title: Role of nuclear factor of activated T-cells and activator protein-1 in the inhibition of interleukin-2 gene transcription by cannabinol in EL4 T-cells.
abstract: We previously reported that immunosuppressive cannabinoids inhibited interleukin (IL)-2 steady-state mRNA expression and secretion by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate plus ionomycin-activated mouse splenocytes and EL4 murine T-cells. Here we show that inhibition of IL-2 production by cannabinol, a modest central nervous system-active cannabinoid, is mediated through the inhibition of IL-2 gene transcription. Moreover, electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that cannabinol markedly inhibited the DNA binding activity of nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NF-AT) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in activated EL4 cells. The inhibitory effects produced by cannabinol on AP-1 DNA binding were quite transient, showing partial recovery by 240 min after cell activation and no effect on the activity of a reporter gene under the control of AP-1. Conversely, cannabinol-mediated inhibition of NF-AT was robust and sustained as demonstrated by an NF-AT-regulated reporter gene. Collectively, these results suggest that decreased IL-2 production by cannabinol in EL4 cells is due to the inhibition of transcriptional activation of the IL-2 gene and is mediated, at least in part, through a transient inhibition of AP-1 and a sustained inhibition of NF-AT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon, Korea.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yea
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Kaminski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002187:Cannabinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000187:drug effects; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004586:Electrophoresis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D010957:Plasmids; D013945:Thymoma; D013997:Time Factors; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D018736:DNA Adducts; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D002187:Cannabinol