA HDAC inhibitor Trichostatin A (TSA) induced apoptosis in the presence of survival-prolonging cytokines interleukin-5 and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in eosinophils and neutrophils. TSA enhanced constitutive eosinophil and neutrophil apoptosis. Similar effects were seen with a structurally dissimilar HDAC inhibitor apicidin. TSA showed additive effect on the glucocorticoid-induced eosinophil apoptosis, but antagonized glucocorticoid-induced neutrophil survival. Eosinophils and neutrophils expressed all HDACs at the mRNA level except that HDAC5 and HDAC11 mRNA expression was very low in both cell types, HDAC8 mRNA was very low in neutrophils and HDAC9 mRNA low in eosinophils. TSA reduced eosinophil and neutrophil nuclear HDAC activities by ~50-60%, suggesting a non-histone target. However, TSA did not increase the acetylation of a non-histone target NF-κB p65. c-jun-N-terminal kinase and caspases 3 and 6 may be involved in the mechanism of TSA-induced apoptosis, whereas PI3-kinase and caspase 8 are not.ConclusionsHDAC inhibitors enhance apoptosis in human eosinophils and neutrophils in the absence and presence of survival-prolonging cytokines and glucocorticoids.

Compounds that increase or mimic cyclic adenosine monophosphate enhance tristetraprolin degradation in lipopolysaccharide-treated murine j774 macrophages.

Tristetraprolin (TTP) is a trans-acting factor that can regulate mRNA stability by binding to the cis-acting AU-rich element (ARE) in the 3′-untranslated region in mRNAs of certain transiently expressed genes. The best-studied target of TTP is tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. By binding to ARE, TTP increases the degradation of TNF-α mRNA, thereby reducing the expression of TNF-α. We examined the effects of cAMP analogs and the cAMP-elevating agents forskolin and β2-agonists on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced TTP mRNA and protein expression by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting in activated macrophages. All of these agents caused a slight increase in LPS-induced expression of TTP mRNA. However, TTP protein levels were significantly reduced when the cells were treated with the combination of LPS and cAMP-elevating agent compared with LPS alone. Proteasome inhibitors MG132 (N-[(phenylmethoxy)-carbonyl]-l-leucyl-N-[(1S)-1-formyl-3-methylbutyl]-l-leucinamide) and lactacystin increased TTP protein levels and abolished the effects of cAMP-enhancing compounds on TTP protein levels. The results suggest that mediators and drugs that enhance intracellular cAMP reduce TTP expression in macrophages exposed to inflammatory stimuli by increasing TTP degradation through the proteasome pathway.

Inhibition of protein kinase Cδ reduces tristetraprolin expression by destabilizing its mRNA in activated macrophages

Tristetraprolin (TTP) binds to AU-rich elements within the mRNAs of several inflammatory genes and causes destabilization of the target mRNAs. The protein kinase C (PKC) pathway represents a major signalling system in inflammation and PKCdelta is one of the key isoenzymes in the regulation of inflammatory processes. In the present study, we investigated the role of PKCdelta in the regulation of the expression of tristetraprolin in activated macrophages by using the PKCdelta inhibitor, rottlerin, and by downregulating PKCdelta expression by using PKCdelta siRNA. TTP protein and mRNA expression were measured by Western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR, respectively. TTP and TNFalpha mRNA decays were studied by the actinomycin D assay. In addition, we measured nuclear translocation of transcription factors believed to be important for TTP transcription, i.e. NF-kappaB, AP-2, SP1 and EGR1. Downregulation of PKCdelta by siRNA decreased significantly TTP expression in activated macrophages. Rottlerin also decreased TTP expression in wild type cells but not in cells in which PKCdelta had been downregulated by siRNA. Rottlerin decreased TTP mRNA half-life as measured by actinomycin D assay but it did not affect the nuclear translocation of transcription factors NF-kappaB, Sp1, AP-2 or EGR1 (which have been shown to be involved in TTP transcription). In addition, rottlerin reduced the decay of TNFalpha mRNA, which is an important target of TTP. The results suggest that PKCdelta up-regulates the expression of TTP by stabilizing its mRNA which may serve as a feed-back loop to regulate the inflammatory response.

Inhibition of protein kinase C βII downregulates tristetraprolin expression in activated macrophages

Abstract.Objective and design:Tristetraprolin (TTP) is a 3’-UTR-binding protein known to destabilize mRNAs of TNFα and some other cytokines and to act as an anti-inflammatory factor. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of classical protein kinase C isoenzymes (cPKC) in the regulation of TTP expression in activated macrophages.Materials and methods:The expression of TTP in J774 macrophages was induced by a combination of LPS and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). The effects of cPKC inhibitors and the effects of cPKC activation and downregulation by PMA on TTP protein and mRNA expression were determined by Western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR, respectively. Also, the effect of PKCβII inhibitor CGP53353 on the activation of transcription factors AP-2, NF-κB, EGR1 and Sp1 was assessed.Results:cPKC inhibitors RO318220, GÖ6976, LY333531 and CGP53353 inhibited LPS and PMA–induced expression of TTP protein and mRNA. Similar effects were obtained when cPKC isoenzymes were downregulated by PMA. In addition, CGP53353 decreased the activation of transcription factor AP-2.Conclusions:The results suggest that cPKCs, most likely PKCβII, upregulate TTP expression in activated macrophages. This regulation is possibly mediated through the activation of transcription factor AP-2, and serves as an additional mechanism how PKCβ regulates the inflammatory process.