The C/EBPβ Isoform 34-kDa LAP Is Responsible for NF-IL-6-Mediated Gene Induction in Activated Macrophages, but Is Not Essential for Intracellular Bacteria Killing

The C/ebpb gene is translated into three different protein isoforms, two transcriptional activating proteins (38-kDa Full and 34-kDa liver-enriched transcriptional activation protein (LAP)) and one transcriptional inhibitory protein, by alternative use of different AUG initiation codons within the same open reading frame. The isoform 34-kDa LAP is thought to be the most transcriptionally active form of C/EBPβ in macrophages. To assess the function of the 34-kDa LAP in vivo, we generated knock-in mice, in which methionine 20 of C/EBPβ, the start site for the 34-kDa LAP is replaced with an alanine. The expression of the 34-kDa LAP was abolished in C/ebpbM20A/M20A mice. The induction of C/EBPβ target genes, such as inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, prostanoid synthetase, and antimicrobial peptides, was abolished in C/ebpbM20A/M20A macrophages, and C/ebpbM20A/M20A mice were susceptible to Listeria monocytogenes infection. Furthermore, the heat-killed Propionibacterium acnes-induced Th1 response, granuloma formation, and LPS shock were severely impaired. Nevertheless, impairment of intracellular bacteria killing, which is the most prominent phenotype in C/EBPβ-deficient mice, was not observed in C/ebpbM20A/M20A mice. Collectively, we demonstrated that 34-kDa LAP is responsible for NF-IL6-mediated gene induction, but not essential for intracellular bacteria killing in activated macrophages.