Molecular mechanism of interleukin-2-induced mucosal homeostasis

Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2012 Mar 1;302(5):C735-47. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00316.2011. Epub 2011 Nov 23.

Abstract

Sustained damage to the mucosal lining in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) facilitates translocation of intestinal microbes to submucosal immune cells leading to chronic inflammation. Previously, we demonstrated the role of Jak3 in IL-2-induced intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) migration, one of the early events during intestinal wound repair. In this study, we demonstrate that IL-2 also plays a role in IEC homeostasis through concentration-dependent regulation of IEC proliferation and cell death. At lower concentrations (≤50 U/ml), IL-2 promoted proliferation, while at higher concentrations (100 U/ml), it promoted apoptosis. Activation by IL-2 led to tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent interactions between Jak3 and p52ShcA only at lower concentrations. Phosphatase SHP1 dephosphorylated IL-2-induced phosphorylated p52ShcA. Higher concentrations of IL-2 decreased the phosphorylation of Jak3 and p52ShcA, disrupted their interactions, redistributed Jak3 to the nucleus, and induced apoptosis in IEC. IL-2 also induced dose-dependent upregulation of p52shcA and downregulation of jak3-mRNA. Constitutive overexpression and mir-shRNA-mediated knockdown studies showed that expression of both Jak3 and p52ShcA were necessary for IL-2-induced proliferation of IEC. Doxycycline-regulated sh-RNA expression demonstrated that IL-2-induced downregulation of jak3-mRNA was responsible for higher IL-2-induced apoptosis in IEC. Collectively, these data demonstrate a novel mechanism of IL-2-induced mucosal homeostasis through posttranslational and transcriptional regulation of Jak3 and p52ShcA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • HEK293 Cells
  • HT29 Cells
  • Homeostasis / drug effects
  • Homeostasis / physiology
  • Humans
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / immunology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-2 / pharmacology
  • Interleukin-2 / physiology*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / immunology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Janus Kinase 3 / genetics
  • Janus Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Shc Signaling Adaptor Proteins / genetics
  • Shc Signaling Adaptor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Src Homology 2 Domain-Containing, Transforming Protein 1

Substances

  • Interleukin-2
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • SHC1 protein, human
  • Shc Signaling Adaptor Proteins
  • Src Homology 2 Domain-Containing, Transforming Protein 1
  • JAK3 protein, human
  • Janus Kinase 3