β-agonists selectively modulate proinflammatory gene expression in skeletal muscle cells via non-canonical nuclear crosstalk mechanisms

PLoS One. 2014 Mar 6;9(6):e90649. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090649. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The proinflammatory cytokine Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α is implicated in a variety of skeletal muscle pathologies. Here, we have investigated how in vitro cotreatment of skeletal muscle C2C12 cells with β-agonists modulates the TNF-α-induced inflammatory program. We observed that C2C12 myotubes express functional TNF receptor 1 (TNF-R1) and β2-adrenoreceptors (β2-ARs). TNF-α activated the canonical Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs), culminating in potent induction of NF-κB-dependent proinflammatory genes. Cotreatment with the β-agonist isoproterenol potentiated the expression of inflammatory mediators, including Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and several chemokines. The enhanced production of chemotactic factors upon TNF-α/isoproterenol cotreatment was also suggested by the results from migrational analysis. Whereas we could not explain our observations by cytoplasmic crosstalk, we found that TNF-R1-and β2-AR-induced signalling cascades cooperate in the nucleus. Using the IL-6 promoter as a model, we demonstrated that TNF-α/isoproterenol cotreatment provoked phosphorylation of histone H3 at serine 10, concomitant with enhanced promoter accessibility and recruitment of the NF-κB p65 subunit, cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB), CREB-binding protein (CBP) and RNA polymerase II. In summary, we show that β-agonists potentiate TNF-α action, via nuclear crosstalk, that promotes chromatin relaxation at selected gene promoters. Our data warrant further study into the mode of action of β-agonists and urge for caution in their use as therapeutic agents for muscular disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Movement
  • Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly / drug effects
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Epigenesis, Genetic / drug effects
  • Gene Expression
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Interleukin-6 / genetics*
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • Isoproterenol / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Myoblasts, Skeletal / drug effects
  • Myoblasts, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Receptor Cross-Talk*
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / physiology

Substances

  • Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein
  • Histones
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Interleukin-6
  • NF-kappa B
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I
  • Tnfrsf1a protein, mouse
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Isoproterenol

Grants and funding

This work is supported by the Fund For Scientific Research Flanders (FWO)(KaN1.5.223.13N, a postdoctoral fellowship to SG and a doctoral fellowship to KK). In addition this work is funded by the GROUP-ID Ghent University Multidisciplinary Research Platform. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.