title: Fibroblast growth factor and cyclic AMP (cAMP) synergistically activate gene expression at a cAMP response element.
abstract: Growth factors and cyclic AMP (cAMP) are known to activate distinct intracellular signaling pathways. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) activates ras-dependent kinase cascades, resulting in the activation of MAP kinases, whereas cAMP activates protein kinase A. In this study, we report that growth factors and cAMP act synergistically to stimulate proenkephalin gene expression. Positive synergy between growth factor- and cAMP-activated signaling pathways on gene expression has not been previously reported, and we suggest that these synergistic interactions represent a useful model for analyzing interactions between these pathways. Transfection and mutational studies indicate that both FGF-dependent gene activation and cAMP-dependent gene activation require cAMP response element 2 (CRE-2), a previously characterized cAMP-dependent regulatory element. Furthermore, multiple copies of this element are sufficient to confer FGF regulation upon a minimal promoter, indicating that FGF and cAMP signaling converge upon transcription factors acting at CRE-2. Among many different ATF/AP-1 factors tested, two factors, ATF-3 and c-Jun, stimulate proenkephalin transcription in an FGF- or Ras-dependent fashion. Finally, we show that ATF-3 and c-Jun form heterodimeric complexes in SK-N-MC cells and that the levels of both proteins are increased in response to FGF but not cAMP. Together, these results indicate that growth factor- and cAMP-dependent signaling pathways converge at CRE-2 to synergistically stimulate gene expression and that ATF-3 and c-Jun regulate proenkephalin transcription in response to both growth factor- and cAMP-dependent intracellular signaling pathways.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown 02129.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boccia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grossman
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Comb
mesh_terms: D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; D051700:Activating Transcription Factor 3; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000235:genetics; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; D051700:Activating Transcription Factor 3; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D017931:DNA Primers; D004745:Enkephalins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D014157:Transcription Factors; C029992:proenkephalin; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D000242:Cyclic AMP