IL-6 upregulates a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 2 (ADAMTS-2) in human osteosarcoma cells mediated by JNK pathway

ADAMTS-2 and ADAMTS-3 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motif 2) belong to the procollagen aminoproteinase subfamily of ADAMTS proteases. They play crucial roles in the collagen metabolism. To understand the regulation of ADAMTS-2 gene expression in osteoblastic cells, we have cloned a functional 760 bp of human ADAMTS-2 promoter. Sequence analysis of the ADAMTS-2 promoter region showed the absence of a TATA box, but identified a GC box, a CpG island, several GAGA boxes and several transcriptional factor binding sites, which may be valuable in the regulation of ADAMTS-2 transcription. We also elucidated that Interleukin 6 (IL-6) increases ADAMTS-2 and ADAMTS-3 mRNA and protein levels in different osteosarcoma cell lines namely, MG-63 and Saos-2. IL-6 also increases the transcriptional activation of the ADAMTS-2 gene promoter. Pathway inhibition studies revealed that ADAMTS-2 upregulation by IL-6 was mediated by JNK pathway.