title: Expression of the c-myc gene in human adrenals: regulation by adrenocorticotropin in primary cultures.
abstract: We have analyzed the expression of the c-myc proto-oncogene in human adrenal glands in vivo and in primary cell cultures by Northern blot analysis. c-myc mRNA was consistently expressed in all human adrenals studied. Expression in adult adrenals was found to be approximately 50% of that in fetal adrenals, but much higher than that in adult liver and kidney. Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) treatment increased c-myc mRNA accumulation dose- and time-dependently up to more than 5-fold (on average), with the maximal effect at 2 h. (Bu)2cAMP and 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) also induced c-myc gene expression. There was no synergistic effect between the ACTH, (Bu)2cAMP and TPA treatments. The basal level of c-myc expression was reduced by the protein kinase inhibitors H-7 (1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methyl-piperazine dihydrochloride), staurosporine and HA1004 (N-(2-guanidinoethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide hydrochloride). H-7 totally abolished ACTH-, TPA- and (Bu)2cAMP-induced c-myc expression, while staurosporine inhibited the stimulatory effects of ACTH and TPA, and HA1004 weakly inhibited the effects of ACTH and (Bu)2cAMP. Incubation with cycloheximide or 10% fetal calf serum increased c-myc mRNA levels 3- and 4-fold respectively. Our data show that the c-myc gene is expressed abundantly in normal human adrenals, and that this expression can be regulated by multiple factors in the primary cultures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Voutilainen
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Kahri
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heikkilä
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D016259:Genes, myc; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000235:genetics; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D003994:Bucladesine; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate