title: Histone H3 phosphorylation by IKK-alpha is critical for cytokine-induced gene expression.
abstract: Cytokine-induced activation of the IkappaB kinases (IKK) IKK-alpha and IKK-beta is a key step involved in the activation of the NF-kappaB pathway. Gene-disruption studies of the murine IKK genes have shown that IKK-beta, but not IKK-alpha, is critical for cytokine-induced IkappaB degradation. Nevertheless, mouse embryo fibroblasts deficient in IKK-alpha are defective in the induction of NF-kappaB-dependent transcription. These observations raised the question of whether IKK-alpha might regulate a previously undescribed step to activate the NF-kappaB pathway that is independent of its previously described cytoplasmic role in the phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha. Here we show that IKK-alpha functions in the nucleus to activate the expression of NF-kappaB-responsive genes after stimulation with cytokines. IKK-alpha interacts with CREB-binding protein and in conjunction with Rel A is recruited to NF-kappaB-responsive promoters and mediates the cytokine-induced phosphorylation and subsequent acetylation of specific residues in histone H3. These results define a new nuclear role of IKK-alpha in modifying histone function that is critical for the activation of NF-kappaB-directed gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Harold Simmons Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390-8594, USA.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Udit N
authors.initials: UN
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Shashi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prajapati
authors.forename: Youn-Tae
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gaynor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein; D005347:Fibroblasts; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D016209:Interleukin-8; D016328:NF-kappa B; C000606204:NFKBIA protein, human; C000606205:Nfkbia protein, mouse; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein; C494363:CREBBP protein, human; C494364:Crebbp protein, mouse; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C496559:CHUK protein, human; C496564:Chuk protein, mouse; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase; C496560:IKBKB protein, human; C496565:IKBKE protein, human; C496562:Ikbkb protein, mouse; C496566:Ikbke protein, mouse