title: Hormonal regulation of cholinephosphate cytidylyltransferase in human fetal lung.
abstract: Cytidylyltransferase (CTP: cholinephosphate cytidylyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.15, CYT) is a regulatory enzyme for synthesis of pulmonary surfactant phosphatidylcholine (PC). The effects of glucocorticoid, T3, and cAMP on CYT activity were studied in explants of human fetal lung (18-22 weeks gestation) cultured for 1-6 days in serum-free medium. Dexamethasone (Dex, 10 nM) treatment for 5 days increased homogenate CYT activity (+115%, P < 0.02) when assayed in the presence of added lipid co-factor (L-alpha-phosphatidylglycerol, PG, 1.1 mM) and tended to increase activity in its absence (+77%, P = 0.12). Cytosolic activity was also significantly elevated in the presence of added co-factor (+124%, P < 0.01), but there was no effect of Dex on microsomal specific activity. Dex increased the recovery of CYT activity in the cytosolic fraction (75% vs. 43% (control) of the homogenate activity), but not in the microsomal, nuclear or mitochondrial fractions. Assayed in the presence of added co-factor, stimulation of CYT by Dex was apparent after 48 h exposure and maximal by 5-6 days exposure to < or = 30 nM concentration. T3 or agents that increase endogenous cAMP stimulated cytosolic activity by 40% and 36-74%, respectively, after 4-6 days exposure, but none produced an additive increase in the presence of Dex. We conclude that stimulation of CYT activity contributes to hormonal induction of surfactant lipids by each of these hormones. Glucocorticoids may increase the amount of CYT enzyme as well as activate the enzyme via increased synthesis of lipid co-factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Gonzales
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Ballard
mesh_terms: D019916:Choline-Phosphate Cytidylyltransferase; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000494:pharmacology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005333:Fetus / Q000201:enzymology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006728:Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology*; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006728:Hormones; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases; D019916:Choline-Phosphate Cytidylyltransferase