Negative feedback regulation of IL-32 production by iNOS activation in response to dsRNA or influenza virus infection

Eur J Immunol. 2009 Apr;39(4):1019-24. doi: 10.1002/eji.200838885.

Abstract

iNOS plays an important role in mediating inflammation. In this study, we found that iNOS-derived NO was increased 2.4-fold in the serum samples of 101 patients infected with influenza A virus in comparison with samples of 105 healthy individuals. In A549 human lung epithelial cells, infection with influenza A virus or stimulation with poly(I:C)+IFN-gamma resulted in increased mRNA and protein levels of both IL-32 and iNOS, with subsequent release of NO. Over-expression of IL-32 resulted in upregulated iNOS expression with subsequent NO production. Knock down of IL-32 by IL-32-specific siRNA resulted in the inhibition of dsRNA-induced expression of iNOS and NO release, indicating that IL-32 is an upstream regulatory factor of dsRNA-triggered iNOS production. Surprisingly, over-expression of iNOS resulted in the reduction of IL-32 expression, and suppression of iNOS by the selective iNOS inhibitor S-methylisothiourea sulfate stimulated IL-32 expression, indicating that a negative feedback mechanism operates between the iNOS/NO and IL-32 systems. These findings suggest that influenza A virus infection activates IL-32 and iNOS expression by a heretofore unrecognized complex mechanism, in which the two pro-inflammatory factors regulate each other, involving positive and negative feedback regulatory loops.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Feedback, Physiological*
  • Female
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Influenza A virus / immunology*
  • Influenza, Human / enzymology
  • Influenza, Human / immunology*
  • Interferon-gamma / pharmacology
  • Interleukins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Interleukins / genetics
  • Interleukins / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nitric Oxide / blood*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / metabolism*
  • Poly I-C / immunology
  • RNA, Double-Stranded / immunology
  • RNA, Double-Stranded / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics

Substances

  • IL32 protein, human
  • Interleukins
  • RNA, Double-Stranded
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Interferon-gamma
  • NOS2 protein, human
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Poly I-C