Relation between menin expression and NF-κB activity in an intestinal cell line

In a previous study, we demonstrated that the Men1 gene is mainly expressed in the proliferative crypt compartment of the small intestine and that a reduction of menin expression in the crypt-like IEC-17 cell line induces an increase in proliferation rate concomitant with an increase in cyclin D1 expression. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the NF-κB pathway may be involved in cyclin D1 overexpression. Transcriptional activity of the cyclin D1 gene promoter was increased upon reduction of menin expression. Blockade of the NF-κB pathway restored proliferation, cell cycle, cyclin D1 gene transcription and cyclin D1 expression levels to those observed in the presence of menin. These data support a correlation between cyclin D1 expression, NF-κB activity and menin expression in this epithelial cell line and are relevant to the physiological function of menin in regulating proliferation in the intestinal epithelium.