title: Endogenous von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein regulates catecholaminergic phenotype in PC12 cells.
abstract: Loss of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene function leads to VHL disease, which is characterized by vascular tumors of the central nervous system, renal clear cell carcinomas, and pheochromocytomas. Pheochromocytomas express high levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis. PC12 cells that express VHL antisense RNA had 5-10-fold reduced levels of endogenous pVHL and 2-3-fold increased levels of TH protein and mRNA. Nuclear run-on analysis revealed an augmentation of TH gene transcription with enhanced efficiency of transcript elongation in the 3' region of the gene. Transient coexpression of the VHL antisense RNA with a TH promoter reporter construct increased TH promoter activity by 2-3-fold. A decrease in pVHL accumulation also resulted in an increase in TH mRNA accumulation and transcription of the TH gene during hypoxia. This is the first evidence that endogenous pVHL is a physiological regulator of the catecholaminergic phenotype. Thus, loss of pVHL function may be causative in pheochromocytoma-associated hypercatecholaminemia and arterial hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0576, USA.
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Waltke R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Paulding
authors.forename: Justin B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Striet
authors.forename: Phillip O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Schnell
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Czyzyk-Krzeska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology; D008025:Ligases / Q000502:physiology*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016716:PC12 Cells; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D014162:Transfection; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D051794:Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; D051794:Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein; D008025:Ligases