Widespread JNK-dependent alternative splicing induces a positive feedback loop through CELF2-mediated regulation of MKK7 during T-cell activation

Abstract

Alternative splicing is prevalent among genes encoding signaling molecules; however, the functional consequence of differential isoform expression remains largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that, in response to T-cell activation, the Jun kinase (JNK) kinase MAP kinase kinase 7 (MKK7) is alternatively spliced to favor an isoform that lacks exon 2. This isoform restores a JNK-docking site within MKK7 that is disrupted in the larger isoform. Consistently, we show that skipping of MKK7 exon 2 enhances JNK pathway activity, as indicated by c-Jun phosphorylation and up-regulation of TNF-α. Moreover, this splicing event is itself dependent on JNK signaling. Thus, MKK7 alternative splicing represents a positive feedback loop through which JNK promotes its own signaling. We further show that repression of MKK7 exon 2 is dependent on the presence of flanking sequences and the JNK-induced expression of the RNA-binding protein CELF2, which binds to these regulatory elements. Finally, we found that ∼25% of T-cell receptor-mediated alternative splicing events are dependent on JNK signaling. Strikingly, these JNK-dependent events are also significantly enriched for responsiveness to CELF2. Together, our data demonstrate a widespread role for the JNK–CELF2 axis in controlling splicing during T-cell activation, including a specific role in propagating JNK signaling.