Proinflammatory cytokines regulate human glucocorticoid receptor gene expression and lead to the accumulation of the dominant negative beta isoform: a mechanism for the generation of glucocorticoid resistance.

Inflammatory responses in many cell types are coordinately regulated by the opposing actions of NF-kappaB and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). The human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR) gene encodes two protein isoforms: a cytoplasmic alpha form (GRalpha), which binds hormone, translocates to the nucleus, and regulates gene transcription, and a nuclear localized beta isoform (GRbeta), which does not bind known ligands and attenuates GRalpha action. We report here the identification of a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-responsive NF-kappaB DNA binding site 5' to the hGR promoter that leads to a 1.5-fold increase in GRalpha mRNA and a 2.0-fold increase in GRbeta mRNA in HeLaS3 cells, which endogenously express both GR isoforms. However, TNF-alpha treatment disproportionately increased the steady-state levels of the GRbeta protein isoform over GRalpha, making GRbeta the predominant endogenous receptor isoform. Similar results were observed following treatment of human CEMC7 lymphoid cells with TNF-alpha or IL-1. The increase in GRbeta protein expression correlated with the development of glucocorticoid resistance.