Mediator kinase inhibition suppresses hyperactive interferon signaling in Down syndrome

Abstract

Hyperactive interferon (IFN) signaling is a hallmark of Down syndrome (DS), a condition caused by trisomy 21 (T21); strategies that normalize IFN signaling could benefit this population. Mediator-associated kinases CDK8 and CDK19 drive inflammatory responses through incompletely understood mechanisms. Using sibling-matched cell lines with/without T21, we investigated Mediator kinase function in the context of hyperactive IFN in DS over a 45min - 24h timeframe. Activation of IFN-response genes was suppressed in cells treated with the CDK8/CDK19 inhibitor cortistatin A (CA), and this occurred through rapid suppression of IFN-responsive transcription factor activity. Moreover, we discovered that CDK8/CDK19 affect splicing, a novel means by which Mediator kinases control gene expression. To further probe Mediator kinase function, we completed cytokine screens and untargeted metabolomics experiments. Cytokines are master regulators of inflammatory responses; by screening 105 different cytokine proteins, we show that Mediator kinases help drive IFN-dependent cytokine responses at least in part through transcriptional regulation of cytokine genes and receptors. Metabolomics revealed that Mediator kinase inhibition altered core metabolic pathways, including broad up-regulation of anti-inflammatory lipid mediators, whose levels were elevated during hyperactive IFN signaling. A subset of these lipid mediators (e.g. oleamide, desmosterol) serve as ligands for nuclear receptors PPAR and LXR, and activation of these receptors occurred specifically during hyperactive IFN signaling in CA-treated cells, revealing a mechanistic link between Mediator kinase activity and nuclear receptor function. Collectively, our results identify new mechanisms by which CDK8/CDK19 regulate gene expression, and establish that Mediator kinase inhibition antagonizes IFN signaling through transcriptional, metabolic, and cytokine responses, with implications for DS and other chronic inflammatory conditions.