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Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 281: L1271-L1278, 2001;
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Vol. 281, Issue 5, L1271-L1278, November 2001

Nuclear factor-kappa B augments beta 2-adrenergic receptor expression in human airway epithelial cells

Mark O. Aksoy, Wei Bin, Yi Yang, Duan Yun-You, and Steven G. Kelsen

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140


    ABSTRACT
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Interleukin (IL)-1beta increases beta 2-adrenergic receptor (beta 2-AR) mRNA and density by protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent mechanisms in human airway epithelial cells. The present study examined the role of several nuclear transcription factors in the PKC-activated upregulation of beta 2-AR expression. BEAS-2B cells were exposed to the PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA; 0.1 µM for 2-18 h). PMA had no effect on activator protein (AP)-2 or cAMP response element binding protein DNA binding activity but markedly increased nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B and AP-1 binding as assessed by electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay. PMA also increased the activity of a beta 2-AR promoter-luciferase reporter construct in transiently transfected cells. These effects were inhibited by the PKC inhibitors Ro-31-8220 and calphostin C. Furthermore, with increasing Ro-31-8220, beta 2-AR promoter-reporter activity correlated closely with both NF-kappa B and AP-1 activities (r > 0.89 for both). Finally, the selective NF-kappa B inhibitor MG-132 dose dependently reduced NF-kappa B binding and beta 2-AR promoter activity but increased AP-1 binding. We conclude that PKC-induced upregulation of beta 2-AR expression in human airway epithelial cells appears to be mediated, at least in part, by increases in NF-kappa B activity.

airway epithelium; activator protein-1; nuclear factor-kappa B; phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate; protein kinase C


    INTRODUCTION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

THE PLEIOTROPIC CYTOKINE interleukin (IL)-1beta enhances expression of the human beta 2-adrenergic receptor (beta 2-AR) in human airway and alveolar epithelial cells (13, 20, 29) in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. This effect of IL-1beta on beta 2-AR expression appears to be mediated by an increase in beta 2-AR gene transcription because IL-1beta enhances steady-state beta 2-AR mRNA levels. However, the signal transduction pathway(s) mediating the IL-1beta -induced upregulation of the beta 2-AR gene is not well understood.

IL-1beta is known to activate a variety of inflammatory and immune response genes by pathways that include activation of protein kinase (PK) C (21), release of arachidonic acid metabolites, and production of nitric oxide. Recently, our laboratory (3) has shown that activation of PKC is necessary and sufficient for beta 2-AR upregulation in airway epithelial cells. Specifically, IL-1beta enhances the activation of the PKC-µ isozyme, and the effect of IL-1beta on beta 2-AR expression can be abolished by selective PKC inhibitors.

The present study examined the pathways involved in IL-1beta -mediated beta 2-AR expression in human airway epithelial cells downstream of PKC activation. PKC pathways are known to activate the nuclear transcription factors nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B, activator protein (AP)-1, and AP-2 (11, 12). Accordingly, we examined the effects of PKC activation on these transcription factors in human airway epithelial cells and their potential roles in enhancing beta 2-AR gene expression. Finally, because the nuclear transcription factor cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) is known to upregulate beta 2-AR gene expression and is the major homeostatic mechanism by which catecholamines regulate beta 2-AR transcription, we also examined the effects of PKC activation on CREB activity. The role of these transcription factors in PKC-mediated beta 2-AR gene expression was assessed from the effects of the PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and selective PKC and NF-kappa B inhibitors on 1) the DNA-binding activity of NF-kappa B, AP-1, AP-2, and CREB as assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and 2) the activity of a full-length beta 2-AR promoter-luciferase reporter construct in transiently transfected human airway epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells.


    MATERIALS AND METHODS
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Cell culture. Experiments were performed on cultured human airway epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) (25). This cell line has been used by our laboratory (14) to examine the regulation of expression and function of the beta 2-AR system and by others (23) to study the regulation of cell calcium and eicosanoid metabolism.

Cells were cultured in 100-mm flasks or in 6-well plates with RPMI 1640 medium plus 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Cultures were grown at 37°C in 5% CO2-95% air until confluent (5-7 days). All experiments were performed in this medium except for studies on promoter activity, which were performed in DMEM without serum.

Treatment protocols. Confluent cells were exposed to fresh medium containing PMA (0.1-1 µM; Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO) for 2-18 h at 37°C. Control cells received an equal volume of the solvent vehicle, DMSO. When used, the PKC inhibitors Ro-31-8220 (0.1-30 µM) and calphostin C (0.1-3 µM; Calbiochem, San Diego, CA), the NF-kappa B inhibitor MG-132 (0.03-3 µM; BIOMOL, Plymouth Meeting, PA), or vehicle were added 30 min before PMA. The final DMSO concentration did not exceed 0.3% in any well. Cells were harvested by exposure to trypsin-EDTA at 37°C, and cell number was determined with a Coulter counter or hemacytometer. Viability was determined by trypan blue exclusion. Cell number ranged from 1-5 × 106 cells/well, and viability was >88% for all experiments.

Gel shift assay. Cells were lysed by thorough mixing with nuclear extraction buffer (100 µl/106 cells) containing 20 mM HEPES, pH 7.5, 200 mM KCl, 20% (vol/vol) glycerol, 1 mM dithiothreitol (DTT), 1 mM EDTA, 1 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, and 0.1% Nonidet P-40. After incubation on ice for 30 min, lysates were microcentrifuged at 16,000 rpm for 5 min at 4°C. Supernatants containing the nuclear fraction were stored at -80°C until needed.

The EMSAs used consensus oligonucleotides (Promega, Madison, WI) for the following nuclear transcription factors: NF-kappa B, 5'-AGTTGAGGGGACTTTCCCAGGC-3'; AP-1, 5'-CGCTTGATGAGTCAGCCGGAA-3'; AP-2, 5'-GATCGAACTGACCGCCCGCGGCCCGT-3', and CREB, 5'-AGAGATTGCCTGACGTCAGAGAGCTAG-3'.

Oligonucleotides were end labeled with 32P in a reaction containing 3.5 pmol of oligonucleotide, 10 U of T4 polynucleotide kinase, and [gamma -32P]ATP (3,000 Ci/mmol) in 70 mM Tris · HCl, pH 7.6, 10 mM MgCl2, and 5 mM DTT. After 30 min of incubation at 37°C, EDTA was added (final concentration 50 mM) to stop the reaction, and the volume was increased to 100 µl with Tris-EDTA buffer.

The EMSA reaction contained 2-10 µg of nuclear protein in 10 mM Tris · HCl, pH 7.5, 50 mM NaCl, 1 mM MgCl2, 0.5 mM EDTA, 0.5 mM DTT, 4% glycerol, and 0.05 mg/ml of poly(dI-dC). In some reactions, 50-fold excess cold oligonucleotide (3.5 pmol) was added to determine specificity of binding. After 10 min at 25°C, 1 µl (0.07 pmol) of labeled oligonucleotide was added, and the mixtures were further incubated for 30 min at 25°C. In some assays, antibodies were present to detect transcription factor supershifts. The antibodies used were goat polyclonal anti-NF-kappa B p50, rabbit polyclonal anti-NF-kappa B p65, rabbit polyclonal anti-c-Jun/AP-1, and mouse monoclonal anti-CREB1 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA). All antibodies were added 10 min after the labeled oligonucleotide at final dilutions of 1:5 and 1:20.

EMSA mixtures were then immediately subjected to gel electrophoresis on 4.5% polyacrylamide gels at 100 V in 0.5× Tris-borate-EDTA buffer. Gels were dried and exposed overnight to X-ray film at -70°C or to a phosphorimager screen (Fuji Photofilm) at 25°C. The observed bands were scanned by computer and quantitated densitometrically with the Scion Image program (Scion Software).

beta 2-AR promoter-reporter construct. The beta 2-AR promoter (1,550 bp) was inserted into a pGL3-basic vector containing a luciferase reporter gene (Promega). In brief, genomic DNA was isolated from BEAS-2B cells, and 1,550 bp of the beta 2-AR promoter upstream of the coding region (15) were amplified by PCR with primers modified to insert SacI restriction sites at each end of the promoter fragment. Purified promoter and pGL3 vector were then cleaved with SacI followed by ligation of the promoter into the vector.

The construct was transformed into competent INVaF' Escherichia coli cells (Invitrogen) grown on agar plates in the presence of neomycin. DNA from antibiotic-resistant colonies was isolated as minipreps and examined by agarose gel electrophoresis and DNA sequencing. Colonies containing the construct with promoter in the proper orientation were then subcultured, and the amplified construct was harvested as a maxiprep for use in transfection experiments.

Transfection protocol. BEAS-2B cells at 70-90% confluence were transfected with the construct by calcium phosphate precipitation. To control for transfection efficiency with minimal trans effects on beta 2-AR promoter activity, cells were cotransfected with the promoterless pRL-null vector (Promega) that codes for Renilla luciferase. The pRL-null vector produces a detectable luminescence signal but uses a different substrate to generate light, thereby allowing the activity of the two luciferase constructs to be assessed independently.

Before transfection, the medium was changed to DMEM plus 10% FBS. An aliquot of a DNA-calcium phosphate solution containing 3 µg of beta 2-AR-pGL3, 2 µg of pRL-null covector, and 3 µg of inert plasmid DNA (pGEM) at 20 µg total DNA/ml was added to each well. Wells receiving inert DNA only (8 µg of pGEM) were used as experimental blanks. Cells were transfected overnight for 15-18 h, washed once in fresh medium, and then transferred to DMEM without FBS for 24 h. They were then pretreated with inhibitors (Ro-31-8220, calphostin C, and MG-132) for 30 min followed by the addition of PMA for a final 6-h period. Control cells received DMSO solvent vehicle. After treatment, the cells were washed with PBS and lysed with lysis buffer (Promega) followed by mechanical scraping. The resultant lysates were microcentrifuged for 30 s to remove debris and were then frozen at -70°C until needed. The lysates were assayed for luciferase activity in a luminometer (Berthold Lumat LB9501) with the dual assay system from Promega, which allows rapid sequential measurement of both pGL3 and pRL luciferase phosphorescence. To determine promoter activity, experimental blank values were first subtracted from pGL3 and pRL sample readings. The pGL3 readings were next normalized to changes in transfection efficiency to obtain a net measure of promoter activity, as follows
pGL3<SUB><IT>x</IT></SUB>*<IT>=</IT>pGL3<SUB><IT>x</IT></SUB>(pRL/pRL<SUB><IT>x</IT></SUB>)
where pGL3x* is the calculated promoter activity for sample x in luminescence units, pGL3x and pRLx are sample readings, and pRL is the mean for all pRL readings in the experiment.

beta 2-AR binding. The density of beta -AR on BEAS-2B cells was determined as previously described (14) with a saturating concentration of [125I]iodopindolol (NEN-Life Sciences, Boston, MA). Briefly, 105 cells were divided into aliquots into tubes containing 10 mM Tris · HCl, pH 7.2, plus 450 pM [125I]iodopindolol and were incubated at 28°C for 2 h on a shaking platform. Nonspecific binding was determined by the addition of 40 µM alprenolol to some tubes. The cells were harvested with a Brandel cell harvester onto GF/B Whatman glass fiber filters, washed several times with the Tris buffer, and dried, and the radioactivity was determined in a gamma counter.

Data analysis. Group data are reported as means ± SE and represent data from at least three experiments. Statistical significance of differences in sample means was determined by paired Student's t-test. In all cases, statistical significance was accepted at the P < 0.05 level. Curve fitting of dose-response and time-course data was performed by linear regression with first- or second-order polynomial fits.


    RESULTS
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Effect of PMA in BEAS-2B cells. NF-kappa B and AP-1 binding were detected constitutively in BEAS-2B cells and was increased considerably by PMA treatment (0.1 µM) at both 2 and 18 h (Fig. 1, A and B). In PMA-treated cells, NF-kappa B binding activity was time dependent and was greater at 2 than at 18 h. In contrast, AP-1 activity was similar at both time points (Fig. 2). For the group as a whole (n = 7 experiments), NF-kappa B increased to ~370% of control levels at 2 h (P = 0.01) and to ~200% of control levels at 18 h (P = 0.0024). AP-1 increased to ~350% of control levels at 2 h (P = 0.0005) and to ~320% of control levels at 18 h (P = 0.0005; Fig. 2).


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Fig. 1.   Effects of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA; 0.1 µM for 2 or 18 h) on nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B (A) and activator protein (AP)-1 (B) binding activity in BEAS-2B cells are shown in representative autoradiographs. Samples in lane 2 (A and B) show effects of 50-fold excess unlabeled consensus oligonucleotide, which blocks binding by the labeled probe and, hence, indicates binding specificity. +, Presence; -, absence.



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Fig. 2.   Effects of PMA (0.1 µM) treatment on NF-kappa B and AP-1 activity in BEAS-2B cells are shown. Group data are means ± SE; n = 7 experiments. PMA increased NF-kappa B and AP-1 activity at both 2 and 18 h. However, NF-kappa B activity was greater at 2 than at 18 h, in contrast to AP-1 in which values were similar at the 2 time points.

In PMA-treated cells, the NF-kappa B-oligonucleotide complex underwent a supershift in the presence of antibodies against p50 and p65 (Fig. 3), indicating the presence of the p50/p65 heterodimer. Likewise, a supershift of the AP-1-oligonucleotide complex occurred in the presence of anti-c-Jun/AP-1 (Fig. 3).


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Fig. 3.   Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showing supershift of NF-kappa B (left) and AP-1 (right) oligonucleotides by antibodies for p50 and p65 or c-Jun. BEAS-2B cells were treated with PMA for 18 h. Antibodies were diluted 1:20 (lanes 3, 5, and 8) or 1:5 (lanes 4, 6, and 9). Supershift of oligonucleotide complexes occurred in response to all 3 antibodies.

Both CREB DNA binding and phosphorylated CREB immunoreactivity (assessed by Western blot) were observed constitutively but did not increase in response to PMA (data not shown). Cells treated with IBMX (0.5 mM) and dibutyryl cAMP (1 mM) for 18 h demonstrated increased CREB activity and, hence, served as positive controls. No detectable AP-2 binding was observed in either control or PMA-treated BEAS-2B cells.

PMA (0.1 µM for 6 h) also significantly increased beta 2-AR promoter activity to 182 ± 12% (SE) of control levels (P = 0.01; n = 7 experiments).

Effect of Ro-31-8220 and calphostin C in BEAS-2B cells. The PKC inhibitor Ro-31-8220 (0.3-30 µM) dose dependently inhibited NF-kappa B and AP-1 binding activities (n = 6 experiments; Figs. 4, A and B, and 5) and beta 2-AR promoter activity (n = 5 experiments; Fig. 6). Furthermore, changes in beta 2-AR promoter activity induced by Ro-31-8220 correlated closely with changes in NF-kappa B (r = 0.97) and AP-1 levels (r = 0.89).


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Fig. 4.   Effect of the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor Ro-31-8220 on NF-kappa B and AP-1 activity. BEAS-2B cells were treated with PMA for 2 or 18 h. Representative autoradiographs show dose-dependent inhibition of NF-kappa B (A) and AP-1 (B) by Ro-31-8220 at both time points. Samples in lane 2 (A and B) show effects of 50-fold excess unlabeled consensus oligonucleotide, which blocked binding by the labeled probe and, hence, indicates binding specificity.



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Fig. 5.   Effect of Ro-31-8220 on NF-kappa B (open circle ) and AP-1 () activity in PMA-treated (0.1 µM for 18 h) BEAS-2B cells is shown. Group data are means ± SE; n = 6 experiments. Ro-31-8220 dose dependently inhibited both NF-kappa B and AP-1 activity.



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Fig. 6.   Effect of Ro-31-8220 on beta 2-adrenergic receptor promoter-luciferase reporter activity in PMA-treated (0.1 µM for 6 h) BEAS-2B cells. Data are means ± SE of 5 experiments. y-Axis, luciferase reporter activity given in luminescence units as %control. y-Value at 0 concentration of Ro-31-8220 indicates effect of PMA alone.

Similar results were obtained with a second PKC inhibitor, calphostin C. PMA (0.1 µM for 18 h)-evoked promoter activity (141 ± 6% of control level) was reduced to 74 ± 11% by calphostin C (1 µM; P = 0.004; n = 6 experiments). Calphostin C (1 µM) also reduced NF-kB binding activity in PMA (0.1 µM for 18 h)-stimulated cells from 158 ± 30 to 58 ± 14% of control levels (P = 0.015; n = 4 experiments).

Effect of the NF-kappa B inhibitor MG-132 in BEAS-2B cells. To examine the respective influences of NF-kappa B and AP-1 on beta 2-AR promoter activity, the effects of the NF-kappa B inhibitor MG-132 were examined. MG-132 (0.03-1 µM) dose dependently inhibited PMA-induced increases in NF-kappa B DNA binding activity but, surprisingly, increased AP-1 binding (n = 4 experiments; Figs. 7 and 8). MG-132 also monotonically inhibited PMA-induced increases in beta 2-AR promoter activity (n = 4 experiments; Fig. 9). Reductions in beta 2-AR promoter activity produced by MG-132 treatment correlated closely with simultaneous changes in NF-kappa B activity (r = 0.96) but not in AP-1 activity (r = -0.36). MG-132 dose dependently decreased beta -AR density from 201 ± 45% of control levels at 0.1 µM MG-132 to 130 ± 22% of control levels at 10 µM MG-132 (n = 4 experiments).


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Fig. 7.   Effect of the NF-kappa B inhibitor MG-132 on NF-kappa B and AP-1 activity in PMA-treated (18-h) BEAS-2B cells. Representative autoradiograph shows a dose-dependent reduction in NF-kappa B but not in AP-1 activity.



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Fig. 8.   Effect of MG-132 on NF-kappa B (open circle ) and AP-1 () activity in PMA-treated (0.1 µM for 18 h) BEAS-2B cells is shown. Group data are means ± SE; n = 4 experiments. MG-132 dose dependently inhibited NF-kappa B but not AP-1 activity.



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Fig. 9.   Effect of MG-132 on beta 2-AR promoter-luciferase reporter activity in PMA-treated (0.1 µM for 6 h) BEAS-2B cells. Data are means ± SE of 4 experiments. y-Axis, luciferase reporter activity given in luminescence units expressed as %control. MG-132 dose dependently inhibited luciferase reporter activity.


    DISCUSSION
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

Our laboratory (13) has previously shown that IL-1beta dose dependently upregulates beta 2-AR density in human airway epithelial cells (BEAS-2B cells). Upregulation by IL-1beta was accompanied by an increase in beta 2-AR mRNA, suggesting regulation of gene expression at the transcriptional level. Similar findings for IL-1beta have been reported in A549 lung cells (20, 29). More recently, our laboratory (3) has shown that activation of the PKC pathway is necessary and sufficient for IL-1beta -induced beta 2-AR upregulation. This upregulation is completely blocked by the PKC inhibitors calphostin C and Ro-31-8220. Furthermore, IL-1beta specifically activates the PKC-µ isozyme (3).

In the present study, we sought to determine the nuclear transcription factor(s) downstream of PKC activation that upregulates beta 2-AR expression. Initial studies by our laboratory focused on NF-kappa B (11) and AP-1 (12) for two reasons. First, both transcription factors are activated by PKC-dependent pathways. For example, PKC mediates NF-kappa B translocation/activation in ANG II-stimulated rat cardiomyocytes (26) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha -stimulated NF-kappa B activity and cyclooxygenase 2 expression in human lung epithelial cells (5). PKC appears to activate NF-kappa B by phosphorylation of Ikappa B kinase beta  (16, 31). PKC-mediated activation of AP-1 has been reported in hydrogen peroxide-stimulated rat aorta vascular smooth muscle cells (27) and mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells (30).

Second, the beta 2-AR promoter contains putative binding sites for both NF-kappa B and AP-1. An atypical AP-1 site is present at -1,230 bp, upstream from the coding region (15). A binding site closely matching the NF-kappa B consensus sequence that selectively binds NF-kappa B has been reported in the rat beta 2-AR gene promoter (10). Sequences of the human beta 2-AR gene promoter show an atypical NF-kappa B binding site in the same 5'-flanking region from -442 to -433 bp (7, 15).

AP-1 and NF-kappa B were examined over an 18-h period. In BEAS-2B cells exposed to PMA, EMSAs showed increased DNA binding by AP-1 and NF-kappa B that could be blocked by 50-fold excess cold oligonucleotide, indicating specificity of binding. Both transcription factors rose significantly by 2 h. AP-1 levels were maintained over 2-18 h, whereas NF-kappa B levels declined partway toward basal level. NF-kappa B activity is controlled partly in negative feedback fashion by changes in expression of Ikappa B-alpha (11). Therefore, a decline in NF-kappa B activity after 2 h as observed in the present study may be due in part to increased Ikappa B-alpha synthesis. Such autoregulation of NF-kappa B has been reported in Jurkat cells (28) and HeLa S3 cells (1). Alternatively, exposure to PMA maintained for 18 h may have induced downregulation of PKC, with a subsequent decrease in stimulus intensity for NF-kappa B activation (21). However, the relative lack of change in AP-1 activity with maintained (i.e., 18-h) exposure to PMA argues against this latter possibility. Lack of change in AP-1 over the same time course may be explained by the absence of a negative feedback loop for this transcription factor.

NF-kappa B exists as a variety of homo- and heterodimers. Antibodies against the p50 and p65 subunits of NF-kappa B demonstrated supershifting of the oligonucleotide-protein complex, indicating that at least some of the DNA-bound NF-kappa B was of the p50/p65 heterodimer, the principal form. Likewise, supershifting of the oligo-AP-1 complex by anti-c-Jun implicated the c-Jun isoform as an AP-1 constituent. However, given that we only tested these subunits, we cannot rule out the presence of additional NF-kappa B dimers or of alternative Jun isoforms (e.g., Jun B and Jun D) in the AP-1 complex.

PMA exposure increased the activity of a beta 2-AR promoter-luciferase reporter construct transiently transfected into BEAS-2B cells. The inserted full-length promoter spanned 1,500 bp of the 5'-flanking region of the beta 2-AR coding region and contained the putative AP-1 and NF-kappa B binding sites mentioned previously. The increase in promoter activity induced by PMA supports the notion that upregulation of beta 2-AR density by IL-1beta is at least partly transcriptionally mediated.

The selective PKC inhibitor Ro-31-8220 (22), a staurosporine analog, produced a dose-dependent decrease in both NF-kappa B and AP-1 DNA binding and in beta 2-AR promoter activity, confirming a dependence on PKC. Moreover, inhibition of beta 2-AR promoter activity by Ro-31-8220 correlated closely with inhibition of NF-kappa B and AP-1 binding, which suggests that either or both factors play a role in activation of the beta 2-AR promoter by PMA.

The proteasome inhibitory peptide MG-132 is a potent inhibitor of NF-kappa B (18, 32, 34). In our study, MG-132 completely inhibited PMA-induced NF-kappa B binding in BEAS-2B cells. In contrast, AP-1 binding actually increased as MG-132 concentrations rose. MG-132 also exerted a monotonic dose-dependent inhibition of beta 2-AR promoter activity that correlated closely with the inhibition of NF-kappa B activity. The above observations strongly suggest that the potentiation of beta 2-AR promoter activity by PMA is mediated, at least in part, by NF-kappa B.

However, it should be pointed out that MG-132 may affect the degradation of proteins other than NF-kappa B (e.g., the IL-2 receptor complex, c-Jun, and the kappa -opioid receptor) by inhibition of proteasome activity (17, 19, 35). The present results with the use of MG-132, therefore, are supportive but not definitive evidence implicating NF-kappa B in mediating beta 2-AR promoter activity. Additional experiments are required in this regard.

Of interest, inhibition of NF-kappa B by MG-132 was associated with an increase in AP-1 binding activity. Several possible mechanisms may explain this phenomenon. First, MG-132 may inhibit c-Jun degradation directly (19). Second, proteasome inhibitors may inhibit proteasome-associated RNase activity and thereby stabilize c-Jun mRNA and, hence, increase AP-1 expression (8).

CREB enhances transcription of the beta 2-AR gene in response to agonists that act through the PKA signal transduction pathway (6). Any increases in CREB activity induced by PMA could conceivably have explained the upregulation of beta 2-AR gene expression. However, in this study, PMA had no effect on CREB DNA binding activity or on its level of phosphorylation, suggesting that the CREB system does not play a major role in the PKC-mediated activation of the beta 2-AR promoter.

In summary, the present study indicates that the nuclear transcription factor NF-kappa B plays an essential role in mediating PKC-induced beta 2-AR gene activation in human airway epithelial cells. Several lines of evidence support this conclusion. First, PMA increased NF-kappa B DNA binding as well as the activity of a full-length beta 2-AR promoter-luciferase reporter construct. Second, both parameters were reduced by the PKC inhibitors Ro-31-8220 and calphostin C. Third, MG-123-induced inhibition of beta 2-AR promoter activity correlated closely with reductions in NF-kappa B binding activity.

In contrast, the ability of MG-123 to inhibit beta 2-AR promoter activity while enhancing AP-1 DNA binding strongly suggests that AP-1 per se does not mediate PKC-induced beta 2-AR gene activation. However, the possibility that AP-1 exerts a facilitative role in conjunction with NF-kappa B in enhancing beta 2-AR gene activation cannot be excluded by our data.

NF-kappa B regulates the expression of a variety of genes such as adhesion molecules (E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule), inflammatory mediators (inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase 2), and cytokines and chemokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha , IL-1beta , IL-6, and IL-8) (4, 5, 11, 24, 33, 34). To our knowledge, the present study is the first to demonstrate that NF-kappa B is involved in the regulation of expression of the human beta 2-AR gene, which plays an important role in the regulation of airway caliber and the airway response to catecholamines. A recent study (9) in asthmatic subjects showed an increase in NF-kappa B activity in airway epithelial cells and macrophages compared with that in nonasthmatic subjects. These observations suggest that NF-kappa B may be particularly important in the regulation of the human beta 2-AR gene in the setting of airway disease (2).


    ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We acknowledge the technical assistance of Vondell Burke in performing gel shift assays and the technical advice of Dr. Farhad Imani in developing the gel shift assay protocol.


    FOOTNOTES

This work was supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Grant R01-HL-52700-02.

Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: S. G. Kelsen, 761 Parkinson Pavilion, Temple Univ. Hospital, 3401 North Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19140 (E-mail: kelsen{at}vm.temple.edu).

The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

Received 13 March 2001; accepted in final form 20 July 2001.


    REFERENCES
TOP
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES

1.   Arenzana-Seisdedos, F, Thompson J, Rodriguez MS, Bachelerie F, Thomas D, and Hay RT. Inducible nuclear expression of newly synthesized Ikappa Balpha negatively regulates DNA-binding and transcriptional activities of NF-kappa B. Mol Cell Biol 15: 2689-2696, 1995[Abstract].

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Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 281(5):L1271-L1278
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