Nuclear Export of NF90 Is Required for Interleukin-2 mRNA Stabilization

• Published in: Molecular cell 2002-12, Vol.10 (6), p.1331-1344
• Main Authors: Shim, Jaekyung, Lim, Hanjo, R.Yates, John, Karin, Michael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3' Untranslated Regions - genetics; 5' Untranslated Regions - genetics; Active Transport, Cell Nucleus - physiology; Amino Acid Sequence; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Cytoplasm - immunology; DNA-Binding Proteins - chemistry; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; HeLa Cells; Humans; Interleukin-2 - genetics; Jurkat Cells; Kinetics; Molecular Sequence Data; NFATC Transcription Factors; Nuclear Factor 90 Proteins; Nuclear Proteins; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; RNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Transcription Factors - chemistry; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism
• ISSN: 1097-2765; 1097-4164
• DOI: 10.1016/S1097-2765(02)00730-X

In response to T cell activation signals, the half-life of interleukin-2 (IL-2) mRNA is greatly extended. The cis elements mediating IL-2 mRNA stabilization are located in its 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions (UTR). The 3′UTR also contains AU-rich elements (AREs) that mediate rapid IL-2 mRNA degradation in the cytoplasm of nonstimulated T cells. NF90, a previously described RNA binding protein, binds to a subregion of the 3′UTR that contains several AREs and slows down the degradation of IL-2 mRNA. In nonstimulated cells, NF90 is mostly nuclear, but T cell activation results in its accumulation in the cytoplasm. The nuclear export of NF90 is required for IL-2 mRNA stabilization.