Regulation of IL-1β-Mediated MUC2 Gene in NCI-H292 Human Airway Epithelial Cells

Abstract

This study demonstrates for the first time the effects of IL-1β on the regulation of protein production as well as MUC2 gene transcription in cultured human airway epithelial cells. The effect of IL-1β on the regulation of MUC2 protein was determined by flow cytometric analysis. The expression level of MUC2 induced by IL-1β increased in a dose-dependent manner. MUC2 transcripts were detected after 2 h of exposure to IL-1β and reached maximal level after 8 h. Actinomycin D experiments indicated that the IL-1β-mediated MUC2 expression was controlled by transcriptional regulation. Both RT-PCR and FACS analysis showed that budesonide concomitantly attenuated IL-1β mediated MUC2 gene as well as protein production levels. Use of the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, RU-486, restored the inhibitory effect of budesonide on the IL-1β-mediated MUC2 protein as well as gene. The data suggest that IL-1β up-regulates MUC2 gene by transcriptional regulation and that budesonide suppresses the IL-1β-medicated MUC2 expression via decreased transcriptional activation.