title: The cAMP-dependent protein kinase regulates transcription of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase gene.
abstract: Dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) catalyzes the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine, and is expressed specifically in neurons and neuroendocrine cells that release norepinephrine and epinephrine. In the present study, we used DBH-expressing human neuroblastoma SK-N-BE(2)C and rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell lines to investigate the role of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) in transcriptional regulation of the DBH gene. Coexpression of the catalytic subunit of PKA (PKAc) robustly stimulated the transcriptional activity of the DBH gene in a dose-dependent manner. Conversely, coexpression of a specific inhibitor of PKA abrogated forskolin- and cAMP-mediated but not phorbol ester-mediated transcriptional induction of DBH. Deletion of the cAMP response element (CRE) dramatically reduced the stimulatory effect of PKA, indicating that the CRE mediates the induction of DBH by PKA. In DBH-nonexpressing HeLa and C6 glioma cell lines, coexpression of PKAc changed the transcriptional activity of the DBH promoter to a minimal degree, indicating that basal and PKA-mediated transcription of the DBH gene occur in a cell type-specific manner. Finally, both basal and cAMP-stimulated transcription of the DBH gene are diminished in three PKA-deficient PC12 cell lines, compared to wild-type cells. Based on these data, we conclude that PKA, via the CRE, plays an important role in basal and cAMP-inducible transcription, but is not required for phorbol ester-mediated induction, of the DBH gene in noradrenergic cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Cornell University Medical College, W. M. Burke Medical Research Institute, White Plains, New York 10605.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishiguro
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tinti
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Joh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000503:physiopathology; D016716:PC12 Cells; D010703:Phorbol Esters / Q000494:pharmacology; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D010703:Phorbol Esters; D005576:Colforsin; D012313:RNA; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases