Activation of interleukin-6 gene expression through the NF-kappa B transcription factor.

The promoter region of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene has a putative NF-kappa B-binding site. We found that a fragment of the IL-6 promoter containing the site specifically binds highly purified NF-kappa B protein and the NF-kappa B protein in nuclear extracts of phorbol ester-induced Jurkat cells. Mutations of the NF-kappa B site abolished complex formation with both purified NF-kappa B and the nuclear extract protein. Transient expression of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) plasmids containing the IL-6 promoter revealed very little activity of the promoter in U-937 monocytic cells and in HeLa cells before stimulation. However, stimulation of U-937 and HeLa cells by inducers of NF-kappa B led to a dramatic increase in CAT activity. Mutations in the NF-kappa B-binding site abolished inducibility of IL-6 promoter-cat constructs in U-937 cells by lipopolysaccharide, tumor necrosis factor alpha, the double-stranded RNA poly(IC), or phytohemagglutinin and in HeLa cells by tumor necrosis factor alpha and drastically reduced but did not completely eliminate inducibility in HeLa cells stimulated by double-stranded RNA poly(IC) or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. These results suggest that NF-kappa B is an important mediator for activation of the IL-6 gene by a variety of IL-6 inducers in both U-937 and HeLa cells and that alternative inducible enhancer elements contribute in a cell-specific manner to IL-6 gene induction. Because NF-kappa B is involved in the control of a variety of genes activated upon inflammation, NF-kappa B may play a central role in the inflammatory response to infection and tissue injury.     

Effect of TNF-alpha on human osteosarcoma cell line Saos2--TNF-alpha regulation of bone sialoprotein gene expression in Saos2 osteoblast-like cells

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a major mediator of inflammatory response in many diseases. It inhibits bone formation and stimulates bone resorption. To determine the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of gene expression of osteoblast-like cells, we analyzed the effects of TNF-alpha on the human osteosarcoma cell line Saos2. We used RT-PCR to examine the effects of TNF-alpha on bone sialoprotein (BSP), core binding factor a1 (Cbfa1), osterix, alpha 1 (I) collagen, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), cathepsin B, cathepsin L and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1). TNF-alpha (10ng/ml) increased BSP, IL-6 and COX-2 mRNA levels after 3h, reaching maximal levels at 12 h. Cbfa1 mRNA levels increased after 3 h, but decreased by 24 h. Osterix, cathepsin B, cathepsin L and TIMP-1 mRNA levels did not change after stimulation with TNF-alpha. On the other hand, alpha 1 (I) collagen mRNA expression was suppressed by TNF-alpha at 24 h. Transient transfection analyses were performed using chimeric constructs of the rat BSP gene promoter linked to a luciferase reporter gene. TNF-alpha (10 ng/ml) had no effect on the promoter activities of BSP transfected into Saos2 cells. The results of gel mobility shift assays using radiolabeled double-stranded cAMP response element (CRE) and FGF2 response element (FRE) oligonucleotides in the proximal promoter of the rat BSP gene showed increased binding of nuclear proteins at 6 h. Gel mobility shift assays with radiolabelled COX-2-CRE and COX-2-NF kappa B oligonucleotides revealed an increase in the binding of nuclear proteins from TNF-alpha-stimulated Saos2 cells. These studies, therefore, showed that TNF-alpha indirectly increased BSP expression, and that it could be mediated through COX-2 and Cbfa1 expression in Saos2 osteoblast-like cells.