NF-κB-mediated regulation of urokinase gene expression by PMA and TNF-α in human A549 cells

Binding sites for different transcription factors have been identified in the regulatory region of the human uPA gene. We investigated the role of NF-κB and AP-1 families of transcription factors in the induction of uPA mRNA by TNF-α and PMA in the A549 cell line constitutively expressing uPA mRNA and protein. Using the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide and the antioxidant PDTC, that have an opposite effect on NF-κB and AP-1 activation, we showed that uPA mRNA induction by TNF-α and PMA in the A549 cell line is mainly due to NF-κB activation.