Nitric oxide is an important regulator of heme oxygenase-1 expression in the lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ-treated murine macrophage-like cell line J774.1/JA-4.
Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) catabolizes the degradation of heme into bilirubin, carbon monoxide, and iron ions. The HO-1 products provide antioxidant cytoprotection in addition to having potent antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory functions. HO-1 is induced by its substrate heme and environmental factors including oxidative and heat stresses. Although previous studies reported that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced the expression of both the HO-1 gene and its protein in macrophages, the major regulators of HO-1 expression remain unknown. To identify these regulators, we used two types of cell, the murine macrophage-like cell line J774.1/JA-4 and its LPS-resistant mutant, LPS1916. Based on a comparison of the results obtained with these cells, we found that nitric oxide (NO) was closely linked to the induction of HO-1. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed that the time course for inducible HO-1 mRNA by LPS or LPS+interferon (IFN)-γ was similar to that for inducible NO synthase (iNOS) mRNA. Furthermore, the expression of iNOS mRNA and protein increased earlier than that of HO-1 mRNA and protein. N-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, an NO synthase inhibitor, reduced both HO-1 expression and NO production in LPS+IFN-γ-treated JA-4 cells. Furthermore, NOC-12, an NO donor, significantly induced HO-1 expression not only in JA-4 but also in LPS1916 cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers, such as superoxide dismutase and catalase, did not affect HO-1 protein expression in LPS+IFN-γ-treated JA-4 cells. These results suggest that, among ROS, NO plays an important role in HO-1 induction in activated macrophages treated with LPS+IFN-γ.
Laboratory of Biodefense & Regulation, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Atsushi
A
Koike
Isato
I
Minamiguchi
Ko
K
Fujimori
Fumio
F
Amano
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013481:Superoxides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; C496542:Hmox1 protein, mouse