Nuclear factor-IL6 activates the human IL-4 promoter in T cells

Positive regulatory element I (PRE-I) is a strong enhancer element essential for expression of the human IL-4 gene. To identify transcription factors binding to PRE-I, we screened a cDNA expression library from Jurkat T cells and isolated a cDNA encoding nuclear factor (NF)-IL6 (also known as C/EBP beta). NF-IL6 mRNA was found in human Jurkat T cells and in the mouse Th2 clone D10, but not in Th1 clone 29. rNF-IL6 expressed in bacteria was shown to specifically bind to PRE-I. PRE-I forms multiple DNA-protein complexes with nuclear extracts from Jurkat cells. Some of these complexes were demonstrated to contain NF-IL6 by using anti-C/EBP beta Abs. Overexpression of NF-IL6 enhanced expression of the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase reporter gene linked to the PRE-I-thymidine kinase or the human IL-4 promoter more than 10-fold in Jurkat cells. Promoter deletion studies revealed two additional NF-IL6 binding sites located at positions -44 to -36 (C/EBP proximal) and -87 to -79 (C/EBP medial), respectively. Our results demonstrate that NF-IL6 is involved in transcriptional activation of the human IL-4 promoter in T cells.