Repression of IL-2 promoter activity by the novel basic leucine zipper p21SNFT protein

J Immunol. 2000 Jul 15;165(2):860-8. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.165.2.860.

Abstract

IL-2 is the major autocrine and paracrine growth factor produced by T cells upon T cell stimulation. The inducible expression of IL-2 is highly regulated by multiple transcription factors, particularly AP-1, which coordinately activate the promoter. Described here is the ability of the novel basic leucine zipper protein p21SNFT to repress AP-1 activity and IL-2 transcription. A detailed analysis of the repression by p21SNFT repression on the IL-2 promoter distal NF-AT/AP-1 site demonstrates that it can bind DNA with NF-AT and Jun, strongly suggesting that it represses NF-AT/AP-1 activity by competing with Fos proteins for Jun dimerization. The importance of this repression is that p21SNFT inhibits the trans-activation potential of protein complexes that contain Jun, thereby demonstrating an additional level of control for the highly regulated, ubiquitous AP-1 transcription factor and the IL-2 gene.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Binding Sites / genetics
  • Binding Sites / immunology
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Down-Regulation / immunology
  • Gene Expression Regulation / immunology
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-2 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics*
  • Jurkat Cells / immunology
  • Jurkat Cells / metabolism
  • Leucine Zippers / genetics
  • Leucine Zippers / immunology*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / genetics
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Weight
  • NFATC Transcription Factors
  • Nuclear Proteins*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / immunology*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / metabolism
  • Repressor Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Repressor Proteins / physiology*
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / biosynthesis
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / physiology*
  • Transfection / immunology

Substances

  • BATF3 protein, human
  • Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Interleukin-2
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • NFATC Transcription Factors
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Transcription Factor AP-1
  • Transcription Factors

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF255346