Transcriptional Regulation of Murine IL-33 by TLR and Non-TLR Agonists

IL-33, a member of the IL-1 family of cytokines, is produced by many cell types, including macrophages, yet its regulation is largely unknown. Treatment of primary murine macrophages with a panel of TLR (e. g., TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, and TLR9) agonists and non-TLR (e. g., MDA5, RIG-I) agonists revealed a pattern of gene and protein expression consistent with a role for IFN regulatory factor3 (IRF-3) in the expression of IL-33. Accordingly, induction of IL-33 mRNA was attenuated in IRF-3(-/-) macrophages and TBK-1(-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Despite the fact that all IL-33 agonists were IRF-3 dependent, LPS-induced IL-33 mRNA was fully inducible in IFN-beta(-/-) macrophages, indicating that IL-33 is not dependent on IFN-beta as an intermediate. Epinephrine and Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase toxin (ACT), cAMP-activating agents, activate CREB and greatly synergize with LPS to induce IL-33 mRNA in macrophages. Both LPS-induced and ACT/LPS-enhanced expression of IL-33 mRNA was partially, but significantly, inhibited by the protein kinase A inhibitor H-89 but not by tyrosine kinase or protein kinase C inhibitors. Two IL-33 mRNA species derived from two alternative promoters encode full-length IL-33; however, the shorter A species is preferentially induced by all IL-33-inducing agonists except Newcastle disease virus, a RIG-I agonist that induced expression of both A and B transcripts. Together, these studies greatly extend what is currently known about the regulation of IL-33 induction in macrophages stimulated by bacterial and viral agonists that engage distinct innate immune signaling pathways. The Journal of Immunology, 2012, 189: 50-60.