Role of HuR and p38MAPK in Ultraviolet B-induced Post-transcriptional Regulation of COX-2 Expression in the Human Keratinocyte Cell Line HaCaT

COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) is a pivotal player in inflammatory processes, and ultraviolet radiation is a known stimulus for COX-2 expression in skin cells. Here, an induction of COX-2 expression in HaCaT human keratinocytes was observed only upon exposure of cells to UVB (280-320 nm) but not to UVA radiation (320-400 nm), as demonstrated by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blotting. Prostaglandin E-2 levels were elevated in cell culture supernatants of HaCaT cells exposed to UVB. COX-2 mRNA stability was dramatically increased by UV Birradiation. Both the stabilization of COX-2 mRNA and the enhancement of COX-2 steady-state mRNA and protein levels caused by UVB were prevented both by inhibition and small interfering RNA-induced depletion of p38(MAPK), a kinase strongly activated upon exposure to UVB, suggesting p38MAPK-dependent mRNA stabilization as a mechanism of UVB-induced COX-2 expression. A dramatic decrease in COX-2 expression induced by UVB was elicited by small interfering RNA-based depletion of a stress-responsive mRNA stabilizing protein regulated by p38MAPK, i.e. HuR; UVB-induced elevation of COX-2 mRNA and protein levels coincided with an accumulation of HuR in the cytoplasm and was attenuated in cells depleted of HuR. Moreover, UVB-induced generation of prostaglandin E-2 by HaCaT cells was blunted by HuR depletion, suggesting that stress kinases (such as p38MAPK) as well as HuR are excellent targets for approaches aiming at interfering with induction of COX-2 expression by UVB.