title: Signal transduction pathways of inflammatory gene expressions and therapeutic implications.
abstract: Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), an inducible cell adhesion glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin supergene family and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an inducible prostaglandin G/H synthase, are overexpressed by proinflammatory mediators in a wide variety of cell types. These stimuli increase ICAM-1 or COX-2 expression primarily through activation of ICAM-1 or COX-2 gene transcription. The architecture of the ICAM-1 or COX-2 promoter is complex, containing a large number of binding site for inducible transcription factors, the most important of which is NF-kB. NF-kB acts in concert with other transcription factors or transcriptional coactivators which facilitate the assembly of distinct stereospecific transcription complexes on the ICAM-1 or COX-2 promoter. These transcription complexes presumably mediate the induction of ICAM-1 or COX-2 expression in different cell types and in response to different stimuli. In this review, I summarize the current understanding of ICAM-1 and COX-2 gene regulation with a particular emphasis on the transcription factors or coactivators, and signal transduction pathways critical for their expression. A PKC-dependent c-Src pathway activating NF-kB or GAS to enhance ICAM-1 or COX-2 gene expression is discussed. Furthermore, natural products and novel agents targeting on the transcription factor with potential anti-inflammation and anti-tumor activity are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. ccchen@ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Ching-Chow
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators