Histone Lysine Methyltransferase Ezh1 Promotes TLR-Triggered Inflammatory Cytokine Production by Suppressing Tollip

Histone modifications play critical roles in the regulation of gene expression; however, their roles in the regulation of the innate response remain to be fully investigated. Using transcriptome analysis of mouse immature dendritic cells (DCs) and LPS-induced mature DCs, we identified that Ezh1 was the most upregulated histone methyltransferase during DC maturation. In this study, we investigated the role of Ezh1 in regulating the innate immune response. We found that silencing of Ezh1 significantly suppressed TLR-triggered production of cytokines, including IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-β, in DCs and macrophages. Accordingly, TLR-activated signaling pathways were impaired in Ezh1-silenced macrophages. By transcriptome analysis of Ezh1-silenced macrophages, we found that Toll-interacting protein (Tollip), one well-known negative regulator of TLR signaling, was upregulated. Silencing of Tollip rescued TLR-triggered cytokine production in Ezh1-silenced macrophages. The SET domain of Ezh1 is essential for its enhancing effect on the TLR-triggered innate immune response and downstream signaling, indicating that Ezh1 promotes a TLR-triggered innate response through its lysine methyltransferase activity. Finally, Ezh1 was found to suppress the transcription of Tollip by directly targeting the proximal promoter of tollip and maintaining the high level of trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 there. Therefore, Ezh1 promotes TLR-triggered inflammatory cytokine production by suppressing the TLR negative regulator Tollip, contributing to full activation of the innate immune response against invading pathogens.