title: Bmx tyrosine kinase regulates TLR4-induced IL-6 production in human macrophages independently of p38 MAPK and NFkapp}B activity.
abstract: Chronic inflammation, as seen in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn disease, is in part driven by discordant production of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Tyrosine kinase activity is essential to lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine production in monocytes, and previous studies by us and others have implicated a role for the Tec kinase Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) in inflammatory cytokine production. Here we show that knockdown of Btk using RNA interference results in decreased tumor necrosis factor-alpha, but not IL-6 production. Further investigations into the signaling mechanisms regulating IL-6 production led to the discovery that the Tec kinase bone marrow tyrosine kinase gene in chromosome X (Bmx) regulates Toll-like receptor-induced IL-6 production. Our data further showed that Bmx-dependent super-induction of IL-6 does not involve nuclear factor-kappaB activity. More detailed investigations of pathways downstream of Bmx signaling revealed that Bmx targets the IL-6 3' untranslated region to increase mRNA stabilization via a novel, thus far undefined, p38 mitogen activated protein kinase-independent pathway. These data have important implications for the design of therapeutics targeted against specific cytokines and their regulators in inflammatory disease.
authors.affiliation: Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology Division, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Christine D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Brenda E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Mutch
authors.forename: Sarita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Workman
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: McDaid
authors.forename: Nicole J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Horwood
authors.forename: Brian M J
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Foxwell
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000502:physiology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D034622:RNA Interference; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014162:Transfection; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016328:NF-kappa B; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C492367:BMX protein, human; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases