scholarly journals The regulatory mechanism by which interleukin-6 stimulates GH-gene expression in rat GH3 cells

2006 ◽  
Vol 190 (2) ◽  
pp. 397-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng-ying Gong ◽  
Yi-fan Shi ◽  
Jie-ying Deng

The present study was performed to elucidate the effect of interleukin (IL)-6 on the human GH (hGH)-gene expression in GH3 rat pituitary tumor cells using stable transfection of the hGH promoter fused to a luciferase reporter gene. Our results showed that IL-6 (102–104 U/ml) stimulated GH secretion and synthesis, and promoted the luciferase expression in stably transfected GH3 cells with the maximal action of 1.99 times above the control by 104 U/ml IL-6. Among the inhibitors of signaling transduction pathways, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK/MEK) inhibitor PD98059 (40 μM) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor SB203580 (5 μM) completely blocked the stimulatory effect of IL-6. Western blot analysis demonstrated that IL-6 indeed increased the activation of phosphorylated MEK and p38 MAPK in GH3 cells. Neither overexpression of Pit-1 nor inhibiting Pit-1 expression affected IL-6 induction of hGH-promoter activity. To identify the DNA sequence that mediated the effect of IL-6, six deletion constructs of hGH promoter were created. The stimulatory effect of IL-6 was abolished following deletion of the −196 to −132 bp fragment. In conclusion, our data show that IL-6 promotes GH secretion and synthesis by rat pituitary GH3 cells. The stimulatory effect of IL-6 on hGH-gene promoter appears to require the activation of MEK and p38 MAPK, and a fragment of promoter sequence that spans the −196 to −132 bp of the gene, but may be unrelated to Pit-1 protein.

Endocrinology ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 142 (7) ◽  
pp. 2811-2819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshie Yonehara ◽  
Haruhiko Kanasaki ◽  
Hideyuki Yamamoto ◽  
Kohji Fukunaga ◽  
Kohji Miyazaki ◽  
...  

2004 ◽  
pp. 233-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
AM Nanzer ◽  
S Khalaf ◽  
AM Mozid ◽  
RC Fowkes ◽  
MV Patel ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVES: Ghrelin is a brain-gut peptide with GH-releasing and appetite-inducing activities and a widespread tissue distribution. Ghrelin is the endogenous ligand of the GH secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHS-R1a), and both ghrelin and the GHS-R1a are expressed in the pituitary. There are conflicting data regarding the effects of ghrelin on cell proliferation. A positive effect on proliferation and activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway has been found in hepatoma, adipose, cardiomyocyte and prostate cell lines. However, ghrelin has also been shown to have anti-proliferative effects on breast, lung and thyroid cell lines. We therefore examined the effect of ghrelin on the rat pituitary cell line GH3. METHODS: RT-PCR was used for the detection of GHS-R1a and pre-proghrelin mRNA expression in GH3 cells. The effect of ghrelin on cell proliferation was studied using [(3)H]thymidine incorporation; cell counting and the activation of the MAPK pathway were studied using immunoblotting and inhibitors of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK 1/2), protein kinase C (PKC) and tyrosine phosphatase pathways. RESULTS: GHS-R1a and ghrelin mRNA expression were detected in GH3 cells. Ghrelin, at 10(-10) to 10(-6) M concentrations, significantly increased [(3)H]thymidine incorporation (at 10(-9) M, 183+/-13% (means+/-s.e.m.) compared with untreated controls), while 12-phorbol 13-myristate acetate (PMA) at 10(-7) M (used as a positive control) caused a 212+/-14% increase. A reproducible stimulatory effect of desoctanoyl ghrelin was also observed on [(3)H]thymidine incorporation (135+/-5%; P<0.01 at 10(-9) M compared with control), as well as on the cell count (control 6.8 x 10(4)+/-8.7 x 10(3) cells/ml vs desoctanoyl ghrelin (10(-9) M) 1.04 x 10(5)+/-7.5 x 10(3) cells/ml; P<0.01). Ghrelin caused a significant increase in phosphorylated ERK 1/2 in immunoblotting, while desoctanoyl ghrelin showed a smaller but also significant stimulatory effect. The positive effect of ghrelin and desoctanoyl ghrelin on [(3)H]thymidine incorporation was abolished by the MAPK kinase inhibitor U0126, the PKC inhibitor GF109203X and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor tyrphostin 23, suggesting that the ghrelin-induced cell proliferation of GH3 cells is mediated both via a PKC-MAPK-dependent pathway and via a tyrosine kinase-dependent pathway. This could also be clearly demonstrated by Western blot analysis, where a transient increase in ERK 1/2 phosphorylation by ghrelin was attenuated by all three inhibitors. CONCLUSION: We have shown a novel role for ghrelin in stimulating the proliferation of a somatotroph pituitary tumour cell line, suggesting that ERK activation is involved in mediating the effects of ghrelin on cell proliferation. Desoctanoyl ghrelin showed a similar effect. As ghrelin has been shown to be expressed in both normal and adenomatous pituitary tissue, locally produced ghrelin may play a role in pituitary tumorigenesis via an autocrine/paracrine pathway.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 3784-3792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Midori Kayahara ◽  
Xin Wang ◽  
Cathy Tournier

ABSTRACT To further understand how the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways regulate AP-1 activity, we have elucidated the physiological role of these cascades in the regulation of c-jun gene expression. c-Jun is a crucial component of AP-1 complexes and has been shown in vitro to be a point of integration of numerous signals that can differentially affect its expression as well as its transcriptional activity. Our strategy was based on the use of (i) genetically modified fibroblasts deficient in components of the MAPK cascades and (ii) pharmacological reagents. The results demonstrate that c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase (JNK) is essential for a basal level of c-Jun expression and for c-Jun phosphorylation in response to stress. In addition to JNK, p38 MAPK or ERK1/2 and ERK5 are required for mediating UV radiation- or epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced c-Jun expression, respectively. Further studies indicate that p38 MAPK inhibits the activation of JNK in response to EGF, causing a down-regulation of c-Jun. Overall, these data provide important insights into the mechanisms that ultimately determine the function of c-Jun as a regulator of cell fate.


2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (10) ◽  
pp. 4873-4885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiping Chen ◽  
Mark F. Stinski

ABSTRACT A series of recombinant viruses with either site-specific mutations or various deletions of the early UL4 promoter of human cytomegalovirus were used to determine the roles of regulatory elements and the effects of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Viral gene expression was regulated by upstream cis-acting sites and by basic promoter elements that respond to the MAPK signal transduction pathways. Inhibitors of either the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway or the p38 MAPK pathway affected expression equally with either wild-type or mutant early UL4 promoters in the viral genome, indicating that the effects of the inhibitors are not exclusive for a single transcription factor. The minimal responsive element is the TATA box-containing early viral promoter.


2007 ◽  
Vol 403 (3) ◽  
pp. 451-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandrine Pacquelet ◽  
Jennifer L. Johnson ◽  
Beverly A. Ellis ◽  
Agnieszka A. Brzezinska ◽  
William S. Lane ◽  
...  

Exposure of neutrophils to LPS (lipopolysaccharide) triggers their oxidative response. However, the relationship between the signalling downstream of TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4) after LPS stimulation and the activation of the oxidase remains elusive. Phosphorylation of the cytosolic factor p47phox is essential for activation of the NADPH oxidase. In the present study, we examined the hypothesis that IRAK-4 (interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase-4), the main regulatory kinase downstream of TLR4 activation, regulates the NADPH oxidase through phosphorylation of p47phox. We show that p47phox is a substrate for IRAK-4. Unlike PKC (protein kinase C), IRAK-4 phosphorylates p47phox not only at serine residues, but also at threonine residues. Target residues were identified by tandem MS, revealing a novel threonine-rich regulatory domain. We also show that p47phox is phosphorylated in granulocytes in response to LPS stimulation. LPS-dependent phosphorylation of p47phox was enhanced by the inhibition of p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase), confirming that the kinase operates upstream of p38 MAPK. IRAK-4-phosphorylated p47phox activated the NADPH oxidase in a cell-free system, and IRAK-4 overexpression increased NADPH oxidase activity in response to LPS. We have shown that endogenous IRAK-4 interacts with p47phox and they co-localize at the plasma membrane after LPS stimulation, using immunoprecipitation assays and immunofluorescence microscopy respectively. IRAK-4 was activated in neutrophils in response to LPS stimulation. We found that Thr133, Ser288 and Thr356, targets for IRAK-4 phosphorylation in vitro, are also phosphorylated in endogenous p47phox after LPS stimulation. We conclude that IRAK-4 phosphorylates p47phox and regulates NADPH oxidase activation after LPS stimulation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document