The stability of tristetraprolin mRNA is regulated by mitogen-activated protein kinase p38 and by tristetraprolin itself

J Biol Chem. 2004 Jul 30;279(31):32393-400. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M402059200. Epub 2004 Jun 7.

Abstract

Tristetraprolin (TTP) is an mRNA-destabilizing protein that negatively regulates the expression of proinflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and cyclooxygenase 2. Here we investigate the regulation of TTP expression in the mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7. We show that TTP mRNA is expressed in a biphasic manner following stimulation of cells with lipopolysaccharide and that the second phase of expression, like the first, is dependent on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38. MAPK p38 acts through a downstream kinase to stabilize TTP mRNA, and this stabilization is mediated by an adenosine/uridine-rich region at the 3'-end of the TTP 3'-untranslated region. Hence TTP is post-transcriptionally regulated in a similar manner to several proinflammatory genes. We also demonstrate that TTP is able to bind to its own 3'-untranslated region and negatively regulate its own expression, forming a feedback loop to limit expression levels.

MeSH terms

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • Adenosine / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Base Sequence
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins*
  • Dactinomycin / pharmacology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Doxycycline / pharmacology
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Immediate-Early Proteins / chemistry*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
  • Rabbits
  • Ribonucleases / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
  • Time Factors
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transfection
  • Tristetraprolin
  • Uridine / chemistry
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

Substances

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Immediate-Early Proteins
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors
  • Protein Synthesis Inhibitors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Tristetraprolin
  • ZFP36 protein, human
  • Zfp36 protein, mouse
  • Dactinomycin
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Ribonucleases
  • Adenosine
  • Doxycycline
  • Uridine