title: Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta1) promotes IL-2 mRNA expression through the up-regulation of NF-kappaB, AP-1 and NF-AT in EL4 cells.
abstract: Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) has been previously shown to modulate interleukin 2 (IL-2) secretion by activated T-cells. In the present studies, we determined that TGF-beta1 induced IL-2 mRNA expression in the murine T-cell line EL4, in the absence of other stimuli. IL-2 mRNA expression was significantly induced by TGF-beta1 (0.1-1 ng/ml) over a relatively narrow concentration range, which led to the induction of IL-2 secretion. Under identical condition, we examined the effect of TGF-beta1 on the activity of nuclear factor AT (NF-AT), nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), activator protein-1 (AP-1) and octamer, all of which contribute to the regulation of IL-2 gene expression. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that TGF-beta1 markedly increased NF-AT, NF-kappaB and AP-1 binding to their respective cognate DNA binding sites, whereas octamer binding remained constant, as compared with untreated cells. Employing a reporter gene expression system with p(NF-kappaB)3-CAT, p(NF-AT)3-CAT and p(AP-1)3-CAT, TGF-beta1 treatment of transfected EL4 cells induced a dose-related increase in chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity that correlated well with the DNA binding profile found in the electrophoretic mobility shift assay studies. These results show that TGF-beta1, in the absence of any additional stimuli, up-regulates the activity of key transcription factors involved in IL-2 gene expression, including NF-AT, NF-kappaB and AP-1, to help promote IL-2 mRNA expression by EL4 cells.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Pharmacology & Toxicology and the Dept. of Pathology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yea
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Kaminski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016328:NF-kappa B; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta