Homeostatic regulatory role of Pokemon in NF-κB signaling: stimulating both p65 and IκBα expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
NF-κB consists of p50, p65 (RelA), p52, c-Rel, and RelB, and among them p65 is a representative protein to investigate the regulation and function of this signaling. NF-κB integrates inflammation and carcinogenesis and regulates the expression of a variety of genes in response to immunity, inflammation, and apoptosis. IκBα acts as an inhibitor of NF-κB through forming an inactive NF-κB/IκBα complex. Pokemon is a ubiquitous transcription factor involved in different signaling pathways, playing a pivotal role in cell proliferation, anti-apoptosis, embryonic development, and maintenance. In this study, we found that p65 and IκBα are both novel regulatory targets of Pokemon. Ectopic expression of Pokemon in immortalized liver cells HL7702 enhanced p65 and IκBα expression, whereas silencing of Pokemon in hepatocellular carcinoma cells QGY7703 reduced cellular p65 levels. ChIP assay and targeted mutagenesis revealed that Pokemon directly binds to the element of -434 to -430 bp in p65 promoter and of -453 to -448 bp in IκBα promoter and stimulates luciferase reporter gene expression. Co-transfection of Pokemon with p65 or IκBα promoter-reporter notably enhanced their promoter activity. These data suggest that Pokemon activates the expression of both p65 and IκBα by sequence-specific binding to their promoters and plays a dual role in regulating NF-κB signaling.
Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People's Republic of China.
Nan-Nan
NN
Zhang
Qin-Sheng
QS
Sun
Zhe
Z
Chen
Feng
F
Liu
Yu-Yang
YY
Jiang
D001483:Base Sequence; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D049410:Luciferases, Renilla / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D015854:Up-Regulation
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; C000606204:NFKBIA protein, human; C498143:RELA protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014157:Transcription Factors; C485514:ZBTB7A protein, human; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D049410:Luciferases, Renilla