Thrombin-induced autoinhibitory factor, down syndrome critical region-1, attenuates NFAT-dependent vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression and inflammation in the endothelium

Abstract Activation and dysfunction of the endothelium underlie many vascular disorders including atherosclerosis, tumor growth, and inflammation. We recently reported that thrombin and vascular endothelial growth factor, but not tumor necrosis factor-α, results in dramatic up-regulation of Down syndrome critical region (DSCR)-1 gene in endothelial cells, a negative feedback regulator of calcineurin-NFAT signaling. Constitutive expression of DSCR-1 in activated endothelial cells markedly impaired NFAT nuclear localization, proliferation, tube formation, and tumor growth. The goal of the present study was to elucidate the relative roles of NFAT/DSCR-1 and NF-κB/I-κB in mediating thrombin-responsive gene expression in endothelial cells. DNA microarrays of thrombin-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells overexpressing DSCR-1 or constitutive active IκBα revealed genes that were dependent on NFAT and/or NF-κB activity. Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 was inhibited both by DSCR-1 and I-κB at the level of mRNA, protein, promoter activity, and function (monocyte adhesion). Using a combination of transient transfections, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation, thrombin was shown to induce time-dependent coordinate binding of RelA and NFATc to a tandem NF-κB element in the upstream promoter region of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. Together, these findings suggest that thrombin-mediated activation of endothelial cells involves an interplay between NFAT and NF-κB signaling pathways and their negative feedback inhibitors, DSCR-1 and I-κB, respectively. As natural brakes in the inflammatory process, DSCR-1 and I-κB may lend themselves to therapeutic manipulation in vasculopathic disease states.