Stütz AM, Hoeck J, Natt F, Cuenoud B, Woisetschläger M. Inhibition of interleukin-4- and CD40-induced IgE germline gene promoter activity by 2'-aminoethoxy-modified triplex-forming oligonucleotides.
J Biol Chem 2001;
276:11759-65. [PMID:
11278649 DOI:
10.1074/jbc.m010260200]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevated levels of IgE are intimately associated with a number of allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis or asthma. Therefore, prevention of IgE production in human B-cells represents an attractive therapeutic target. IL-4-induced IgE germline gene transcription represents a crucial early step during IgE isotype switch differentiation. Gene induction is orchestrated by the coordinated action of the transcription factors STAT6 (signal transducer and activator of transcription), NF-kappaB, PU.1, and C/EBP. This study shows that 2'-aminoethoxy-modified oligonucleotides, which partially overlap with the STAT6 and the adjacent PU.1/NF-kappaB binding site, inhibit DNA binding of all three proteins with high affinity in a dose- and time-dependent fashion in vitro. Loss of protein binding correlated strongly with increasing DNA triplex formation. Importantly, the oligomers also effectively displaced pre-bound recombinant NF-kappaB p50 from double-stranded DNA in vitro. Functionally, the oligonucleotides led to a selective inhibition of IL-4-induced reporter gene activity from a construct driven by the IgE germline gene promoter in human B-cells. These data confirm the critical role of this cytokine-responsive regulatory region in IgE germline gene induction and further support the concept of specific modulation of gene expression by DNA triplex formation induced with chemically modified oligonucleotides.
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