title: Cytokine-inducible CD40 expression in human endothelial cells is mediated by interferon regulatory factor-1.
abstract: Given the significance of CD40-CD40 ligand interactions in chronic inflammatory diseases including atherosclerosis, the transcriptional regulation of CD40 expression as a potential therapeutic target was investigated in human umbilical vein cultured endothelial cells. Exposure to interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) plus tumor necrosis factor-alpha resulted in a marked synergistic de novo expression of CD40, which, according to electrophoretic mobility shift analysis, was attributable to activation of the transcription factors nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT-1), and interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1). Subsequent time-course studies revealed that de novo synthesis of IRF-1 preceded that of CD40. Decoy oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) neutralization of STAT-1 or IRF-1, but not of NF-kappaB, inhibited cytokine-stimulated CD40 expression by 60% at both the mRNA and protein levels, and this effect was mimicked by antisense ODN blockade of IRF-1 synthesis. In contrast, CD40 expression in response to IFN-gamma stimulation was sensitive to neutralization of STAT-1 only. These findings suggest that depending on the cytokine composition, CD40 expression in human endothelial cells under proinflammatory conditions is governed by STAT-1 either directly or indirectly through de novo synthesis of IRF-1. Moreover, decoy ODN neutralization of these transcription factors may provide a novel therapeutic option for interfering with CD40-CD40 ligand-mediated inflammatory responses in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Physiology, University of Goettingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gebauer
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pollok-Kopp
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hecker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D019013:CD40 Antigens; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C494257:IRF1 protein, human; D050856:Interferon Regulatory Factor-1; C494258:Irf1 protein, mouse; D016328:NF-kappa B; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; C494079:STAT1 protein, human; C494080:Stat1 protein, mouse; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma