title: Regulation of basal expression of catecholamine-synthesizing enzyme genes by PACAP.
abstract: We have previously reported that the cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway is important in the gene regulation of both induction and basal expressions of the catecholamine synthesizing enzymes tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH). The neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) has been shown to activate the intracellular cAMP/PKA pathway. In the present study, using primary cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells, we determined whether the basal activity of the PACAP receptor might play a role in the maintenance of the basal expression of these enzyme genes via the cAMP/PKA pathway. The potent PACAP receptor antagonist PACAP (6-38) caused a reduction of TH and DBH mRNA levels in a dose dependent manner as well as their enzyme activities and TH protein level. The effects of PACAP (6-38) and the PKA inhibitor H-89 exhibited generally similar trends, and were not additive in the reduction of TH and DBH gene expression and activities, suggesting that they take a common intracellular signaling pathway. The antagonist also caused decreases in the intracellular norepinephrine and epinephrine levels similar to the effect of H-89. Taken together, the data suggests that PACAP is involved in the regulation of maintenance of the catecholamine synthesizing enzymes TH and DBH by utilizing the cAMP/PKA pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051236:Receptors, Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D011979:Receptors, Pituitary Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007546:Isoquinolines; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051236:Receptors, Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide; D011979:Receptors, Pituitary Hormone; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; C063509:N-(2-(4-bromocinnamylamino)ethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine