title: Glucocorticoids inhibit GATA-3 phosphorylation and activity in T cells.
abstract: Glucocorticoid (GC) immunosuppression and anti-inflammatory action involve the regulation of several transcription factors (TFs). GCs inhibit the acute production of T-helper (Th) 1 and Th2 cytokines but ultimately favor a shift toward Th2 phenotype. GCs inhibit the transcriptional activity of T-bet Th1 TF by a transrepression mechanism. Here we analyze GC regulation of GATA-3, the master driver of Th2 differentiation. We found that GCs inhibit GATA-3 transcriptional activity. We demonstrate that this mechanism does not involve physical interaction between the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and GATA-3 or reduction of GATA-3 binding to DNA, as described previously for T-bet. Instead, GCs inhibit GATA-3 activity by inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase induced GATA-3 phosphorylation. GCs also inhibit GATA-3 mRNA and protein expression. Finally, GATA-3 inhibition affects the interleukin-5 gene, a central Th2 cytokine. The IC(50) of dexamethasone is 10 nM with a maximum effect at 100 nM. All inhibitory actions were blocked by the GR antagonist RU38486 (1 uM), proving the specificity of GR action. In view of the crucial role of GATA-3 in T-cell differentiation and inflammation, we propose that the mechanism of GATA-3 inhibition compared with that in T-bet may have relevant implications in understanding and modulating the anti-inflammatory and Th-regulatory properties of GCs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Fisiología y Biología Molecular, Molecular, Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Liberman
authors.forename: Jimena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Druker
authors.forename: Damian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Refojo
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Holsboer
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arzt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; D015848:Interleukin-5; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003907:Dexamethasone; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D006854:Hydrocortisone