CCL2 Promoter Research Articles

Estrogen receptor α in cancer associated fibroblasts suppresses prostate cancer invasion via reducing CCL5, IL6 and macrophage infiltration in the tumor microenvironment

BackgroundCancer associated fibroblasts (CAF) play important roles in tumor growth that involves inflammation and epithelial cell differentiation. Early studies suggested that estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) was expressed in stromal cells in normal prostates and prostate cancer (PCa), but the detailed functions of stromal ERα in the PCa remain to be further elucidated.MethodsMigration and invasion assays demonstrated the presence of high levels of ERα in CAF cells (CAF.ERα(+)) suppressed PCa invasion via influencing the infiltration of tumor associated macrophages. ERα decreased CAF CCL5 secretion via suppressing the CCL5 promoter activity was examined by luciferase assay. ERα decreased CCL5 and IL-6 expression in conditioned media that was collected from CAF cell only or CAF cell co-cultured with macrophages as measured by ELISA assay.ResultsBoth in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated CAF.ERα(+) led to a reduced macrophage migration toward PCa via inhibiting CAF cells secreted chemokine CCL5. This CAF.ERα(+) suppressed macrophage infiltration affected the neighboring PCa cells invasion and the reduced invasiveness of PCa cells are at least partly due to reduced IL6 expression in the macrophages and CAF.ConclusionOur data suggest that CAF ERα could be applied as a prognostic marker to predict cancer progression, and targeting CCL5 and IL6 may be applied as an alternative therapeutic approach to reduce M2 type macrophages and PCa invasion in PCa patients with low or little ERα expression in CAF cells.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12943-015-0488-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Peptides of amaranth were targeted as containing sequences with potential anti-inflammatory properties

The immunomodulatory effect of amaranth peptides on epithelial cells activated through the NF-κB signalling pathway was examined. Results showed that extensive protein hydrolysis from amaranth (23 and 30% degree of hydrolysis) reduced the emission of light in bacterial flagellin-activated Caco-2 CCL20: luc cells (Caco-2 cells transfected with a luciferase reporter under the control of the CCL20 promoter) compared with the non-hydrolysed protein. Purification of the most active peptide fractions by HPLC chromatography and sequencing showed that the peptide SSEDIKE possessed a modulatory capacity on activated cells to suppress the expression of mRNA coding for CCL20. This peptide was non-toxic for cells. These findings indicated that the peptide SSEDIKE derived from proteins of amaranth attenuated the activation of human intestinal epithelial cell, and hence amaranth proteins could be included in functional foods as a source of bioactive peptides with health promoting properties.

NFATc1 releases BCL6-dependent repression of CCR2 agonist expression in peritoneal macrophages from Saccharomyces cerevisiae infected mice.

The link between the extensive usage of calcineurin (CN) inhibitors cyclosporin A and tacrolimus (FK506) in transplantation medicine and the increasing rate of opportunistic infections within this segment of patients is alarming. Currently, how peritoneal infections are favored by these drugs, which impair the activity of several signaling pathways including the Ca(++) /CN/NFAT, Ca(++) /CN/cofilin, Ca(++) /CN/BAD, and NF-κB networks, is unknown. Here, we show that Saccharomyces cerevisiae infection of peritoneal resident macrophages triggers the transient nuclear translocation of NFATc1β isoforms, resulting in a coordinated, CN-dependent induction of the Ccl2, Ccl7, and Ccl12 genes, all encoding CCR2 agonists. CN inhibitors block the CCR2-dependent recruitment of inflammatory monocytes (IM) to the peritoneal cavities of S. cerevisiae infected mice. In myeloid cells, NFATc1/β proteins represent the most prominent NFATc1 isoforms. NFATc1/β ablation leads to a decrease of CCR2 chemokines, impaired mobilization of IMs, and delayed clearance of infection. We show that, upon binding to a composite NFAT/BCL6 regulatory element within the Ccl2 promoter, NFATc1/β proteins release the BCL6-dependent repression of Ccl2 gene in macrophages. These findings suggest a novel CN-dependent cross-talk between NFAT and BCL6 transcription factors, which may affect the outcome of opportunistic fungal infections in immunocompromised patients.

Pharmacological Inhibition of Histone Demethylase JMJD3 Reduces Leukemia Cell Survival and Represses Production of the Cytokine CCL2 in MDS/AML

Deregulation of pro-inflammation signals plays an important role in MDS and AML. We have previously demonstrated that the histone H3 demethylase JMJD3 (KDM6B), a key regulator of inflammatory genes, is significantly overexpressed in the bone marrow progenitor cell population of patients with MDS (Wei et al, 2013). GSK-J4, a novel selective inhibitor against JMJD3, has been shown to modulate pro-inflammatory signals and affect cell growth in T-ALL and glioma. We therefore sought to evaluate the effect of GSK-J4 in MDS and AML.First, we observed that GSK-J4 significantly reduces the survival of MDS and AML cell lines (MDS-L and TF1) by 70% at concentrations 1-3 uM. These doses have no obvious cytotoxic effect on primary normal peripheral blood cells. The repression of survival was associated with induction of apoptosis, cell cycle blockade, and inhibition of p38MAPK activation. Second, we evaluated the impact of GSK-J4 on histone H3 methylation and found that the compound did not affect overall histone H3K4 and K27 methylation, which is consistent with previous findings (Ntziachristos et al, 2014).To pinpoint functionally relevant targets of JMJD3 inhibition in AML/MDS, we sought to identify disease-relevant inflammatory cytokines because JMJD3 binds and modulates promoters of many pro-inflammatory genes, particularly cytokines. We analyzed 38 inflammatory cytokines in bone marrow plasma specimens of patients with MDS (N=37) using a Luminex-based cytokine array, which revealed that levels of the cytokines CCL2 (also called MCP-1) and CCL11 (also called eotaxin-1) are significantly elevated in patients compared to healthy controls by 700 and 330 fold respectively (p=0.002 and 0.04, respectively). Both CCL2 and 11 are c-c motif chemokines whose encoding genes are located in the human chromosome 17q cytokine gene cluster. Furthermore, compared to pre-treatment samples, CCL2 was significantly elevated in paired plasma samples that were collected after hypomethylating agent (HMA) treatment (2.5 fold increase, N=11 pairs, p=0.04). Luminex results were confirmed by cytokine-specific ELISA. Previous studies have shown that JMJD3 binds to CCL2 gene promoter in mouse macrophage cells (De Santa et al, 2009). Together these results implicate that CCL2 may be a relevant pro-inflammatory signal modulated by JMJD3 in MDS/ AML.We therefore sought to evaluate impact of JMJD3 inhibition on CCL2 production by MDS/AML cells. In MDS-L and TF1 cells, GSK-J4 significantly repressed RNA expression and cytokine release of CCL2. Furthermore, in HMA-resistant MDS-L and TF1 derivative cell lines, productions of CCL2 are elevated by 1.8 and 2.5 fold respectively compared to their parental lines. Treatment of HMA-resistant lines with GSK-J4 improved the anti-leukemia effect of decitabine and had a synergistic effect with HMA.In summary, we have demonstrated that pharmacological inhibition of JMJD3 by GSK-J4 has anti-leukemia effects in MDS/AML cells and has the potential to improve hypomethylation-based therapy in this disease. A possible mechanism for this effect is through the modulation of the inflammatory cytokine CCL2. To further evaluate this hypothesis, we will characterize the effect of JMJD3 and its inhibition on histone methylation of the CCL2 promoter in future work. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

The oncolytic virus dl922-947 reduces IL-8/CXCL8 and MCP-1/CCL2 expression and impairs angiogenesis and macrophage infiltration in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is one of the most aggressive human solid tumor and current treatments are ineffective in increasing patients' survival. Thus, the development of new therapeutic approaches for ATC is needed. We have previously shown that the oncolytic adenovirus dl922-947 induces ATC cell death in vitro and tumor regression in vivo. However, the impact of dl922-947 on the pro-tumorigenic ATC microenvironment is still unknown. Since viruses are able to regulate cytokine and chemokine production from infected cells, we sought to investigate whether dl922-947 virotherapy has such effect on ATC cells, thereby modulating ATC microenvironment. dl922-947 decreased IL-8/CXCL8 and MCP-1/CCL2 production by the ATC cell lines 8505-c and BHT101-5. These results correlated with dl922-947-mediated reduction of NF-κB p65 binding to IL8 promoter in 8505-c and BHT101-5 cells and CCL2 promoter in 8505-c cells. IL-8 stimulates cancer cell proliferation, survival and invasion, and also angiogenesis. dl922-947-mediated reduction of IL-8 impaired ATC cell motility in vitro and ATC-induced angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. We also show that dl922-947-mediated reduction of the monocyte-attracting chemokine CCL2 decreased monocyte chemotaxis in vitro and tumor macrophage density in vivo. Interestingly, dl922-947 treatment induced the switch of tumor macrophages toward a pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype, likely by increasing the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon-γ. Altogether, we demonstrate that dl922-947 treatment re-shape the pro-tumorigenic ATC microenvironment by modulating cancer-cell intrinsic factors and the immune response. An in-depth knowledge of dl922-947-mediated effects on ATC microenvironment may help to refine ATC virotherapy in the context of cancer immunotherapy.

Upregulation of CCL2 via ATF3/c-Jun interaction mediated the Bortezomib-induced peripheral neuropathy

Bortezomib (BTZ) is a frequently used chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of refractory multiple myeloma and hematological neoplasms. The mechanism by which the administration of BTZ leads to painful peripheral neuropathy remains unclear. In present study, we found that application of BTZ at 0.4mg/kg for consecutive 5days significantly increased the expression of CCL2 in DRG, and intrathecal administration of neutralizing antibody against CCL2 inhibited the mechanical allodynia induced by BTZ. We also found an increased expression of c-Jun in DRG, and that inhibition of c-Jun signaling prevented the CCL2 upregulation and mechanical allodynia in the rats treated with BTZ. Furthermore, the results with luciferase assay in vitro and ChIP assay in vivo showed that c-Jun might be essential for BTZ-induced CCL2 upregulation via binding directly to the specific position of the ccl2 promoter. In addition, the present results showed that an upregulated expression of ATF3 was co-expressed with c-Jun in the DRG neurons, and the enhanced interaction between c-Jun and ATF3 was observed in DRG in the rats treated with BTZ. Importantly, pretreatment with ATF3 siRNA significantly inhibited the recruitment of c-Jun to the ccl2 promoter in the rats treated with BTZ. Taken together, these findings suggested that upregulation of CCL2 resulting from the enhanced interaction between c-Jun and ATF3 in DRG contributed to BTZ-induced mechanical allodynia.

CCL2 is transcriptionally controlled by the lysosomal protease cathepsin S in a CD74-dependent manner.

Cathepsins S (CatS) has been implicated in numerous tumourigenic processes and here we document for the first time its involvement in CCL2 regulation within the tumour microenvironment. Analysis of syngeneic tumours highlighted reduced infiltrating macrophages in CatS depleted tumours. Interrogation of tumours and serum revealed genetic ablation of CatS leads to the depletion of several pro-inflammatory chemokines, most notably, CCL2. This observation was validated in vitro, where shRNA depletion of CatS resulted in reduced CCL2 expression. This regulation is transcriptionally mediated, as evident from RT-PCR analysis and CCL2 promoter studies. We revealed that CatS regulation of CCL2 is modulated through CD74 (also known as the invariant chain), a known substrate of CatS and a mediator of NFkB activity. Furthermore, CatS and CCL2 show a strong clinical correlation in brain, breast and colon tumours. In summary, these results highlight a novel mechanism by which CatS controls CCL2, which may present a useful pharmacodynamic marker for CatS inhibition.

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation Synergistically Induces Lipopolysaccharide-Mediated Expression of Proinflammatory Chemokine (c-c motif) Ligand 20.

The Ah receptor (AHR) is directly involved in the regulation of both innate and adaptive immunity. However, these activities are poorly understood at the level of gene regulation. The chemokine (c-c motif) ligand 20 (CCL20) plays a nonredundant role in the chemoattraction of C-C motif receptor 6 expressing cells (eg, T cells and others). A survey of promoter regions of chemokine genes revealed that there are several putative dioxin responsive elements in the mouse Ccl20 promoter. The addition of an AHR agonist along with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to cultured primary peritoneal macrophages results in synergistic induction of both Ccl20 mRNA and protein, compared with each compound alone. Through the use of macrophage cultures derived from Ahr(-) (/) (-) and Ahr(nls/nls) mice, it was established that expression of the AHR and its ability to translocate into the nucleus are necessary for AHR ligand-mediated synergistic induction of Ccl20. Gel shift analysis determined that a potent tandem AHR binding site ~3.1 kb upstream from the transcriptional start site can efficiently bind the AHR/ARNT (aryl hydrocarbon receptor/AHR nuclear translocator) heterodimer upon activation with a number of AHR agonists. Furthermore, studies reveal that LPS increases AHR levels on the Ccl20 promoter while decreasing HDAC1 occupancy. The level of Ccl20 constitutive expression in the colon is greatly attenuated in Ahr(-) (/) (-) mice. These studies suggest that the presence of AHR ligands during localized inflammation may augment chemokine expression, thus participating in the overall response to pathogens.

Transforming Growth Factor-β and Interleukin-1β Signaling Pathways Converge on the Chemokine CCL20 Promoter

CCL20 is the only chemokine ligand for the chemokine receptor CCR6, which is expressed by the critical antigen presenting cells, dendritic cells. Increased expression of CCL20 is likely involved in the increased recruitment of dendritic cells observed in fibroinflammatory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). CCL20 expression is increased by the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β. We have determined that IL-1β-dependent CCL20 expression is also dependent on the multifunctional cytokine TGF-β. TGF-β is expressed in a latent form that must be activated to function, and activation is achieved through binding to the integrin αvβ8 (itgb8). Here we confirm correlative increases in αvβ8 and IL-1β with CCL20 protein in lung parenchymal lysates of a large cohort of COPD patients. How IL-1β- and αvβ8-mediated TGF-β activation conspire to increase fibroblast CCL20 expression remains unknown, because these pathways have not been shown to directly interact. We evaluate the 5'-flanking region of CCL20 to determine that IL-1β-driven CCL20 expression is dependent on αvβ8-mediated activation of TGF-β. We identify a TGF-β-responsive element (i.e. SMAD) located on an upstream enhancer of the human CCL20 promoter required for efficient IL-1β-dependent CCL20 expression. By chromatin immunoprecipitation, this upstream enhancer complexes with the p50 subunit of NF-κB on a NF-κB-binding element close to the transcriptional start site of CCL20. These interactions are confirmed by electromobility shift assays in nuclear extracts from human lung fibroblasts. These data define a mechanism by which αvβ8-dependent activation of TGF-β regulates IL-1β-dependent CCL20 expression in COPD.

Genome wide mapping of epigenetic signatures identify novel enhancer elements that underpin virus-specific CD8+ T cell differentiation (IRM14P.445)

Abstract The molecular mechanisms that underpin acquisition and maintenance of lineage specific gene expression by virus-specific CD8+ T cells are not fully delineated. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of genome associated histone proteins are a key mechanism for regulating gene expression. We mapped genome wide changes in histone PTM deposition during virus-specific CD8+ T cell differentiation. By comparing the location and level of deposition of a combination of H3K4me1, H3K4me2, H3K4me3, H3K27me3, H3K27Ac, chromatin accessibility and binding of the histone acetyltransferase, p300, we could map both known and putative enhancer elements that are differentially regulated between naive, effector and memory virus-specific CD8+ T cells. Using this epigenetic blueprint, we identified putative transcriptional enhancers located upstream of the Ccl5 gene, a key CD8+ T cell effector gene. We demonstrate that acquisition of Ccl5 transcription upon T cell activation is regulated via temporal and transcription factor (TF) dependent chromatin remodelling. Using chromatin conformation capture (3C) to measure enhancer-promoter interactions, we show that that TF dependent looping of these enhancer elements onto the Ccl5 promoter correlated with transcriptional activation and potential. These studies form a platform for more in depth analysis of key non-coding regulatory elements that regulate acquisition of virus-specific T cell gene expression and maintenance into memory.

504. Targeted Genome Engineering of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells To Produce Auto-Regulated Inflammation Resistance for Musculoskeletal Regenerative Medicine

Chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis are characterized by aberrant and dysregulated responses to cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). While exogenous anti-cytokine therapies have been shown to diminish this inflammatory response, they are often used at high, unregulated doses that can induce significant side effects. Here, we propose a novel regenerative medicine approach to treating such chronic inflammatory diseases by generating custom-designed cells that can execute real-time, user-defined responses to environmental cues, including pro-inflammatory cytokines. We designed and deployed gene editing nucleases based on the CRISPR/Cas9 system to create stem cells with the ability to antagonize TNFα-mediated inflammation in an auto-regulated, feedback-controlled manner for musculoskeletal regenerative medicine applications. Specifically, the cytokine-responsive Ccl2 gene was reprogrammed by nuclease-mediated integration of the gene encoding soluble TNFα receptor I (sTNFRI), a TNFα antagonist, immediately downstream of the Ccl2 promoter. Using a combination of qRT-PCR and site-specific integration of luciferase reporters, we observed increased transgene transcription in response to endogenous Ccl2 activation by treatment with TNFα. Transgene expression from engineered cells was feedback-controlled with rapid on/off dynamics (Fig 1 A). Importantly, engineered cells showed the ability to mitigate the inflammatory effects of TNFα in an auto-regulated manner within 48 hr of induction (Fig 1 B). Finally, while cartilage produced from control stem cells showed significant tissue degradation in response to TNFα, cartilage derived from engineered stem cells was protected from a 3-day treatment with 20 ng/ml TNFα, as evidenced by qRT-PCR, biochemical, and histological analyses (Fig 1C-G).This work demonstrates the utility of programmable nucleases for the development of “designer” stem cells with properties customized for regenerative medicine. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we engineered pluripotent stem cells with the user-specified trait of pro-inflammatory cytokine resistance. Our results show that genome engineering facilitated the rewiring of endogenous cell circuits in order to define novel input/output relationships between inflammatory mediators and their antagonists, achieving therapeutic benefit coupled to a rapidly responding, auto-regulated system. The customization of intrinsic cellular signaling pathways in therapeutic stem cell populations, as demonstrated in this work, can transform the landscape of regenerative medicine and open innovative possibilities for safer and more effective treatments applicable to a wide variety of diseases. View Large Image | Download PowerPoint Slide

Association of IgE-mediated allergen sensitivity and promoter polymorphisms of chemokine (C–C motif) ligand 5 gene in Han Chinese patients with allergic skin diseases

Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs2280788 (−28C>G) and rs2107538 (−403G>A), in the promoter region of chemokine (C–C motif) ligand 5 (CCL5) was reported to be involved in the immunoglobulin E (IgE) expression and IgE-mediated allergic reactions. This study was to investigate the characteristics of total serum IgE level, specific allergen sensitivities and the two SNPs in the allergic skin disease (ASD) patients. ASD patients visiting the dermatological outpatient department of a local hospital were included with certain criteria, and the fasting venous blood was sampled for analysis. Total serum IgE was assayed with an ELISA kit, and 14 kinds of allergen-specific IgE were tested with an allergen screening system. The polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used to analyze the two SNPs. Among the finally included 437 patients aged from 16 to 85 years, 68.2 % was positive for the total serum IgE, 49.2 % was positive for at least one of the assayed allergen-specific IgE, and 35.0 % was sensitive to house dust mite. In the SNPs analysis, the GG/(GA+AA) ratio and G/A ratio for the −403G>A locus in the male and/or female ≥45 years subgroup were significantly lower in the total serum IgE positive patients than in the negative patients (P < 0.05). Weak linkage disequilibrium was found between −403A and −28C alleles in male subgroups adjusted by age. Conclusively, house dust mite was the most common allergen in ASD patients, and −403A allele of CCL5 promoter was a risk factor for IgE-mediated sensitization.

Impaired nuclear translocation of the glucocorticoid receptor in corticosteroid-insensitive airway smooth muscle in severe asthma.

Patients with severe asthma (SA) are less responsive to the beneficial effects of corticosteroid (CS) therapy, and relative CS insensitivity has been shown in airway smooth muscle cells (ASMC) from patients with SA. We investigated whether there was a defect in the actions of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) underlying the ability of CS to suppress the inflammatory response in ASMC of patients with SA. ASMC from healthy subjects (n = 10) and subjects with severe (n = 8) and nonsevere asthma (N-SA; n = 8) were cultured from endobronchial biopsies. GR expression in ASMC from SA and N-SA was reduced compared with that from healthy subjects by 49% (P < 0.01). Although baseline levels of nuclear GR were similar, GR nuclear translocation induced by dexamethasone (10(-7) M) in SA was 60% of that measured in either healthy subjects or subjects with N-SA. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α induced greater nuclear factor (NF)-κB (p65) mRNA expression in ASMC from subjects with SA (5.6- vs. 2.0-fold; P < 0.01), whereas baseline and TNF-α-induced nuclear translocation and dexamethasone-mediated suppression of p65 expression were similar between groups. Dexamethasone, although not modulating TNF-α-induced p65 nuclear translocation, attenuated p65 recruitment to the CCL11 promoter in the healthy and N-SA groups, but this suppressive effect was impaired in subjects with SA. Decreased GR expression with impaired nuclear translocation in ASMC, associated with reduced dexamethasone-mediated attenuation of p65 recruitment to NF-κB-dependent gene promoters, may underlie CS insensitivity of severe asthma.

The histone deacetylase Hdac1 regulates inflammatory signalling in intestinal epithelial cells

BackgroundIt has recently been found that both nuclear epithelial-expressed histone deacetylases Hdac1 and Hdac2 are important to insure intestinal homeostasis and control the mucosal inflammatory response in vivo. In addition, HDAC inhibitors modulate epithelial cell inflammatory responses in cancer cells. However, little is known of the specific role of different HDAC, notably Hdac1, in the regulation of inflammatory gene expression in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC).MethodsWe investigated the role of Hdac1 in non-transformed IEC-6 rat cells infected with lentiviral vectors expressing specific Hdac1 shRNAs, to suppress Hdac1 expression. Proliferation was assessed by cell counting. Deacetylase activity was measured with a colorimetric HDAC assay. Cells were treated with IL-1β and/or the JQ1 bromodomain acetyl-binding inhibitor. Nuclear protein levels of Hdac1, Hdac2, phosphorylated or unphosphorylated NF-κB p65 or C/EBPβ, and NF-κB p50 and actin were determined by Western blot. Chemokine and acute phase protein expression was assessed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Secreted cytokine and chemokine levels were assessed with a protein array. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments were done to assess RNA polymerase II recruitment.ResultsReduced Hdac1 protein levels led to Hdac2 protein increases and decreased cell proliferation. Hdac1 depletion prolonged nuclear IL-1β-induced phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 protein on Ser536 as opposed to total p65, and of C/EBPβ on Ser105. In addition, semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed three patterns of expression caused by Hdac1 depletion, namely increased basal and IL-1β-stimulated levels (Hp, Kng1), increased IL-1β-stimulated levels (Cxcl2) and decreased basal levels with normal IL-1β induction levels (Ccl2, Ccl5, Cxcl1, C3). Secreted cytokine and chemokine measurements confirmed that Hdac1 played roles both as an IL-1β signalling repressor and activator. Hdac1 depletion did not alter the JQ1 dependent inhibition of basal and IL-1β-induced inflammatory gene expression. Hdac1 depletion led to decreased basal levels of RNA polymerase II enrichment on the Ccl2 promoter, as opposed to the Gapdh promoter, correlating with decreased Ccl2 basal mRNA expression.ConclusionsHdac1 is a major nuclear HDAC controlling IL-1β-dependent inflammatory response in IEC, notably by regulating gene-specific transcriptional responses. Hdac1 may be important in restricting basal and inflammatory-induced gene levels to defined ranges of expression.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12950-014-0043-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

IL-32θ downregulates CCL5 expression through its interaction with PKCδ and STAT3

Interleukin-32 (IL-32) exists in several isoforms and plays an important role in inflammatory response. Recently, we identified a new isoform, IL-32θ, and performed a microarray analysis to identify IL-32θ-regulated genes in THP-1 myelomonocytic cells. Upon stimulating IL-32θ-expressing THP-1 cells with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), we found that the CCL5 transcript level was significantly reduced. We confirmed the downregulation of CCL5 protein expression by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Because STAT3 phosphorylation on Ser727 by PKCδ is reported to suppress CCL5 protein expression, we examined whether IL-32θ-mediated STAT3 Ser727 phosphorylation occurs through an interaction with PKCδ. In this study, we first demonstrate that IL-32θ interacts with PKCδ and STAT3 using co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and pulldown assay. Moreover, STAT3 was rarely phosphorylated on Ser727 in the absence of IL-32θ, leading to the binding of STAT3 to the CCL5 promoter. These results indicate that IL-32θ, through its interaction with PKCδ, downregulates CCL5 expression by mediating the phosphorylation of STAT3 on Ser727 to render it transcriptionally inactive. Therefore, similar to what we have reported for IL-32α and IL-32β, our data from this study suggests that the newly identified IL-32θ isoform also acts as an intracellular modulator of inflammation.

The Fli-1 transcription factor regulates the expression of CCL5/RANTES.

The friend leukemia insertion site 1 (Fli-1) transcription factor, an Ets family member, is implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus in human patients and murine models of lupus. Lupus-prone mice with reduced Fli-1 expression have significantly less nephritis, prolonged survival, and decreased infiltrating inflammatory cells into the kidney. Inflammatory chemokines, including CCL5, are critical for attracting inflammatory cells. In this study, decreased CCL5 mRNA expression was observed in kidneys of lupus-prone NZM2410 mice with reduced Fli-1 expression. CCL5 protein expression was significantly decreased in endothelial cells transfected with Fli-1-specific small interfering RNA compared with controls. Fli-1 binds to endogenous Ets binding sites in the distal region of the CCL5 promoter. Transient transfection assays demonstrate that Fli-1 drives transcription from the CCL5 promoter in a dose-dependent manner. Both Ets1, another Ets family member, and Fli-1 drive transcription from the CCL5 promoter, although Fli-1 transactivation was significantly stronger. Ets1 acts as a dominant-negative transcription factor for Fli-1, indicating that they may have at least one DNA binding site in common. Systematic deletion of DNA binding sites demonstrates the importance of the sites located within a 225-bp region of the promoter. Mutation of the Fli-1 DNA binding domain significantly reduces transactivation of the CCL5 promoter by Fli-1. We identified a novel regulator of transcription for CCL5. These results suggest that Fli-1 is a novel and critical regulator of proinflammatory chemokines and affects the pathogenesis of disease through the regulation of factors that recruit inflammatory cells to sites of inflammation.

Transcriptional regulation of CCL20 expression

Chemokines are key mediators of leukocyte recruitment during immunoregulatory and proinflammatory responses. CCL20 is a cysteine–cysteine chemokine that was originally shown to be chemotactic for immature dendritic cells, effector or memory CD4+ T lymphocytes, and B lymphocytes. Additionally, CCL20 and its only receptor (CCR6) are exploited by cancer cells for migration and metastatic spread and play important roles in the development and progression of cancer. However, it still remains unclear how the activity of the CCL20/CCR6 axis is controlled and regulated at the transcriptional level. The CCL20 promoter region contains a transcription start site, a nuclear factor (NF)-κB binding site, a CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins binding site, an activator protein-1 binding sites, and a specificity protein 1 (Sp1)-binding site. In this review, we outline recent advances in our understanding of the structure of the CCL20 promoter region and discuss the transcriptional regulation of the CCL20 promoter.

Calcineurin-mediated YB-1 Dephosphorylation Regulates CCL5 Expression during Monocyte Differentiation

Y-box (YB) protein-1 serves as a master regulator in gene transcription and mRNA translation. YB-1 itself is regulated at various levels, e.g. through post-translational modifications. In our previous work, we identified RANTES/CCL5 as a transcriptional target of YB-1. We previously demonstrated that YB-1 protein is transiently up-regulated during monocyte/macrophage differentiation evidenced in monocytic cells (THP-1 cells) that were differentiated using phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Here we provide evidence that YB-1 phosphorylation, specifically at its serine residue 102 (Ser-102), increases early on in THP-1 cells following PMA treatment as well as in differentiated primary human monocytes. This process is mediated through the Akt signaling pathway. Ser-102-phosphorylated YB-1 displays stronger binding affinity and trans-activating capacity at the CCL5 gene promoter. Notably, Ser-102-phosphorylated YB-1 disappears at later stages of the monocyte/macrophage differentiation process. We demonstrate that serine-threonine phosphatase calcineurin (CN) dephosphorylates YB-1 preventing it from binding to and trans-activating the CCL5 promoter. Co-immunoprecipitation assays prove a direct YB-1/CN interaction. Furthermore, analyses in kidney tissues from mice that were treated with the CN inhibitor cyclosporine A revealed an in vivo effect of CN on the YB-1 phosphorylation status. We conclude that YB-1 phosphorylation at Ser-102 is an important prerequisite for CCL5 promoter activation during macrophage differentiation. Our findings point to a critical role of YB-1 in the resolution of inflammatory processes which may largely be due to CN-mediated dephosphorylation.

1030-LBP: Hepatitis C virus induced changes in microRNA-107 and microRNA-449a modulate the inflammatory chemokine CCL2 by targeting IL6 receptor complex in patients with hepatic fibrosis

Aim Hepatitis C virus (HCV) mediated liver diseases are one of the major health issues in United States and worldwide. This study is to identify the role of HCV induced changes in microRNAs (miRNA) that controls various cell surface receptors and gene regulatory complexes involved in patients with HCV mediated inflammation and fibrosis. Methods Computational sequence analyses and reporter assays using the CCL2 promoter region were carried out to analyze transcription factors. Gene expression analyses were done using q-PCR. Gene overexpression and knockdowns in human hepatocytes were carried out using cDNA plasmids and siRNAs. Chromatin (ChIP) and protein (CoIP) immunoprecipitations were done to establish interactions between transcription factors and DNA. Results We report here that down-regulation of miRNA-107 and miRNA-449a following HCV infection in patients modulate expression of the CCL2, an inflammatory chemokine up-regulated in patients with chronic liver diseases, by targeting components of the IL6R complex. Computational analysis for DNA bound transcription factors in the CCL2 promoter identified adjacent binding sites for CCAAT/CEBP α , spleen focus forming virus, proviral integration oncogene (SPI1/PU.1), and STAT3. We demonstrate that CEBP α , PU.1 and STAT3 interacted with each other physically to co-operatively bind to the promoter and activate CCL2 expression. Analysis of IL6R and JAK1 expression in HCV patients showed significant up regulation when there is impaired miRNA-107 and miRNA-449a expression along with up regulation of PU.1 and STAT3 but not CEBP α . miRNA-449a and miRNA-107 target IL6R and JAK1 respectively, inhibit IL6 signaling and impair STAT3 activation. Conclusions Our results demonstrate a novel gene regulatory mechanism wherein HCV induced changes in miRNAs (miRNA-449a and miRNA-107) regulate CCL2 expression by activation of the IL6 mediated signaling cascade in HCV patients which we propose will result in HCV mediated induction of inflammatory responses and fibrosis.

SARM Regulates CCL5 Production in Macrophages by Promoting the Recruitment of Transcription Factors and RNA Polymerase II to the Ccl5 Promoter

The four Toll/IL-1R domain-containing adaptor proteins MyD88, MAL, TRIF, and TRAM are well established as essential mediators of TLR signaling and gene induction following microbial detection. In contrast, the function of the fifth, most evolutionarily conserved Toll/IL-1R adaptor, sterile α and HEAT/Armadillo motif-containing protein (SARM), has remained more elusive. Recent studies of Sarm(-/-) mice have highlighted a role for SARM in stress-induced neuronal cell death and immune responses in the CNS. However, whether SARM has a role in immune responses in peripheral myeloid immune cells is less clear. Thus, we characterized TLR-induced cytokine responses in SARM-deficient murine macrophages and discovered a requirement for SARM in CCL5 production, whereas gene induction of TNF, IL-1β, CCL2, and CXCL10 were SARM-independent. SARM was not required for TLR-induced activation of MAPKs or of transcription factors implicated in CCL5 induction, namely NF-κB and IFN regulatory factors, nor for Ccl5 mRNA stability or splicing. However, SARM was critical for the recruitment of transcription factors and of RNA polymerase II to the Ccl5 promoter. Strikingly, the requirement of SARM for CCL5 induction was not restricted to TLR pathways, as it was also apparent in cytosolic RNA and DNA responses. Thus, this study identifies a new role for SARM in CCL5 expression in macrophages.