Glucocorticoid regulation of GM-CSF: evidence for transcriptional mechanisms in airway epithelial cells.
Inflammation plays a central role in the pathogenesis of asthma. Glucocorticoids are first-line anti-inflammatory therapy in the treatment of asthma and are effective inhibitors of inflammatory cytokines. Clinical data demonstrate that granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production by airway epithelial cells may be an important target of inhaled glucocorticoid therapy. We examined the regulatory mechanisms of GM-CSF expression by interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone in the BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cell line. IL-1beta stimulation resulted in a 15-fold induction of GM-CSF protein, which was associated with a corresponding 47-fold maximal induction of GM-CSF mRNA levels. Treatment with the transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D before IL-1beta stimulation completely abolished induction of GM-CSF mRNA, whereas incubation with cycloheximide had no effect. Taken together, these data demonstrate that IL-1beta induction of GM-CSF is mediated through transcriptional mechanisms. Dexamethasone treatment of BEAS-2B cells produced an 80% inhibition of IL-1beta-induced GM-CSF protein and a 51% inhibition of GM-CSF mRNA. GM-CSF mRNA was rapidly degraded in these cells, and dexamethasone treatment did not significantly affect this decay rate. We conclude that, in the BEAS-2B bronchial epithelial cell line, IL-1beta induction and dexamethasone repression of GM-CSF expression are mediated predominantly through transcriptional mechanisms.
Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85724, USA.
K K
KK
Adkins
T D
TD
Levan
R L
RL
Miesfeld
J W
JW
Bloom
D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000494:pharmacology; D019696:Peptidylprolyl Isomerase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007375:Interleukin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015735:Mifepristone; D003907:Dexamethasone; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D019696:Peptidylprolyl Isomerase