title: Induction of the C/EBP beta gene by dexamethasone and glucagon in primary-cultured rat hepatocytes.
abstract: The synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, and glucagon cooperatively elevated the level of mRNA for the transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta (C/EBP beta) in primary-cultured rat hepatocytes. In response to dexamethasone and/or glucagon, C/EBP beta mRNA started to increase as early as 30 min, reached a maximum within 2 h, and then gradually decreased. The administration of cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, led rather to an increase in C/EBP beta mRNA, which suggested that a labile negative protein factor(s) is involved in regulation of the C/EBP beta mRNA level. Cycloheximide further augmented the increases in C/EBP beta mRNA by dexamethasone and/or glucagon. Therefore, C/EBP beta mRNA accumulation in response to these hormones is apparently independent of ongoing protein synthesis. The elevation of the C/EBP beta mRNA level by these hormones was accounted for by increases in the rate of transcription of the C/EBP beta gene, as deduced on nuclear run-on analysis. Gel mobility shift analysis revealed that the DNA-binding activity of C/EBP beta was increased cooperatively by dexamethasone and glucagon. These results suggest that the C/EBP beta gene is primarily induced by glucocorticoids and/or glucagon and that the accumulated C/EBP beta protein is then involved in secondary activation of target genes in response to these hormones in the liver.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Kumamoto University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Matsuno
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gotoh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwase
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takatsuki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takiguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005934:Glucagon / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004247:DNA; D005934:Glucagon; D003513:Cycloheximide