title: Induction of RhoA gene expression by interleukin-4 in cultured human bronchial smooth muscle cells.
abstract: RhoA, a small GTPase, is one of the key proteins of smooth muscle contraction. In allergic asthma, an upregulation of RhoA in bronchial smooth muscle has been suggested. However, the mechanism of its upregulation has not yet been clarified. In the present study, the effects of interleukin-4 (IL-4), one of the T-helper 2 cytokines, on RhoA mRNA expression and promoter activity of RhoA gene were examined in cultured human bronchial smooth muscle cells (hBSMCs). The quantitative real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed that incubation of hBSMCs with IL-4 (10, 30 and 100 ng/mL, for 24 hr) caused an increase in RhoA mRNA in a concentration-dependent manner. In luciferase reporter gene assay using hBSMCs that were transfected with luciferase constructs and were then stimulated with IL-4 (100 ng/mL), an importance of the most proximal STAT6 binding region (78-70 bp upstream of the transcription initiation site) was suggested. It is thus possible that IL-4 is capable of upregulating RhoA by promoting its transcription in hBSMCs. The proximal STAT6 binding region is required for the IL-4-induced increase in promoter activity of the human RhoA gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Hoshi University, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan. chiba@hoshi.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chiba
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Momata
authors.forename: Taiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Miwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Misawa
mesh_terms: D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor; C494101:STAT6 protein, human; C066737:RHOA protein, human; D015847:Interleukin-4; D008156:Luciferases; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein