title: A differential role of CREB phosphorylation in cAMP-inducible gene expression in the rat pineal.
abstract: In the rat pineal gland cAMP mediates nocturnal induction of the enzyme arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) as well as of transcription factors such as inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER), Fos-related antigen-2 (Fra-2) and JunB. Cyclic AMP stimulates the phosphorylation of the DNA binding protein cAMP response element binding protein (CREB). While cAMP-induced CREB phosphorylation appears to be a prerequisite for AA-NAT and ICER gene expression, it is not known whether CREB phosphorylation accounts for the full cAMP response of the two genes. Furthermore, the significance of CREB phosphorylation in cAMP-activated Fra-2 and JunB transcription is unknown. In the present in vitro study we used the serine/threonine protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid (OA) to phosphorylate CREB without altering intrapineal cAMP concentration. It was observed that OA (10(-7) M) was less effective than dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP; 10(-3) M) in inducing AA-NAT mRNA and ICER mRNA, respectively. On the basis of this finding, it is concluded that CREB phosphorylation alone is apparently not sufficient for the full cAMP response of the two genes. By contrast, OA and dbcAMP equally stimulated the accumulation of the mRNAs of Fra-2 and JunB. Therefore cAMP may induce Fra-2 and JunB transcripts via CREB phosphorylation. Our observations suggest that CREB phosphorylation plays a critical role in diversification of cAMP-dependent gene induction in the rat pineal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Johannes Gutenberg University, Saarstrasse 19-21, D-55099, Mainz, Germany. spessert@mail.uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spessert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jastrow
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karabul
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vollrath
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000378:metabolism*; D051786:Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051921:Fos-Related Antigen-2; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D019319:Okadaic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology*; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D051921:Fos-Related Antigen-2; C497874:Fosl2 protein, rat; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051786:Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator; D019319:Okadaic Acid; D003994:Bucladesine; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase