Differential Effects of Histone Deacetylases on the Expression of NKG2D Ligands and NK Cell-Mediated Anticancer Immunity in Lung Cancer Cells.

Histone acetylation is an epigenetic mechanism that regulates the expression of various genes, such as natural killer group 2, member D (NKG2D) ligands. These NKG2D ligands are the key molecules that activate immune cells expressing the NKG2D receptor. It has been observed that cancer cells overexpress histone deacetylases (HDACs) and show reduced acetylation of nuclear histones. Furthermore, HDAC inhibitors are known to upregulate the expression of NKG2D ligands. Humans have 18 known HDAC enzymes that are divided into four classes. At present, it is not clear which types of HDAC are involved in the expression of NKG2D ligands. We hypothesized that specific types of HDAC genes might be responsible for altering the expression of NKG2D ligands. In this study, we monitored the expression of NKG2D ligands and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules in lung cancer cells which were treated with six selective HDAC inhibitors and specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). We observed that treatment with FK228, which is a selective HDAC1/2 inhibitor, also known as Romidepsin, induced NKG2D ligand expression at the transcriptional and proteomic levels in two different lung cancer cell lines. It also caused an increase in the susceptibility of NCI-H23 cells to NK cells. Silencing HDAC1 or HDAC2 using specific siRNAs increased NKG2D ligand expression. In conclusion, it appears that HDAC1 and HDAC2 might be the key molecules regulating the expression of NKG2D ligands. These results imply that specifically inhibiting HDAC1 and HDAC2 could induce the expression of NKG2D ligands and improve the NK cell-mediated anti-cancer immunity.

Jian-Pi-Yi-Fei granule suppresses airway inflammation in mice induced by cigarette smoke condensate and lipopolysaccharide.

INTRODUCTION: As a chronic, progressive, and lethal pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is lacking effective treatment. Chronic inflammatory processes, including inflammatory cytokines, play an important role with in its pathogenesis. Jianpiyifei (JPYF) granule is a traditional Chinese herbal formula historically used to strengthen the spleen and tonify the lung. JPYF is used clinically to treat stable COPD. However, whether the purported anti-inflammatory effect of JPYF in COPD involves regulation of key inflammatory cytokines is not clear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mice model of pulmonary inflammation was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cigarette smoke condensate (CSC). The influence of JPYF on airway inflammation in vivo was investigated. Mice were divided into three groups: control, model, and treatment groups. In the CSC + LPS model group and JPYF treatment group, intratracheal injection of CSC and LPS was used to induce airway inflammation for 5 days. JPYF group animals were also orally administered 5.5 g/kg JPYF granule for 12 days. RESULTS: The number of neutrophils and total cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the JPYF group were markedly lower than in the model group. The levels of interleukin (IL)-1 ß and IL-6 were lower; tumor necrosis factor-alpha was downregulated, and IL-10 was higher in the JPYF group than the model group. In the JPYF group, histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) activity and protein expression were restored. CONCLUSION: The anti-inflammatory activity of JPYF involves the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, enhanced IL-10 secretion, and the restoration of HDAC2 activity.

Histone deacetylase 2 is essential for LPS-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages.

The role of specific histone deacetylase (HDAC) proteins in regulating the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response and its underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, HDAC2, a class I HDAC family protein, is essential for the LPS-triggered inflammatory response in macrophages. LPS stimulation increases HDAC2 expression in macrophages. Knockdown of HDAC2 decreases the expression of proinflammatory genes, such as IL-12, TNF-α and iNOS following stimulation with LPS. The adoptive transfer of HDAC2 knockdown macrophages attenuates the LPS-triggered innate inflammatory response in vivo, and these mice are less sensitive to endotoxin shock and Escherichia coli-induced sepsis. Mechanistically, the c-Jun protein is the main target of HDAC2-mediated LPS-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, HDAC2 knockdown increases the expression of c-Jun, which directly binds the promoters of proinflammatory genes and forms nuclear receptor corepressor complexes to inhibit the transcription of proinflammatory genes in macrophages. These effects are rescued by c-Jun expression. According to the chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis, HDAC2 also selectively suppresses c-Jun expression by directly binding to its promoter and modifying histone acetylation after LPS stimulation. Our findings define a new function and mechanism of the HDAC2/c-Jun signaling network that regulates the LPS-induced immune response in macrophages.

HDAC2 attenuates airway inflammation by suppressing IL-17A production in HDM-challenged mice.

Histone deacetylase (HDAC)2 is expressed in airway epithelium and plays a pivotal role in inflammatory cells. However, the role of HDAC2 in allergic airway inflammation remains poorly understood. In the present study, we determined the role of HDAC2 in airway inflammation using in vivo models of house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic inflammation and in vitro cultures of human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells exposed to HDM, IL-17A, or both. We observed that HDM-challenged Hdac2+/- mice exhibited substantially enhanced infiltration of inflammatory cells. Higher levels of T helper 2 cytokines and IL-17A expression were found in lung tissues of HDM-challenged Hdac2+/- mice. Interestingly, IL-17A deletion or anti-IL-17A treatment reversed the enhanced airway inflammation induced by HDAC2 impairment. In vitro, HDM and IL-17A synergistically decreased HDAC2 expression in HBE cells. HDAC2 gene silencing further enhanced HDM- and/or IL-17A-induced inflammatory cytokines in HBE cells. HDAC2 overexpresion or blocking IL-17A gene expression restored the enhanced inflammatory cytokines. Collectively, these results support a protective role of HDAC2 in HDM-induced airway inflammation by suppressing IL-17A production and might suggest that activation of HDAC2 and/or inhibition of IL-17A production could prevent the development of allergic airway inflammation.

HDAC stimulates gene expression through BRD4 availability in response to IFN and in interferonopathies.

In contrast to the common role of histone deacetylases (HDACs) for gene repression, HDAC activity provides a required positive function for IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression. Here, we show that HDAC1/2 as components of the Sin3A complex are required for ISG transcriptional elongation but not for recruitment of RNA polymerase or transcriptional initiation. Transcriptional arrest by HDAC inhibition coincides with failure to recruit the epigenetic reader Brd4 and elongation factor P-TEFb due to sequestration of Brd4 on hyperacetylated chromatin. Brd4 availability is regulated by an equilibrium cycle between opposed acetyltransferase and deacetylase activities that maintains a steady-state pool of free Brd4 available for recruitment to inducible promoters. An ISG expression signature is a hallmark of interferonopathies and other autoimmune diseases. Combined inhibition of HDAC1/2 and Brd4 resolved the aberrant ISG expression detected in cells derived from patients with two inherited interferonopathies, ISG15 and USP18 deficiencies, defining a novel therapeutic approach to ISG-associated autoimmune diseases.

SUMOylation of ROR-γt inhibits IL-17 expression and inflammation via HDAC2.

Dysregulated ROR-γt-mediated IL-17 transcription is central to the pathogenesis of several inflammatory disorders, yet the molecular mechanisms that govern the transcription factor activity of ROR-γt in the regulation of IL-17 are not fully defined. Here we show that SUMO-conjugating enzyme Ubc9 interacts with a conserved GKAE motif in ROR-γt to induce SUMOylation of ROR-γt and suppress IL-17 expression. Th17 cells expressing SUMOylation-defective ROR-γt are highly colitogenic upon transfer to Rag1-/- mice. Mechanistically, SUMOylation of ROR-γt facilitates the binding of HDAC2 to the IL-17 promoter and represses IL-17 transcription. Mice with conditional deletion of HDAC2 in CD4+ T cells have elevated IL-17 expression and severe colitis. The identification of the Ubc9/ROR-γt/HDAC2 axis that governs IL-17 expression may open new venues for the development of therapeutic measures for inflammatory disorders.

IL-10 disrupts the Brd4-docking sites to inhibit LPS-induced CXCL8 and TNF-α expression in monocytes: Implications for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: IL-10 is well known for its ability to block the expression and production of numerous proinflammatory cytokines, in this manner preventing the development of excessive or chronic immune activation. IL-10-induced transcriptional repression of CXCL8 and TNFA genes consists of 2 distinct phases: an early phase, occurring rapidly and in a protein synthesis-independent manner, followed by a second phase that is more delayed and dependent on protein synthesis. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify the mechanisms through which IL-10 rapidly and directly suppresses LPS-induced CXCL8 and TNF-α transcription, which might be defective under pathologic conditions. METHODS: The molecular events triggered by IL-10 in LPS-activated monocytes at the CXCL8 and TNFA loci were investigated by using the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. RESULTS: Inhibition of LPS-induced CXCL8 and TNF-α expression by IL-10 proceeds through a common mechanism targeting LPS-induced phosphorylation of the nuclear factor κB p65 serine 276 residue (pS276p65). As a result, all the pS276p65-dependent events occurring at the CXCL8 and TNFA loci are consistently reduced, ultimately leading to a reduction in transcript elongation. Additionally, IL-10 selectively controls CXCL8 transcript elongation through histone deacetylase (HDAC) 2-dependent covalent chromatin modifications, disrupting the assembly of the transcriptional machinery. Remarkably, PBMCs from patients with acute-phase chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which express negligible HDAC2 levels, are scarcely affected by IL-10 in terms of inhibition of CXCL8 expression. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides mechanistic evidence that IL-10 creates a chromatin environment that decreases the transcriptional rate of CXCL8 and TNF-α to Toll-like receptor 4-activating signals. Data identify novel molecular targets for therapeutic strategies aimed at dampening inflammation in pathologies such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in which reduced intracellular HDAC2 levels have been described.

Molecular control of CD4(+) T cell lineage plasticity and integrity.

CD4(+) helper T cells and CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells form the two major subsets of peripheral T lymphocytes. Helper T cells fulfill crucial roles in the activation and coordination of the immune response, while cytotoxic T cells kill virus-infected or tumor cells. Recent data suggest that the lineage identify of helper T cells is not fixed and that CD4(+) T cells under certain physiological conditions can be reprogrammed to express CD8 lineage genes and to develop into intestinal intraepithelial CD4(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes that lack the expression of the key helper T cell lineage commitment factor ThPOK. Moreover, the analysis of mice with a conditional deletion of the transcription factor ThPOK or the histone deacetylases HDAC1 and HDAC2 indicated that CD8 lineage genes are actively repressed in CD4(+) T cells in order to maintain the lineage integrity of helper T cells. In this review I summarize recent studies that indicate plasticity of CD4(+) T cells towards a CTL program and that demonstrate that ThPOK and HDAC1-HDAC2 are part of a transcriptional regulatory circuit that counteracts the activity of the transcription factor Runx3 to maintain CD4(+) T cell lineage integrity.

Lipopolysaccharide induces up-regulation of TGF-α through HDAC2 in a rat model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is characterized by alveolar simplification with decreased alveolar number and increased airspace. Previous studies suggested that transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) may contribute to arrested alveolar development in BPD. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) control cellular signaling and gene expression. HDAC2 is crucial for suppression of inflammatory gene expression. Here we investigated whether HDAC2 was involved in the arrest of alveolarization, as well as the ability of HDAC2 to regulate TGF-α expression in a rat model of BPD induced by intra-amniotic injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Results showed that LPS exposure led to a suppression of both HDAC1 and HDAC2 expression and activity, induced TGF-α expression, and disrupted alveolar morphology. Mechanistic studies showed that overexpression of HDAC2, but not HDAC1, suppressed LPS-induced TGF-α expression. Moreover, the HDAC inhibitor TSA or downregulation of HDAC2 by siRNA both significantly increased TGF-α expression in cultured myofibroblasts. Finally, preservation of HDAC activity by theophylline treatment improved alveolar development and attenuated TGF-α release. Together, these findings indicate that attenuation of TGF-α-mediated effects in the lung by enhancing HDAC2 may have a therapeutic effect on treating BPD.

Epigenetic modifications induced by Blimp-1 Regulate CD8⁺ T cell memory progression during acute virus infection.

The transcription factor Blimp-1 regulates the overall accumulation of virus-specific CD8⁺ T cells during acute viral infections. We found that increased proliferation and survival of Blimp-1-deficient CD8⁺ T cells resulted from sustained expression of CD25 and CD27 and persistent cytokine responsiveness. Silencing of Il2ra and Cd27 reduced the Blimp-1-deficient CD8⁺ T cell response. Genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequencing analysis identified Il2ra and Cd27 as direct targets of Blimp-1. At the peak of the antiviral response, but not earlier, Blimp-1 recruited the histone-modifying enzymes G9a and HDAC2 to the Il2ra and Cd27 loci, thereby repressing expression of these genes. In the absence of Blimp-1, Il2ra and Cd27 exhibited enhanced histone H3 acetylation and reduced histone H3K9 trimethylation. These data elucidate a central mechanism by which Blimp-1 acts as an epigenetic regulator and enhances the numbers of short-lived effector cells while suppressing the development of memory-precursor CD8⁺ T cells.

Epigenetic regulation of human ß-defensin 2 and CC chemokine ligand 20 expression in gingival epithelial cells in response to oral bacteria.

Gingival epithelia utilize multiple signaling pathways to regulate innate immune responses to various oral bacteria, but little is understood about how these bacteria alter epithelial epigenetic status. In this study we report that DNA methyltransferase (DNMT1) and histone deacetylase expression were decreased in gingival epithelial cells treated with oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis and nonpathogen Fusobacterium nucleatum. Pretreatment with trichostatin A and sodium butyrate, which increase acetylation of chromatin histones, significantly enhanced the gene expression of antimicrobial proteins human ß-defensin 2 (hBD2) and CC chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) in response to both bacterial challenges. Pretreatment with DNMT inhibitor 5'-azacytidine increased hBD2 and CCL20 expression in response to F. nucleatum, but not to P. gingivalis. Furthermore, we observed a differential pattern of protein levels of H3K4me3, which has been associated with chromatin remodeling and activation of gene transcription, in response to P. gingivalis vs. F. nucleatum. This study provides a new insight into the bacteria-specific innate immune responses via epigenetic regulation.

Positive regulatory domain I (PRDM1) and IRF8/PU.1 counter-regulate MHC class II transactivator (CIITA) expression during dendritic cell maturation.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are key mediators of immune function through robust and tightly regulated presentation of antigen in the context of the MHC Class II. MHC Class II expression is controlled by the transactivator CIITA. CIITA expression in conventional DCs is uniquely dependent on an uncharacterized myeloid cell-specific promoter, CIITApI. We now identify in vivo the promoter structure and factors regulating CIITApI. In immature DCs transcription requires binding of PU.1, IRF8, NFκB, and Sp1 to the promoter. PU.1 binds independently at one site and in a required heterodimer with IRF8 at a composite element. DCs from IRF8-null mice have an unoccupied CIITApI promoter that can be rescued by reconstitution with IRF8 in vitro. Furthermore, mutation of either PU.1 site or the IFR8 site inhibits transcriptional activation. In vivo footprinting and chromatin immunoprecipitation reveals that DC maturation induces complete disassociation of the bound activators paralleled by recruitment of PRDM1/Blimp-1 to the promoter. PRDM1 is a transcriptional repressor with essential roles in B cells, T cells, NK cells, and DCs. We show that PRDM1 co-repressors, G9a and HDAC2, are recruited to CIITApI, leading to a loss of histone acetylation and acquisition of histone H3K9 dimethylation and heterochromatin protein 1γ (HP1γ). PRDM1 binding also blocks IRF8-mediated activation dependent on the PU.1/IRF composite element. Together these findings reveal the mechanisms regulating CIITA and, thus, antigen presentation in DCs, demonstrating that PRDM1 and IRF8/PU.1 counter-regulate expression. The activity of PRDM1 in silencing all three cell type-specific CIITA promoters places it as a central regulator of antigen presentation.