title: Interleukin-6 inhibits human peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha gene expression via CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins in hepatocytes.
abstract: Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha has been implicated as a regulator of acute phase response genes in hepatocytes. Interleukin-6 is widely known as a major cytokine responsible in the regulation of acute phase proteins and, therefore, acute phase response. Unfortunately, to date, very little is understood about the molecular mechanisms by which interleukin-6 regulates the gene expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha. Here, we report the molecular mechanisms by which peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha was regulated by interleukin-6 in human HepG2 cells. Interleukin-6 was shown to down-regulate the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha gene expression at the level of gene transcription. Functional dissection of human peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha promoter B revealed the role of predicted CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein binding site (-164/+34) in mediating the interleukin-6 inhibitory effects on peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha mRNA expression and electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed the binding of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein isoforms to this cis-acting elements was increased in interleukin-6-treated HepG2 cells. Co-transfection experiments, then, demonstrated that CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta either in homodimer or heterodimer with CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein delta plays a predominant role in inhibiting the transcriptional activity of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha promoter B, thus, reducing the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha mRNA expression. These studies, therefore, suggest a novel mechanism for interleukin-6-mediated inhibition of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha gene expression that involves the activation of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein isoforms with CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta may play a major role.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Choy-Hoong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Guat-Siew
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Nazalan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Najimudin
authors.forename: Tengku Sifzizul
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Tengku-Muhammad
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D022782:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / Q000502:physiology; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D022782:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D047493:PPAR alpha; D020033:Protein Isoforms