title: Activating transcription factor-2 mediates transcriptional regulation of gluconeogenic gene PEPCK by retinoic acid.
abstract: All-trans-retinoic acid (RA) is known to increase the rate of transcription of the PEPCK gene upon engagement of the RA receptor (RAR). RA also mediates induction of specific gene transcription via several signaling pathways as a nongenomic effect. Here we show that RA upregulation of PEPCK promoter activity requires the cAMP response element (CRE)-1 in addition to the RA-response element and that activating transcription factor-2 (ATF-2) binds the CRE element to mediate this effect. Furthermore, we show that RA treatment potentiates ATF-2-dependent transactivation by inducing specific phosphorylation of ATF-2 by p38beta kinase. ATF-2 activation by RA blocked the inhibitory intramolecular interaction of ATF-2 amino and carboxyl terminal domains in a p38beta kinase-dependent manner. Consistent with these results, RA treatment increased the DNA binding activity of ATF-2 on the PEPCK CRE-1 sequence. Taken together, the data suggest that RA activates the p38beta kinase pathway leading to phosphorylation and activation of ATF-2, thereby enhancing PEPCK gene transcription and glucose production.
authors.affiliation: Hormone Research Center, Chonnam National University, Kwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Min Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Che-Hun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Keesook
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yung Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: SunHwa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: JaeHun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheong
mesh_terms: D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; D000818:Animals; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000502:physiology; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D005943:Gluconeogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D048290:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 11; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D020218:Response Elements / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: C497105:ATF2 protein, human; D051698:Activating Transcription Factor 2; C497107:Atf2 protein, rat; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014212:Tretinoin; D004247:DNA; D000242:Cyclic AMP; C069767:phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase kinase; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D048290:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 11; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases