Question

Corticosteroids exert their anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the transcription of multiple genes involved in the inflammatory process. Which transcription factor primarily promotes the activation of pro-inflammatory genes and is inhibited by corticosteroids?

A. AP-1 (Activator Protein 1)
B. FoxP3
C. NFAT (Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells)
D. GATA-3
E. STAT (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription)

Answer 1

The transcription factor that promotes activation of pro-inflammatory genes and is inhibited by corticosteroids is NF-κB (Nuclear Factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells).

Step-by-step explanation:

The transcription factor that primarily promotes the activation of pro-inflammatory genes and is inhibited by corticosteroids is NF-κB (Nuclear Factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells). Corticosteroids, like cortisol, exert their anti-inflammatory effects at the genomic level by binding to glucocorticoid receptors which then translocate to the nucleus and can inhibit NF-κB. This inhibition of NF-κB leads to the reduced transcription of pro-inflammatory genes, effectively diminishing the inflammatory response. It is known that steroid hormone receptors, like the glucocorticoid receptor, are zinc-finger transcription factors and can regulate gene expression by binding directly to specific DNA sequences, thereby modulating the transcription of target genes.