Interleukin-1 induces a nuclear form of transcription factor NFκB in human lung epithelial cells

Abstract

Activation of the transcription factor NFκB by the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been investigated in the human lung epithelial cell line (A549). Nuclear NFκB activity was not detectable in unstimulated A549 cells, but was rapidly (within 15 min) and potently (100 fM to 1 pM) induced in the presence of IL-1. Activation of NFκB by IL-1 (1 pM) was prevented when incubations were performed in the presence of the IL-1 receptor antagonist protein (1 nM). However, a number of protein kinase inhibitors failed to block this response. The results suggest that a novel kinase pathway may be involved in the activation of NFκB by IL-1 in these cells.