PU.1 and C/EBPalpha synergistically program distinct response to NF-kappaB activation through establishing monocyte specific enhancers (expression data)

Unraveling the complexity of transcriptional programs coded by different cell types has been one of the central goals of cell biology. Using genome-wide location analysis, we examined how two different cell types generate different responses to the NF-kappaB signaling pathway. We showed that, after tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) treatment, NF-kappaB p65 subunit binds to distinct genome locations and subsequently induces different subsets of genes in human monocytic THP-1 cells versus HeLa cells . Interestingly, the differential p65 binding in two cell types correlates with pre-existing cell-type specific enhancers prior to TNF-alpha stimulation, marked by histone modifications. We also found that two transcription factors, PU.1 and C/EBPalpha, appear to synergistically mediate enhancer creation and affect NF-kappaB target selection in THP-1 cells. In HeLa cells, co-expression of PU.1 and C/EBPalpha conferred TNF-alpha responsiveness to a subset of THP-1 specific NF-kappaB target genes. These results suggest that the diversity of transcriptional programs in mammalian cells arises, at least in part, from pre-existing enhancers that are established by cell specific transcription factors.

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Jin F, Li Y, Ren B, Natarajan R