title: Transcriptional upregulation of retinoic acid receptor beta (RAR beta) expression by phenylacetate in human neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: Sodium phenylacetate (NaPA) has been shown to synergize with retinoic acid (RA) in inducing the differentiation of human neuroblastoma cells. Our studies indicated that NaPA can impact on the RA differentiation program by upregulating nuclear retinoic acid receptor-beta (RAR beta) expression. We have found that NaPA does not alter the half-life of RAR beta mRNA; thus, increased stability of mRNA levels does not contribute to NaPA induction. In contrast, NaPA was able to specifically activate a reporter gene construct (delta SV beta RE-CAT) which contains a retinoic acid response element (RARE beta) that is located in the RAR beta promoter. Activation of delta SV beta RE-CAT by NaPA also occurred in neuroblastoma cells cotransfected with a nuclear retinoic acid receptor expression vector, demonstrating the independence of this activation on cellular RAR levels. Taken together, our findings suggest that induction of RAR beta by NaPA is regulated at the level of transcription and mediated through the retinoic acid response element, RARE beta. This effect may account, at least in part, for the strong synergy between NaPA and RA in promoting neuroblastoma differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sidell
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yamashiro
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Wada
mesh_terms: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001665:Binding Sites; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D014162:Transfection; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D010648:Phenylacetates; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C082925:retinoic acid receptor beta; D014212:Tretinoin; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase; C025136:phenylacetic acid