title: Transcription factors in airway diseases.
abstract: Transcription factors regulate the expression of multiple inflammatory genes and play a pivotal role in chronic inflammatory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Prominent transcription factors in airway diseases include nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1), which together regulate the expression of multiple inflammatory proteins. Glucocorticoids activate glucocorticoid receptors (GR), which act as transcription factors and inhibit transcription induced by NF-kappaB and AP-1. Activation of genes involves hyperacetylation of core histones to open up the chromatin structure to initiate transcription. GR recruit histone deacetylase-2 (HDAC2) to the activated inflammatory gene to switch off transcription. In COPD, there is a marked reduction in HDAC2 expression, resulting in glucocorticoid resistance. Therapeutic implications, which may be generalized to all inflammatory diseases, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Section of airway diseases, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases