PTGDR gene expression and response to dexamethasone treatment in an in vitro model

PLoS One. 2017 Oct 31;12(10):e0186957. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186957. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Asthma is a multifactorial pathology influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Glucocorticoid treatment decreases symptoms by regulating genes involved in the inflammatory process through binding to specific DNA sequences. Polymorphisms located in the promoter region of the Prostaglandin D Receptor (PTGDR) gene have been related to asthma. We aimed to analyze the effect of PTGDR promoter haplotypes on gene expression and response to corticosteroid therapy. A549 lung epithelial cells were transfected with vectors carrying four different PTGDR haplotypes (CTCT, CCCC, CCCT and TCCT), and treated with dexamethasone. Different approaches to study the promoter activity (Dual Luciferase Reporter System), gene expression levels (qPCR) and cytokine secretion (Multiplexed Bead-based Flow Cytometric) were used. In addition, in silico analysis was also performed. Cells carrying the TCCT haplotype showed the lowest promoter activity (p-value<0.05) and mRNA expression levels in basal conditions. After dexamethasone treatment, cells carrying the wild-type variant CTCT showed the highest response, and those carrying the TCCT variant the lowest (p-value<0.05) in luciferase assays. Different transcription factor binding patterns were identified in silico. Moreover, differences in cytokine secretion were also found among different promoter haplotypes. Polymorphisms of PTGDR gene influence basal promoter activity and gene expression, as well as the cytokine secretory pattern. Furthermore, an association between these positions and response to corticoid treatment was observed.

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Base Sequence
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Dexamethasone / pharmacology*
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects*
  • Glucocorticoids / pharmacology
  • Haplotypes*
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Receptors, Immunologic / genetics*
  • Receptors, Prostaglandin / genetics*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • Receptors, Prostaglandin
  • Dexamethasone
  • prostaglandin D2 receptor

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (grant PI13/00564 and RETICS ARADyAL RD16/0006/0019) to ID. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.