title: Interleukin-4 downregulates nuclear factor-erythroid 2 (NF-E2) expression in primary megakaryocytes and in megakaryoblastic cell lines.
abstract: The transcriptional factor nuclear factor-erythroid 2 (NF-E2) is one of the few transcription factors known to be functionally linked to the megakaryocytic lineage, where it regulates terminal megakaryocyte maturation and platelet formation. However, the regulation of NF-E2 expression in megakaryocytic cells has not been extensively evaluated. In particular, no data have been reported on the effect of negative regulators of megakaryocytopoiesis on NF-E2 expression. This study investigated the in vitro effects of two negative regulators of megakaryocytopoiesis, such as interleukin-4 (IL-4) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) on the expression of NF-E2 transcription factor in megakaryoblastic cell lines (Hel and MK1) and in normal CD34-derived megakaryocytic cells. For this purpose, we used quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect mRNA NF-E2 isoforms (a and f) and flow-cytometry analysis to evaluate NF-E2 protein expression. Our results demonstrated that TGF-beta1 did not inhibit NF-E2 mRNA and protein expression of either maturating or fully mature normal megakaryocytic cells as well as that of the two cell lines. By contrast, IL-4 downmodulates the expression of NF-E2 transcription factor at both mRNA and protein levels in normal maturating megakaryocytic cells and in the megakaryoblastic cell lines. NF-E2 expression of normal mature megakaryocytes was not affected by IL-4. Thus, the results of the present investigation demonstrate that NF-E2 transcription factor is involved not only in terminal megakaryocyte maturation but also in the negative regulation of the early phase of megakaryocyte development.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Ematologia e Oncologia Medica L. e A. Seràgnoli, University of Bologna-Italy. lcatani@med.unibo.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Catani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amabile
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luatti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valdrè
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vianelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tura
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D050981:Erythroid-Specific DNA-Binding Factors; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D050983:NF-E2 Transcription Factor; D050984:NF-E2 Transcription Factor, p45 Subunit; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050981:Erythroid-Specific DNA-Binding Factors; D050983:NF-E2 Transcription Factor; D050984:NF-E2 Transcription Factor, p45 Subunit; C494692:NFE2 protein, human; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D015847:Interleukin-4