Role of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2 and Reactive Oxygen Species in Toll-Like Receptor 2-Mediated Dual-Specificity Phosphatase 4 Expression

Toll-Like Receptor 2 매개 Dual-Specificity Phosphatase 4 발현에서 Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2와 활성산소의 역할

Background: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are well-known pattern recognition receptors. Among the 13 TLRs, TLR2 is the most known receptor for immune response. It activates mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), which are counterbalanced by MAPK phosphatases [MKPs or dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs)]. However, the regulatory mechanism of DUSPs is still unclear. In this study, the effect of a TLR2 ligand (TLR2L, Pam3CSK4) on DUSP4 expression in Raw264.7 cells was demonstrated. Methods: A Raw264.7 mouse macrophage cell line was cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% antibiotics (100 U/mL penicillin and 100 g/mL streptomycin) at $37^{\circ}C$ in 5% $CO_2$. TLR2L (Pam3CSK4)-mediated DUSP4 expressions were confirmed with RT-PCR and western blot analysis. In addition, the detection of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured with lucigenin assay. Results: Pam3CSK4 induced the expression of DUSP1, 2, 4, 5 and 16. The DUSP4 expression was also increased by TLR4 and 9 agonists (lipopolysaccharide and CpG ODN, respectively). Pam3CSK4 also induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and ROS production, and the Pam3CSK4-induced DUSP4 expression was decreased by ERK1/2 (U0126) and ROS (DPI) inhibitors. U0126 suppressed the ROS production by Pam3CSK4. Conclusion: Pam3CSK4-mediated DUSP4 expression is regulated by ERK1/2 and ROS. This finding suggests the physiological importance of DUSP4 in TLR2-mediated immune response.