NF-κB mediates lipopolysaccharide-induced alternative pre-mRNA splicing of in mouse macrophages.

Although a robust inflammatory response is needed to combat infection, this response must ultimately be terminated to prevent chronic inflammation. One mechanism that terminates inflammatory signaling is the production of alternative mRNA splice forms in the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway. Whereas most genes in the TLR pathway encode positive mediators of inflammatory signaling, several, including that encoding the MyD88 signaling adaptor, also produce alternative spliced mRNA isoforms that encode dominant-negative inhibitors of the response. Production of these negatively acting alternatively spliced isoforms is induced by stimulation with the TLR4 agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS); thus, this alternative pre-mRNA splicing represents a negative feedback loop that terminates TLR signaling and prevents chronic inflammation. In the current study, we investigated the mechanisms regulating the LPS-induced alternative pre-mRNA splicing of the transcript in murine macrophages. We found that 1) the induction of the alternatively spliced form is due to alternative pre-mRNA splicing and not caused by another RNA regulatory mechanism, 2) splicing is regulated by both the MyD88- and TRIF-dependent arms of the TLR signaling pathway, 3) splicing is regulated by the NF-κB transcription factor, and 4) NF-κB likely regulates alternative pre-mRNA splicing rather than regulating splicing indirectly by altering transcription. We conclude that alternative splicing of may provide a sensitive mechanism that ensures robust termination of inflammation for tissue repair and restoration of normal tissue homeostasis once an infection is controlled.