Hu Antigen R Regulates Antiviral Innate Immune Responses through the Stabilization of mRNA for Polo-like Kinase 2

Abstract

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs), RIG-I, and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) play a critical role in inducing antiviral innate immune responses by activating IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and NF-κB, which regulates the transcription of type I IFN and inflammatory cytokines. Antiviral innate immune responses are also regulated by posttranscriptional and translational mechanisms. In this study, we identified an RNA-binding protein HuR as a regulator for RLR signaling. Overexpression of HuR, but not of other Hu members, increased IFN-β promoter activity. HuR-deficient macrophage cells exhibited decreased <i>Ifnb1</i> expression after RLR stimulation, whereas they showed normal induction after stimulation with bacterial LPS or immunostimulatory DNA. Moreover, HuR-deficient cells displayed impaired nuclear translocation of IRF3 after RLR stimulation. In HuR-deficient cells, the mRNA expression of Polo-like kinase (PLK) 2 was markedly reduced. We found that HuR bound to the 3' untranslated region of <i>Plk2</i> mRNA and increased its stabilization. PLK2-deficient cells also showed reduced IRF3 nuclear translocation and <i>Ifnb</i> mRNA expression during RLR signaling. Together, these findings suggest that HuR bolsters RLR-mediated IRF3 nuclear translocation by controlling the stability of <i>Plk2</i> mRNA.