title: A new pharmacological effect of salicylates: inhibition of NFAT-dependent transcription.
abstract: The anti-inflammatory effects of salicylates, originally attributed to inhibition of cyclooxygenase activity, are currently known to involve additional mechanisms. In this study we investigated the possible modulation by salicylates of NFAT-mediated transcription in lymphocytic and monocytic cell lines. RNase protection assays showed that 2-acetoxy-4-trifluoromethylbenzoic acid (triflusal) inhibited, in a dose-dependent manner, mRNA expression of several cytokine genes, most of which are NFAT-regulated and cyclosporin A (CsA)-sensitive. In Jurkat cells, the expression of IL-3, GM-CSF, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta1, IL-2, lymphotactin, MIP-1alpha, and MIP-1beta was inhibited to different extents. In THP-1 cells, inhibition of the expression of M-CSF, G-CSF, stem cell factor, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta1, lymphotoxin-beta1, MIP-1alpha, MIP-1beta, and IL-8 was observed. Sodium salicylate and aspirin only showed significant effects at 5 mM. The transcriptional activity of two genes that contain NFAT sites, a GM-CSF full promoter and a T cell-specific enhancer from the IL-3 locus, was also inhibited by salicylates. Transactivation experiments performed with several NFAT-dependent and AP-1-dependent reporter genes showed that triflusal strongly inhibited NFAT-dependent transcription at concentrations as low as 0.25 mM. Sodium salicylate and aspirin were less potent. The triflusal inhibitory effect was reversible and synergized with suboptimal doses of CsA. Experiments to address the mechanism of action of salicylates in the NFAT activation cascade disclosed a mechanism different from that of CsA, because salicylates inhibited DNA-binding and NFAT-mediated transactivation without affecting phosphorylation or subcellular localization of NFAT. In summary, these data describe a new pharmacological effect of salicylates as inhibitors of NFAT-dependent transcription.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Universidad de Valladolid-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Valladolid, Spain.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aceves
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dueñas
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Edurne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: San Vicente
authors.forename: Mariano Sánchez
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018925:Chemokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016207:Cytokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D051379:Mice; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D012459:Salicylates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007377:Interleukin-3; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012459:Salicylates; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor