GSE50598
AMPK epidermal inhibition promotes HuR cytoplasmic localization eliciting post-transcriptional inflammatory response in psoriasis
IL-20 cytokines are involved in the establishment of psoriasis, a common chronic skin inflammation epidemiologically associated with metabolic syndrome, but molecular mechanisms underlying their over-expression remain to be elucidated. We find that keratinocytes (KCs) expressed IL-20 and lymphocytes expressed IL-22 cytokines up-regulation occurs at post-transcriptional level with stabilization of their RNA messengers. Looking at psoriatic epidermis, we observe that the p38/MK2 pathway is not activated but that the RNA-binding protein (RBP) HuR re-localizes in keratinocytes cytoplasm, suggesting post-transcriptional regulation of numerous mRNAs. HuR ribonucleoprotein immunoprecipitations analyzed by high-throughput sequencing (RIP-Seq) identify potential pre-mature and mature RNA targets for uninvolved and involved skin and confirms that HuR activity is displaced from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Numerous psoriasis up-regulated transcripts are HuR targets and HuR knockdown reduces expression of transcripts like beta-defensin-2, CXCL-10 or IL-2, suggesting an implication of HuR in pathophysiological processes such as morphological, immune and metabolic inflammatory responses. Finally, metabolic disorders affecting psoriatic keratinocytes are responsible for HuR cytoplasmic localization since a decreased activity of the cellular metabolic sensor AMPK, that is observed in human psoriatic epidermis, is sufficient to promote HuR cytosolic localization as well as IL-20 over-production both in human keratinocytes and in vivo in mouse epidermis where it then initiates psoriasis-like histological changes. These results may provide insights into molecular links between metabolism and post-transcriptional networks during chronic inflammation, as illustrated in psoriasis by mechanisms connecting AMPK, HuR and IL-20. Overall design: Analysis of HuR-binding RNA in uninvolved versus involved psoriatic samples by RIP-Seq. Samples from five different patients were used for both uninvolved and involved skin. RIP-Seq was also made using a control IgG.