title: Methamphetamine induces AP-1 and NF-kappaB binding and transactivation in human brain endothelial cells.
abstract: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of methamphetamine (METH)-induced neurotoxicity may involve alterations of cellular redox status and induction of inflammatory genes in endothelial cells. To study these hypotheses, molecular signaling pathways of METH-induced inflammatory responses via activation of redox-sensitive transcription factors were investigated in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC). A dose-dependent depletion of total glutathione levels was detected in HBMEC exposed to METH. In addition, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed significant increases in DNA binding activities of redox-responsive transcription factors, AP-1 and NF-kappaB, in HBMEC treated with METH. METH-mediated AP-1 or NF-kappaB activation was accompanied by induction of transactivation of AP-1 or NF-kappaB, as measured by dual luciferase assay using specific reporter plasmids. Because NF-kappaB and AP-1 are known to regulate expression of inflammatory genes, expression of the gene encoding for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was also studied in METH-treated HBMEC. A dose-dependent overexpression of the TNF-alpha gene was observed in HBMEC treated with METH. The importance of AP-1 and NF-kappaB in METH-induced TNF-alpha gene was confirmed in functional promoter studies using constructs of the TNF-alpha promoter with mutated AP-1 or NF-kappaB sites. These results indicate that METH-induced disturbances in cellular redox status and activation of AP-1 and NF-kappaB can play critical roles in the signaling pathways leading to upregulation of inflammatory genes in human brain endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA.
authors.forename: Y W
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hennig
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toborek
mesh_terms: D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014162:Transfection; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008694:Methamphetamine; D005978:Glutathione