Up-regulation of c-jun mRNA in cardiac myocytes requires the extracellular signal-regulated kinase cascade, but c-Jun N-terminal kinases are required for efficient up-regulation of c-Jun protein.
Cardiac hypertrophy, an important adaptational response, is associated with up-regulation of the immediate early gene, c- jun, which encodes the c-Jun transcription factor. c-Jun may feed back to up-regulate its own transcription and, since the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) family of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) phosphorylate c-Jun(Ser-63/73) to increase its transactivating activity, JNKs are thought to be the principal factors involved in c- jun up-regulation. Hypertrophy in primary cultures of cardiac myocytes is induced by endothelin-1, phenylephrine or PMA, probably through activation of one or more of the MAPK family. These three agonists increased c- jun mRNA with the rank order of potency of PMA approximately endothelin-1>phenylephrine. Up-regulation of c- jun mRNA by endothelin-1 was attenuated by inhibitors of protein kinase C (GF109203X) and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) cascade (PD98059 or U0126), but not by inhibitors of the JNK (SP600125) or p38-MAPK (SB203580) cascades. Hyperosmotic shock (0.5 M sorbitol) powerfully activates JNKs, but did not increase c- jun mRNA. These data suggest that ERKs, rather than JNKs, are required for c- jun up-regulation. However, endothelin-1 and phenylephrine induced greater up-regulation of c-Jun protein than PMA and phosphorylation of c-Jun(Ser-63/73) correlated with the level of c-Jun protein. Up-regulation of c-Jun protein by endothelin-1 was attenuated by inhibitors of protein kinase C and the ERK cascade, probably correlating with a primary input of ERKs into transcription. In addition, SP600125 inhibited the phosphorylation of c-Jun(Ser-63/73), attenuated the increase in c-Jun protein induced by endothelin-1 and increased the rate of c-Jun degradation. Thus whereas ERKs are the principal MAPKs required for c- jun transcription, JNKs are necessary to stabilize c-Jun for efficient up-regulation of the protein.
Clerk
Angela
A
Cardiac Medicine Section, National Heart and Lung Institute Division, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College School of Science, Technology and Medicine, Dovehouse Street, London SW3 6LY, UK. a.clerk@ic.ac.uk
Kemp
Timothy J
TJ
Harrison
Joanne G
JG
Mullen
Anthony J
AJ
Barton
Paul J R
PJ
Sugden
Peter H
PH
D000818:Animals; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
D019332:Endothelin-1; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D010656:Phenylephrine; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate