Histone H3 phosphorylation by IKK-alpha is critical for cytokine-induced gene expression.

Cytokine-induced activation of the IkappaB kinases (IKK) IKK-alpha and IKK-beta is a key step involved in the activation of the NF-kappaB pathway. Gene-disruption studies of the murine IKK genes have shown that IKK-beta, but not IKK-alpha, is critical for cytokine-induced IkappaB degradation. Nevertheless, mouse embryo fibroblasts deficient in IKK-alpha are ...
defective in the induction of NF-kappaB-dependent transcription. These observations raised the question of whether IKK-alpha might regulate a previously undescribed step to activate the NF-kappaB pathway that is independent of its previously described cytoplasmic role in the phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha. Here we show that IKK-alpha functions in the nucleus to activate the expression of NF-kappaB-responsive genes after stimulation with cytokines. IKK-alpha interacts with CREB-binding protein and in conjunction with Rel A is recruited to NF-kappaB-responsive promoters and mediates the cytokine-induced phosphorylation and subsequent acetylation of specific residues in histone H3. These results define a new nuclear role of IKK-alpha in modifying histone function that is critical for the activation of NF-kappaB-directed gene expression.
Mesh Terms:
Animals, CREB-Binding Protein, Fibroblasts, Gene Deletion, Gene Expression Regulation, Hela Cells, Histones, Humans, I-kappa B Kinase, I-kappa B Proteins, Interleukin-8, Mice, NF-kappa B, Nuclear Proteins, Phosphorylation, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Protein Binding, Protein Structure, Tertiary, Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases, RNA, Messenger, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Trans-Activators, Transcriptional Activation, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Nature
Date: Jun. 05, 2003
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