title: Agonist-dependent up-regulation of thyrotrophin-releasing hormone receptor protein.
abstract: To study the effect of agonist on the TRH (thyrotrophin-releasing hormone) receptor protein, an epitope-tagged receptor was stably expressed in HEK-293 cells (human embryonic kidney 293 cells) and receptor levels were measured by immunoblotting. TRH caused a 5-25-fold increase in receptor protein during 48 h, which was half-maximal at 1 nM and was slowly reversible after hormone withdrawal. Chlordiazepoxide, an inverse agonist, had no effect. TRH up-regulation was mimicked by phorbol ester and blocked by the protein kinase C inhibitor GF109203X in combination with thapsigargin, which prevents a calcium response. TRH and phorbol ester increased the density of immunoreactive receptors localized at the cell surface and [3H]MeTRH (where MeTRH stands for [N3-methyl-His]TRH) binding. TRH also increased the concentration of a truncated, internalization-defective receptor. Analysis of cell lines stably expressing TRH receptors fused to the green fluorescent protein on a fluorescence-activated cell sorter showed that TRH and phorbol ester caused 2.7- and 6.8-fold increases in fusion protein expression respectively. TRH receptor up-regulation was only partially accounted for by changes in receptor mRNA, which increased 1.7-fold. TRH caused a small increase in receptor concentration in the presence of cycloheximide, actinomycin D or MG132. In contrast with the results obtained with the TRH receptor, agonist decreased the concentration of stably expressed b2-adrenergic receptors. These results show that TRH increases receptor concentration by a complex mechanism that requires signal transduction but not receptor endocytosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
authors.forename: Laurie B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Hinkle
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D018025:Receptors, Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018025:Receptors, Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone