Regulation of macrophage cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression by modifications of histone H3

• Published in: American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology 2004-05, Vol.286 (5), p.L956-L962
• Main Authors: Park, Gye Young, Joo, Myungsoo, Pedchenko, Tetyana, Blackwell, Timothy S, Christman, John W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetyltransferases - metabolism; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - pharmacology; Butadienes - pharmacology; Butyrates - pharmacology; Cell Line; Cyclooxygenase 2; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic - drug effects; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic - genetics; Histone Acetyltransferases; Histones - genetics; Histones - metabolism; Imidazoles - pharmacology; Isoenzymes - genetics; Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology; Mice; NF-kappa B - metabolism; Nitriles - pharmacology; Phosphorylation; Promoter Regions, Genetic - drug effects; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases - genetics; Pulmonary Alveoli - enzymology; Pyridines - pharmacology; Transcriptional Activation
• ISSN: 1040-0605; 1522-1504
• DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00338.2003

Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, 37232-2650; and Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37203 Submitted 22 September 2003 ; accepted in final form 11 December 2003 Some transcription factors involved in the regulation of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) expression in macrophage, including NF- B, interact with p300, which contains histone acetyltransferase (HAT) enzyme complex. Chromatin structure is regulated by modifying enzymes, including HAT, and plays an important role in eukaryotic gene regulation through histone modification. We hypothesized that changes in chromatin structure related to phosphorylation and acetylation of histone H3 adjacent to key DNA binding sequence motif in the COX-2 promoter contribute to COX-2 gene activation in macrophages. Sodium butyrate (NaBT) is a short-chain fatty acid that possesses histone deacetyltransferase-inhibiting activity. Our data show that NaBT accentuates LPS-induced COX-2 gene expression at a transcriptional level, even though NaBT alone does not induce the COX-2 gene expression. Using a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we showed that costimulation of RAW 264.7 cells with NaBT and LPS synergistically increases COX-2 gene expression through both acetylation and phosphorylation of histone H3 at the promoter site. Our data show that NaBT accentuates LPS-induced COX-2 gene expression through MAP kinase-dependent increase of phosphorylation and acetylation of histone H3 at the COX-2 promoter site. These data indicate that posttranslational modification of histone H3 has a major effect on COX-2 gene expression by macrophages. sodium butyrate; phosphorylation; acetylation; mitogen-activated protein kinase Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: J. W. Christman, Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Vanderbilt Univ. School of Medicine, Center for Lung Research, T-1217 Medical Center No., Nashville, TN 37232-2650 (E-mail: john.christman{at}vanderbilt.edu ).