HSPA6 is an ulcerative colitis susceptibility factor that is induced by cigarette smoke and protects intestinal epithelial cells by stabilizing anti-apoptotic Bcl-XL

Cigarette smoking ameliorates ulcerative colitis (UC) and aggravates Crohn's disease (CD). Cigarette smoke suppresses inflammation-induced apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells (DLD-1), which may explain its protective effect in UC. Here, we performed transcriptome profiling of cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-exposed DLD-1 and Jurkat cells (T-lymphocytes) and related this to UC susceptibility genes with protective functions in the intestinal epithelium.

HSPA6 is a cigarette smoke-induced UC-susceptibility gene. The HSPA6 risk locus is associated with decreased HSPA6 expression. HSPA6 provides epithelial protection by stabilizing anti-apoptotic Bcl-XL, thereby contributing to the beneficial effect of cigarette smoking in UC.

CSE-regulated genes in DLD-1 and Jurkat cells were identified by Illumina microarrays and compared to genes in UC susceptibility loci. Colon biopsies were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for cell-specific expression of HSPA6. CSE-induced gene expression was analyzed by Q-PCR, Western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy. Protein (HSPA6/Bcl-XL) interactions were analyzed by immunoprecipitation.

CSE changed the expression of 536 and 2560 genes in DLD-1 and Jurkat cells, respectively. The "response to unfolded protein" was one of the most significantly affected gene sets with prominent induction (20.3-fold) of heat shock protein A6 (HSPA6). Six CSE-induced genes in DLD-1 cells were located in UC-susceptibility loci, including HSPA6 (rs1801274). HSPA6 is highly expressed in the human colonic epithelium. CSE caused a dose-dependent strong (>100-fold at 30% CSE for 6h), but transient induction of HSPA6 mRNA and protein in DLD-1 cells. HSPA6 co-immune precipitated with anti-apoptotic Bcl-XL, protein levels of which were increased while mRNA levels were unchanged. Conclusions: HSPA6 is a cigarette smoke-induced UC-susceptibility gene. The HSPA6 risk locus is associated with decreased HSPA6 expression. HSPA6 provides epithelial protection by stabilizing anti-apoptotic Bcl-XL, thereby contributing to the beneficial effect of cigarette smoking in UC.