RBM3 expression is upregulated by NF-κB p65 activity, protecting cells from apoptosis, during mild hypothermia.

The RNA-binding protein RBM3, a cold shock protein whose expression is elevated under hypothermic conditions, plays an important role in cell survival; however, little is known about the mechanism underlying the mild hypothermia-mediated regulation of RBM3 expression and apoptosis. Here we show that the transcription factor NF-κB p65 is phosphorylated at Ser276 and activates RBM3 gene transcription via binding to a particular element within the promoter region in response to induced hypothermia, elevating the protein expression, and suppressing apoptosis. Treatment with caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a potent and specific inhibitor that suppresses the translocation of NF-κB p65 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, resulted in decreased levels of RBM3 mRNA and protein and increased incidence of apoptosis despite cells were cultured under hypothermic conditions. Overexpression of RBM3 abolished the induction of apoptosis in cells treated with CAPE, indicating that NF-κB p65-upregulated RBM3 expression is necessary for the suppression of apoptosis. In addition, experiments with cells overexpressing RBM3 supported the finding demonstrating that the mild hypothermia-mediated higher expression of RBM3 suppressed the induction of apoptosis. Conversely, experiments with cells deficient in RBM3 supported the finding demonstrating that the CAPE-mediated loss of RBM3 induced apoptosis. These results suggest that NF-κB p65 is a critical mediator of mild hypothermia, to which cells are exposed as an extracellular environment, and a central inducer of RBM3 expression, which is responsible for preventing cells from apoptosis. Moreover, CAPE may have a potential for the application to a therapeutic agent for the treatment of cancers.