Impaired NFKBIE gene function decreases cellular uptake of methotrexate by down-regulating SLC19A1 expression in a human rheumatoid arthritis cell line

AbstractObjective: A non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (nsSNP, rs2233434, Val194Ala) in the NFKBIE (nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, epsilon) gene is known to be a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility polymorphism in the Japanese RA population and could be closely associated with nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) activity. Inflammation caused by RA is sometimes associated with changes in expression levels of MTX (methotrexate) pathway-related genes. It is of interest to examine whether the NFKBIE gene had any influences on the mode of MTX action.Methods: Both knockdown of NFKBIE gene expression and overexpression of wild-type NFKBIE and Val194Ala mutation were performed. A transfected human RA synovial cell line was cultured and then gene expressions in the MTX pathway were measured. In addition, we measured the uptake and efflux of MTX derivatives under the NFKBIE knockdown condition.Results: Knockdown of NFKBIE reduced the mRNA for SLC19A1, a main...