An essential function of the SRC-3 coactivator in suppression of cytokine mRNA translation and inflammatory response.

Steroid receptor coactivator-3 (SRC-3) is a transcriptional coactivator for nuclear receptors and other transcription factors. Although multiple physiological roles of SRC-3 have been revealed, its involvement in the inflammatory process remains unclear. Herein we show that SRC-3(-/-) mice are markedly hypersensitive to LPS-induced endotoxic shock. In response to LPS, SRC-3(-/-) macrophages produce significantly more proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-1beta than wild-type controls, although they express similar amounts of cytokine mRNAs, suggesting that SRC-3 can exert effects at translational levels. Increased heavy polysome-associated TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNAs in SRC-3(-/-) macrophages implicate SRC-3 as a translational repressor. SRC-3 may cooperate with other translational repressors such as TIA-1 and TIAR to regulate cytokine mRNA translation. Collectively, our studies reveal an essential function of SRC-3 as a coordinator of inflammatory mRNA translation and as a physiologic protective factor against the lethal endotoxic shock triggered by an acute inflammatory response.