title: Mechanism of all trans-retinoic acid and glucocorticoid regulation of surfactant protein mRNA.
abstract: The surfactant proteins (SPs) are required for the normal function of pulmonary surfactant, a lipoprotein substance that prevents alveolar collapse at end expiration. We characterized the effects of cortisol and all trans-retinoic acid (RA) on SP-A and SP-B gene expression in H441 cells, a human pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell line. Cortisol, at 10(-6) M, caused a significant inhibition of SP-A mRNA to levels that were 60-70% of controls and a five- to sixfold increase in the levels of SP-B mRNA. RA alone (10(-6) M) had no effect on SP-A mRNA levels and modestly reduced the inhibitory effect of cortisol. RA alone and the combination of cortisol and RA both significantly increased SP-B mRNA levels. RA had no effect on the rate of SP-A gene transcription or on SP-A mRNA stability. Cortisol alone and the combination of cortisol and RA significantly inhibited the rate of SP-A gene transcription but had no effect on SP-A mRNA half-life. RA at 10(-6) M had no effect on the rate of SP-B gene transcription but prolonged SP-B mRNA half-life. Cortisol alone and the combination of cortisol and RA caused a significant increase in the rate of SP-B gene transcription and also caused a significant increase in SP-B mRNA stability. We conclude that RA has no effect on SP-A gene expression and increases SP-B mRNA levels by an effect on SP-B mRNA stability and not on the rate of SP-B gene transcription. In addition, the effects of the combination of RA and cortisol were generally similar to those of cortisol alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA.
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: O L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Miakotina
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Goss
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Snyder
mesh_terms: D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011510:Proteolipids / Q000235:genetics*; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; D037661:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D011510:Proteolipids; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; D037661:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014212:Tretinoin; D006854:Hydrocortisone