title: Induction of transcription factor AP-2 by inflammatory cytokines in human keratinocytes.
abstract: Activator protein-2 is an important transcription factor for the activation of a number of genes. Here we report the induction of activator protein-2 in response to inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 in keratinocytes. Immunoblotting and semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays using normal human keratinocytes revealed that interleukin-6 caused a time- and concentration-dependent induction of activator protein-2 mRNA and protein. The increase of activator protein-2 mRNA was detected at 30 min after stimulation and that of activator protein-2 protein was at 2 h. Their levels were lower than the control levels at 24 h. The interleukin-6-dependent induction of activator protein-2 mRNA was completely blocked by adding actinomycin D, whereas it was approximately 50% affected by cycloheximide. Co-incubation with neutralizing antibodies against various inflammatory cytokines resulted in inhibition of the interleukin-6-dependent activator protein-2 induction at varying degrees, indicating an involvement of various cytokines in the activator protein-2 induction. The activator protein-2 induction was observed in keratinocytes derived from lesional skins with psoriasis or squamous cell carcinoma, and the high levels of activator protein-2 were histochemically detected in these lesions. Furthermore, a gel mobility shift assay using the nuclear extracts from interleukin-6-treated cells showed that interleukin-6 induced the functional activator protein-2 protein for the gene activation. These findings suggest a possible regulation mechanism of activator protein-2 through a complex cytokine system, which is conceivably the initial reaction leading to skin inflammation, and resultant keratinocyte growth and carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Science, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwatsuki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Homma
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kaneko
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D050656:Transcription Factor AP-2; D014157:Transcription Factors