The kinases MSK1 and MSK2 are activated 'downstream' of the p38 and Erk1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinases. Here we found that MSK1 and MSK2 were needed to limit the production of proinflammatory cytokines in response to stimulation of primary macrophages with lipopolysaccharide. By inducing transcription of the mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase DUSP1 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 10, MSK1 and MSK2 exerted many negative feedback mechanisms. Deficiency in MSK1 and MSK2 prevented the binding of phosphorylated transcription factors CREB and ATF1 to the promoters of the genes encoding interleukin 10 and DUSP1. Mice doubly deficient in MSK1 and MSK2 were hypersensitive to lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxic shock and showed prolonged inflammation in a model of toxic contact eczema induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Our results establish MSK1 and MSK2 as key components of negative feedback mechanisms needed to limit Toll-like receptor-driven inflammation.

MSK (mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase) 1 and MSK2 are kinases activated downstream of either the ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) 1/2 or p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathways in vivo and are required for the phosphorylation of CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein) and histone H3. Here we show that the MSKs are involved in regulating the transcription of the immediate early gene Nur77. Stimulation of mouse embryonic fibroblasts with PMA, EGF (epidermal growth factor), TNF (tumour necrosis factor) or anisomycin resulted in induction of the Nur77 mRNA. The induction of Nur77 by TNF and anisomycin was abolished in MSK1/2 double-knockout cells, whereas induction was significantly reduced in response to PMA or EGF. The MSK responsive elements were mapped to two AP (activator protein)-1-like elements in the Nur77 promoter. The induction of Nur77 was also blocked by A-CREB, suggesting that MSKs control Nur77 transcription by phosphorylating CREB bound to the two AP-1-like elements. Consistent with the decrease in Nur77 mRNA levels in the MSK1/2-knockout cells, it was also found that MSKs were required for the induction of Nur77 protein by PMA and TNF. MSKs were also found to be required for the transcription of two genes related to Nur77, Nurr1 and Nor1, which were also transcribed in a CREB- or ATF1 (activating transcription factor-1)-dependent manner. Downstream of anisomycin signalling, a second ERK-dependent pathway, independent of MSK and CREB, was also required for the transcription of Nurr1 and Nor1.

Nur77 is a nuclear orphan receptor that is able to activate transcription independently of exogenous ligand, and has also been shown to promote apoptosis on its localization to mitochondria. Phosphorylation of Nur77 on Ser354 has been suggested to reduce ability of Nur77 to bind DNA; however, the kinase responsible for this phosphorylation in cells has not been clearly established. In the present study, we show that Nur77 is phosphorylated on this site by RSK (ribosomal S6 kinase) and MSK (mitogen- and stress-activated kinase), but not by PKB (protein kinase B) or PKA (protein kinase A), in vitro. In cells, phosphorylation of Nur77 in vivo is catalysed by RSK, which is activated downstream of the classical MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) cascade. Phosphorylation of Nur77 by RSK is able to promote the binding of Nur77 to 14-3-3 proteins in vitro, however, no evidence could be seen for this interaction in cells. We have established that two related proteins, Nurr1 and Nor1, are also phosphorylated on the equivalent site by RSK in cells in response to mitogenic stimulation.

Nur77 is a nuclear orphan receptor that has been implicated in both cell survival and apoptosis. With the exception of T-cells, translocation of Nur77 to the cytoplasm promotes cell death, while its retention in the nucleus promotes survival and proliferation. Nur77 appears to be a true orphan receptor, indicating that its activity must be controlled by ligand-independent mechanisms. Here, we discuss the role of phosphorylation in the regulation of Nur77.

Phosphorylation of Ser133 in the transcription factor CREB is an important mechanism for regulating its transcriptional activity, however recent work has suggested significant roles for other regulatory inputs into CREB. To allow study of this in vivo, we have generated a Ser133 to alanine knockin mutation in the mouse CREB locus. As CREB knockout is perinatal lethal, a minigene strategy was used to allow conditional knockin of the Ser133Ala mutation in adult mice using Cre recombinase. While some expression of the mutated protein was observed prior to Cre expression, following Cre expression in either T cells or neurons only the mutated CREB protein was detected.