The effect of ARVs on the MEKKK1 gene promoter, inflammatory cytokine expression and signalling in acute treated Jurkat T cells

Avril Kirsten Moses, Terisha Ghazi, Savania Nagiah, Anil Chuturgoon

ARVs alter the methylation status of the MEKKK1 gene promoter in acute treated Jurkat T cells with inflammatory outcomesInflammation is reduced in patients under going antiretroviral therapy; however the mechanism is not well understood. We investigated DNA methylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase 1 (MEKKK1) gene promoter in Jurkat T cells to determine whether the antiretroviral drugs, lamivudine, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, dolutegravir, TLD (a combination of TDF, 3TC and DTG) and efavirenz modify the methylation status of the MEKKK1 gene - a known stimulus of inflammation.Acute antiretroviral treatments (24 hours) were not cytotoxic to Jurkat T cells. MEKKK1 promoter hypomethylation occurred in cells treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (Aza), TDF and 3TC, and MEKKK1 promoter hypermethylation occurred in cells treated with DTG; however, promoter DNA methylation of the MEKKK1 gene did not influence MEKKK1 gene expression; therefore, these drugs did not epigenetically regulate MEKKK1 and downstream signalling by promoter DNA methylation. Acute TLD and EFV treatments induced inflammation in Jurkat T cells by increasing MEKKK1, MAPK/ERK and NFκB expression, and activating tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression. ARVs decreased IL-10 gene expression, showing no anti-inflammatory activity.The data shows that the inflammation caused by ARVs is not related to the methylation status of MEKKK1 gene promoter and suggests an alternative stimulus via post-transcriptional/post-translational modifications may activate the canonical MEKKK1/NFκB pathway that leads to inflammation. Finally, an increase in NFκB activity and pro-inflammatory cytokine activation seemed to occur via the MAPK/ERK pathway following ARV treatments in Jurkat T cells.