The expression of major histocompatibility class II genes is necessary for proper antigen presentation and induction of an immune response. This expression is initiated by the class II transactivator, CIITA. The establishment of the active form of CIITA is controlled by a series of post-translational events, including GTP binding, ubiquitination, and dimerization. However, the role of phosphorylation is less clearly defined as are the consequences of phosphorylation on CIITA activity and the identity of the kinases involved. In this study we show that the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) interact directly with CIITA, targeting serine residues in the amino terminus of the protein, including serine 288. Inhibition of this phosphorylation by dominant-negative forms of ERK or by treatment of cells with the ERK inhibitor PD98059 resulted in the increase in CIITA-mediated gene expression from a class II promoter, enhanced the nuclear concentration of CIITA, and impaired its ability to bind to the nuclear export factor, CRM1. In contrast, inhibition of ERK1/2 activity had little effect on serine-to-alanine mutant forms of CIITA. These data suggest a model whereby ERK1/2-mediated phosphorylation of CIITA down-regulates CIITA activity by priming it for nuclear export, thus providing a means for cells to tightly regulate the extent of antigen presentation.The class II transactivator CIITA 2 plays a critical role in initiating an immune response by activating the expression of major histocompatibility (MHC) class II genes and associated molecules (2-6). MHC II glycoproteins are necessary for the presentation of antigenic peptides to CD4 ϩ T lymphocytes and the subsequent initiation and propagation of CD4 ϩ T cell-mediated immune responses and are involved in the development and maintenance of homeostasis of the CD4 ϩ T cell population. Although constitutive expression of MHC class II genes is primarily restricted to a specific subset of antigen-presenting cells that include B cells and dendritic cells, expression is inducible in a variety of other cell types and tissues by cytokines such as interferon-␥ and tumor necrosis factor-␣ (1). Both constitutive and inducible expression of MHC II and other related genes are contingent upon the activation of CIITA (7,8). Loss of a functional CIITA protein results in an immunodeficiency called bare lymphocyte syndrome, which is characterized by a complete absence of MHC class II-mediated antigen presentation. Patients with this disease suffer from recurrent infections due to opportunistic infections and, ultimately, death in early childhood (9 -11).CIITA is a protein of 1130 amino acids that does not bind directly to DNA. Instead, it regulates gene expression by interacting with other transcription factors and chromatin-remodeling proteins at the W/X/Y regulatory elements in the promoter regions of class II genes (for review, see Refs. 12-17). Nuclear factors binding to CIITA include the regulatory factor X (RFX) complex (RFX5, RFXAP, RFXANK/RFX-B) (18) and nuc...