NOX1-derived ROS drive the expression of Lipocalin-2 in colonic epithelial cells in inflammatory conditions

Mucosal Immunol. 2019 Jan;12(1):117-131. doi: 10.1038/s41385-018-0086-4. Epub 2018 Oct 2.

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by severe and recurrent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, associated with altered patterns of cytokine synthesis, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and high levels of the innate immune protein, lipocalin-2 (LCN-2), in the mucosa. The major source of ROS in intestinal epithelial cells is the NADPH oxidase NOX1, which consists of the transmembrane proteins, NOX1 and p22PHOX, and the cytosolic proteins, NOXO1, NOXA1, and Rac1. Here, we investigated whether NOX1 activation and ROS production induced by key inflammatory cytokines in IBD causally affects LCN-2 production in colonic epithelial cells. We found that the combination of TNFα and IL-17 induced a dramatic upregulation of NOXO1 expression that was dependent on the activation of p38MAPK and JNK1/2, and resulted into an increase of NOX1 activity and ROS production. NOX1-derived ROS drive the expression of LCN-2 by controlling the expression of IκBζ, a master inducer of LCN-2. Furthermore, LCN-2 production and colon damage were decreased in NOX1-deficient mice during TNBS-induced colitis. Finally, analyses of biopsies from patients with Crohn's disease showed increased JNK1/2 activation, and NOXO1 and LCN-2 expression. Therefore, NOX1 might play a key role in mucosal immunity and inflammation by controlling LCN-2 expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Colitis / chemically induced
  • Colitis / immunology*
  • Colon / metabolism*
  • Colon / pathology
  • Cytochrome b Group / genetics
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / immunology*
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / pathology
  • Lipocalin-2 / genetics
  • Lipocalin-2 / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • NADPH Oxidase 1 / genetics
  • NADPH Oxidase 1 / metabolism*
  • NADPH Oxidases / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid / toxicity
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Cytochrome b Group
  • Cytokines
  • Interleukin-17
  • Lipocalin-2
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid
  • NADPH Oxidase 1
  • NADPH Oxidases
  • Cyba protein, mouse
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases