title: Induction of transforming growth factor-alpha expression in human keratinocytes by phorbol esters.
abstract: Exposure of cultured human epidermal keratinocytes to the protein kinase C (Ca2+- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase)-activating phorbol esters 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) or 4-beta-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate markedly enhanced accumulation of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) mRNA and secretion of TGF-alpha protein. The nonactivating phorbol ester, 4-alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, had no effect. In the absence of exogenous growth factors, confluent cultures of keratinocytes express low or undetectable levels of TGF-alpha mRNA and protein. While TPA and epidermal growth factor treatment of keratinocyte cultures deprived of growth factors both induced TGF-alpha mRNA expression, maximum induction by TPA is 5-fold greater than epidermal growth factor. Furthermore, the addition of epidermal growth factor did not enhance TPA-mediated induction of TGF-alpha mRNA expression. Under these experimental conditions, TPA increased levels of secreted TGF-alpha protein by 20-fold at 24 h. Concentration dependence and kinetic studies of TGF-alpha expression showed that TPA (greater than or equal to 1 ng/ml) induced accumulation of TGF-alpha mRNA with an optimum concentration of 10 ng/ml. TGF-alpha mRNA expression increased within 1 h following TPA treatment (10 ng/ml) and peaked at 5 h. At 24 h, TPA-treated cultures still expressed elevated levels of TGF-alpha mRNA (1.7-fold). Protein secretion into the medium was enhanced 2-fold (5 h) to 3-fold (24 h) by TPA treatment of keratinocyte cultures containing growth factors. Prolonged pretreatment (24 h) of keratinocyte cultures with TPA caused marked desensitization of TGF-alpha mRNA expression to repeated stimulation by phorbol ester. The synthetic diacylglycerol, 1,2-sn-dioctanoylglycerol, enhanced levels of TGF-alpha transcription and secretion of TGF-alpha protein. The rate of TGF-alpha mRNA accumulation peaked and declined earlier for 1,2-sn-dioctanoylglycerol compared to TPA. 1,2-sn-Dioctanoylglycerol (50 micrograms/ml) increased production and secretion of TGF-alpha protein, but less than TPA treatment. An inhibitor of protein kinase C, 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine, also inhibited 1,2-sn-dioctanoylglycerol-mediated accumulation of TGF-alpha mRNA. Cycloheximide failed to inhibit TGF-alpha mRNA expression induced by TPA and, when added alone to keratinocyte cultures, significantly enhanced TGF-alpha mRNA accumulation. Actinomycin D abrogated transcriptional activation of TGF-alpha mRNA by TPA. These studies suggest that activation of protein kinase C by active phorbol esters or diacylglycerols is responsible, at least in part, for TGF-alpha gene expression.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic/Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pittelkow
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Lindquist
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Graves-Deal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Derynck
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Coffey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007700:Kinetics; D008934:Mitogens; D010703:Phorbol Esters / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens; D010703:Phorbol Esters; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors; D011493:Protein Kinase C