Regulation of mRNA stability by RNA-protein interactions contributes significantly to quantitative aspects of gene expression. We have identified potential mRNA targets of the AU-rich element binding protein AUF1. Myc-tagged AUF1 p42 was induced in mouse NIH-3T3 cells and RNA-protein complexes isolated using anti-myc tag antibody beads. Bound mRNAs were analyzed with Affymetrix microarrays. We have identified 508 potential target mRNAs that were at least 3-fold enriched compared to control cells without myc-AUF1. 22.3% of the enriched mRNAs had an AU-rich cluster in the ARED Organism database, against 16.3% of non-enriched control mRNAs. The enrichment towards AU-rich elements was also visible by AREScore with an average value of 5.2 in the enriched mRNAs versus 4.2 in the control group. Yet, many mRNAs were enriched without a high ARE score suggesting that AUF1 has a broader binding spectrum than standard AUUUA repeats. AUF1 did not preferentially bind to unstable mRNAs. Still, some enriched mRNAs were highly unstable, as those of TNFSF11 (known as RANKL), KLF10, HES1, CCNT2, SMAD6, and BCL6. We have mapped some of the instability determinants. HES1 mRNA appeared to have a coding region determinant. Detailed analysis of the RANKL and BCL6 3UTR revealed for both that full instability required two elements, which are conserved in evolution. In RANKL mRNA both elements are AU-rich and separated by 30 bases, while in BCL6 mRNA one is AU-rich and 60 bases from a non AU-rich element that potentially forms a stem-loop structure.
Short-lived AUF1 p42-binding mRNAs of RANKL and BCL6 have two distinct instability elements each.
Cell line
View SamplesRegulatory T cells (Tregs) can suppress a wide variety of cell types, in diverse organ sites and inflammatory conditions. While Tregs possess multiple suppressive mechanisms, the number required for maximal function is unclear. Furthermore, whether any inter-relationship orcross-regulatory mechanisms exist that areused to orchestrate and control their utilization is unknown. Here we assessed the functional capacity of Tregs lacking the ability to secrete both interleukin-10 (IL-10) and IL-35, which individually are required for maximal Treg activity. Surprisingly, IL-10/IL-35-double deficient Tregswere fully functionalin vitro and in vivo. Loss of IL-10 and IL-35 was compensated for by a concurrent increase in cathepsin E (CTSE) expression, enhanced TRAIL (Tnfsf10)expression and soluble TRAIL release, rendering IL-10/IL-35-double deficient Tregsfunctionally dependent on TRAIL in vitro and in vivo. Lastly, while C57BL/6 Tregs are IL-10/IL-35-dependent, Balb/c Tregs, which express high levels of CTSE and enhanced TRAIL expression, are TRAIL-dependent.These data reveal that cross-regulatory pathways exist, which control the utilization of suppressive mechanisms,thereby providing Tregfunctional plasticity.
The plasticity of regulatory T cell function.
Specimen part
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