The p65/RelA subunit of NF-kappaB suppresses the sustained, antiapoptotic activity of Jun kinase induced by tumor necrosis factor.
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling through the TNF receptors involves the recruitment of key signaling factors, leading to the activation of both the transcription factor NF-kappaB and the stress-activated Jun kinase (JNK). In most cells, TNF signaling leads to a rapid and transient increase in JNK activity. However, we show that TNF treatment leads to the sustained activation of JNK in cells that are null for the p65/RelA subunit of NF-kappaB as well as in cells expressing the super-repressor form of IkappaB. In addition, the data indicate that the ability of p65/RelA to regulate gene expression is required to suppress the persistent activation of JNK. Interestingly, this suppression occurs upstream of JNK, within the signal transduction cascade leading to JNK activation, without affecting the stress-activated kinase p38. Since NF-kappaB has previously been shown to be involved in the suppression of TNF-induced apoptosis, we were interested in determining the role of deregulated JNK activity, induced by the loss of NF-kappaB, in controlling the cell death response. Through the use of different approaches for inhibition of JNK, we show that the suppression of JNK activity in cells that lack active NF-kappaB enhances the apoptotic response to TNF. These data suggest that the activity of JNK in cells blocked for NF-kappaB function provides an antiapoptotic signal and explains, at least partly, why a significant number of NF-kappaB null cells remain viable following TNF treatment.
Reuther-Madrid
Julie Y
JY
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
Kashatus
David
D
Chen
Shaoqiong
S
Li
Xiong
X
Westwick
John
J
Davis
Roger J
RJ
Earp
H Shelton
HS
Wang
Cun-Yu
CY
Baldwin
Albert S
AS
D000818:Animals; D000873:Anthracenes / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D051379:Mice; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D021122:Protein Subunits; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D000873:Anthracenes; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D007375:Interleukin-1; D016328:NF-kappa B; C000606204:NFKBIA protein, human; C000606205:Nfkbia protein, mouse; D021122:Protein Subunits; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; C432165:pyrazolanthrone; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; C482559:MAP2K4 protein, human; C482562:Map2k4 protein, mouse; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases