title: IL-6 downregulates transcription of NTPDase2 via specific promoter elements.
abstract: Bile ductular proliferation is markedly upregulated in biliary fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, the mechanisms regulating this upregulation in bile ductular proliferation have not been defined. Recently, we demonstrated that expression of the ectonucleotidase nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-2 (NTPDase2/Entpd2) by portal fibroblasts (PF) is a critical regulator of bile ductular proliferation. Since interleukin 6 (IL-6) is markedly upregulated in biliary cirrhosis, our aims were to determine the role and mechanism of IL-6 in the regulation of NTPDase2 by PF. We found that IL-6 downregulated NTPDase2 protein expression in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent fashion but did not alter PF alpha-smooth muscle actin expression. IL-6 markedly downregulated NTPDase2 mRNA expression. Expression of the IL-6 receptor gp130 but not the IL-6 receptor gp80 was detected in PF. Two transcription start sites were identified in rat Entpd2 by the method of RNA ligase-mediated rapid amplification of 5' cDNA ends. The minimal promoter construct, but not shorter constructs, was downregulated by IL-6. Three putative IL-6 response elements were identified in silico and mutated. Mutation of all three response elements, but not fewer elements, completely abolished the IL-6 response. Thus IL-6 transcriptionally downregulates NTPDase2 expression by PF via actions at specific promoter elements independently of myofibroblastic differentiation. This effect may represent a novel signaling pathway by which bile ductular proliferation is dysregulated in biliary cirrhosis and thus provides a potential therapeutic approach for the regulation of bile ductular growth.
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Medicine, Yale Liver Center, New Haven, CT 06515, USA.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Elise G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Lavoie
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sheung
authors.forename: Jacques J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sévigny
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dranoff
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D050822:Cytokine Receptor gp130 / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020218:Response Elements; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D015850:Interleukin-6; D050822:Cytokine Receptor gp130; D008156:Luciferases; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C027201:ectoATPase