title: Adrenergic agents, but not triiodo-L-thyronine induce c-fos and c-myc expression in the rat heart.
abstract: We have examined the expression of two nuclear-acting oncogenes, c-fos and c-myc in the rat heart following administration of hormones implicated in the development of cardiac hypertrophy. A single injection of norepinephrine (2.5 micrograms/kg to 2.5 mg/kg) led to transient increases in the levels of both c-fos and c-myc mRNA. The response was sequential: elevated levels of c-fos mRNA were first observed 15 min after treatment and peaked at 1 h whilst c-myc mRNA levels increased 30 min after treatment and peaked at 2 h. The response of both cellular oncogenes to norepinephrine was reduced significantly by alpha blockade but beta blockade was less effective. Administration of triiodo-L-thyronine (0.25 mg/kg), a level known to promote cardiac hypertrophy, did not produce elevated levels of c-fos or c-myc mRNA. In an initial study, it was possible to demonstrate induction of c-fos and c-myc in rat hearts perfused in vitro with medium containing 2 x 10(-7) M norepinephrine. These results provide support for the notion that c-fos and c-myc expression may play a transducing role in the development of adrenergic-mediated, but not thyroid hormone-mediated cardiac hypertrophy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Tasmania, Australia.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hannan
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015870:Gene Expression; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010477:Perfusion; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013566:Sympathomimetics; D014284:Triiodothyronine