title: Nicotine increases expression of tyrosine hydroxylase gene. Involvement of protein kinase A-mediated pathway.
abstract: Nicotine, a major component of tobacco smoke, stimulates catecholamine secretion and activates catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes such as tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) in adrenal medullary cells. We investigated the effect of long term treatment with nicotine on TH and DBH gene expression in rat PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. Nicotine treatment for 1-2 days increased both the TH and DBH mRNA levels. The effect of nicotine on TH mRNA seems to be transcriptionally mediated. Deletion analysis of the 5' promoter region of the TH gene showed that the region containing a cyclic AMP/calcium regulatory element is sufficient for the nicotinic induction of TH. Nicotine did not induce TH mRNA or chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter activity in mutant PC12 cells deficient in protein kinase A activity. However, the deficiency in protein kinase A activity did not affect the elevation in intracellular calcium concentration caused by nicotine, indicating normal receptor function. These results suggest that a cAMP-mediated pathway plays a crucial role in the long term nicotine-induced activation of the TH gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla 10595.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hiremagalur
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nankova
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nitahara
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zeman
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Sabban
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000502:physiology; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D009538:Nicotine; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D002118:Calcium