NF-kappaB RelA phosphorylation regulates RelA acetylation.

The nuclear functions of NF-kappaB p50/RelA heterodimers are regulated in part by posttranslational modifications of its RelA subunit, including phosphorylation and acetylation. Acetylation at lysines 218, 221, and 310 differentially regulates RelA's DNA binding activity, assembly with IkappaBalpha, and transcriptional activity. However, it remains unclear whether the acetylation is regulated or simply due to stimulus-coupled nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB. Using anti-acetylated lysine 310 RelA antibodies, we detected p300-mediated acetylation of RelA in vitro and in vivo after stimulation of cells with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). Coexpression of catalytically inactive mutants of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A/mitogen- and stress-activated kinase 1 or IKK1/IKK2, which phosphorylate RelA on serine 276 or serine 536, respectively, sharply inhibited RelA acetylation on lysine 310. Furthermore, phosphorylation of RelA on serine 276 or serine 536 increased assembly of phospho-RelA with p300, which enhanced acetylation on lysine 310. Reconstitution of RelA-deficient murine embryonic fibroblasts with RelA S276A or RelA S536A decreased TNF-alpha-induced acetylation of lysine 310 and expression of the endogenous NF-kappaB-responsive E-selectin gene. These findings indicate that the acetylation of RelA at lysine 310 is importantly regulated by prior phosphorylation of serines 276 and 536. Such phosphorylated and acetylated forms of RelA display enhanced transcriptional activity.

Class I HDAC inhibition is a novel pathway for regulating astrocytic apoE secretion.

Despite the important role of apolipoprotein E (apoE) secretion from astrocytes in brain lipid metabolism and the strong association of apoE4, one of the human apoE isoforms, with sporadic and late onset forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) little is known about the regulation of astrocytic apoE. Utilizing annotated chemical libraries and a phenotypic screening strategy that measured apoE secretion from a human astrocytoma cell line, inhibition of pan class I histone deacetylases (HDACs) was identified as a mechanism to increase apoE secretion. Knocking down select HDAC family members alone or in combination revealed that inhibition of the class I HDAC family was responsible for enhancing apoE secretion. Knocking down LXRα and LXRß genes revealed that the increase in astrocytic apoE in response to HDAC inhibition occurred via an LXR-independent pathway. Collectively, these data suggest that pan class I HDAC inhibition is a novel pathway for regulating astrocytic apoE secretion.

A dysregulated endocannabinoid-eicosanoid network supports pathogenesis in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Although inflammation in the brain is meant as a defense mechanism against neurotoxic stimuli, increasing evidence suggests that uncontrolled, chronic, and persistent inflammation contributes to neurodegeneration. Most neurodegenerative diseases have now been associated with chronic inflammation, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whether anti-inflammatory approaches can be used to treat AD, however, is a major unanswered question. We recently demonstrated that monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) hydrolyzes endocannabinoids to generate the primary arachidonic acid pool for neuroinflammatory prostaglandins. In this study, we show that genetic inactivation of MAGL attenuates neuroinflammation and lowers amyloid ß levels and plaques in an AD mouse model. We also find that pharmacological blockade of MAGL recapitulates the cytokine-lowering effects through reduced prostaglandin production, rather than enhanced endocannabinoid signaling. Our findings thus reveal a role of MAGL in modulating neuroinflammation and amyloidosis in AD etiology and put forth MAGL inhibitors as a potential next-generation strategy for combating AD.