Nuclear to cytoplasmic translocation of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U enhances TLR-induced proinflammatory cytokine production by stabilizing mRNAs in macrophages

J Immunol. 2012 Apr 1;188(7):3179-87. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1101175. Epub 2012 Feb 17.

Abstract

TLR signaling is associated with the transcription of various proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. After transcription, the mRNA of these proinflammatory cytokines needs to be tightly controlled at the posttranscriptional level to achieve an optimal expression. However, the precise mechanism of posttranscriptional regulation is not fully understood. In the current study, we found the expression of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U (hnRNP U), also termed scaffold attachment factor A, was greatly induced by TLR stimulation in macrophages. Knockdown of hnRNP U expression greatly attenuated TLR-induced expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, but not IL-12, whereas hnRNP U overexpression greatly increased TLR-induced expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. Furthermore, hnRNP U knockdown accelerated the turnover and decreased the t(1/2) of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β mRNA. RNA immunoprecipitation demonstrated that hnRNP U bound to the mRNA of these proinflammatory cytokines through the RGG motif. Importantly, we showed that TLR stimulation provided a stimulus for hnRNP U nuclear to cytoplasmic translocation. Therefore, we propose that hnRNP U induced by TLR signaling binds to the mRNA of a subset of proinflammatory cytokines and positively regulates the expression of these cytokines by stabilizing mRNA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Transport, Active
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism*
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis*
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology*
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein U / genetics
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein U / metabolism*
  • Inflammation
  • Interleukins / biosynthesis
  • Interleukins / genetics
  • Macrophages / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA Stability*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Toll-Like Receptors / physiology*
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / biosynthesis
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein U
  • Interleukins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha