Transforming growth factor-? increases interleukin-13 synthesis via GATA-3 transcription factor in T-lymphocytes from patients with systemic sclerosis

IL-13 mRNA and protein synthesis under TFG-? exposure was measured in circulating T lymphocytes from healthy donors and patients with SSc and also in the Jurkat Th2 T-cell line, using quantitative real-time PCR and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis, respectively. The involvement of Smad and GATA-3 transcription factors was assessed by using specific inhibitors and small interfering RNA, and the binding capacity of GATA-3 to the IL-13 gene promoter was evaluated by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. TGF-? induced a significant decrease in IL-13 mRNA and protein levels in lymphocyte... Mehr ...