title: Protein kinase A activation of estrogen receptor alpha transcription does not require proteasome activity and protects the receptor from ligand-mediated degradation.
abstract: 17beta-Estradiol (E2)-stimulated estrogen receptor (ERalpha) transcription is accompanied by protein degradation via the 26S-proteasome pathway. Inhibition of proteasome activity stabilizes ERalpha protein and abolishes E2-activated transcription, suggesting functional linkages between transcription and degradation. It is not known whether ligand-independent ERalpha activation is coupled to proteolysis. In pituitary cells, forskolin (FSK) stimulates ERalpha transcription through the protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. This study examined interactions between E2-dependent and PKA-stimulated pathways in GH(3) cells by measuring transcription of a transfected reporter gene and endogenous ERalpha levels. E2 stimulated estrogen response element-mediated transcription 2- to 3-fold and decreased ERalpha protein levels to 40%. In contrast, FSK stimulated ERalpha transcription without decreasing ERalpha protein. Treatment with FSK plus E2 resulted in synergistic ERalpha transactivation, and FSK specifically prevented E2-induced ERalpha degradation. PKA is required for protection and was prevented by H89 (a PKA inhibitor), but not PD98059 (a MAPK kinase inhibitor). Propyl-pyrazole-triol and R,R-diethyl-tetrahydrochrysene, selective ERalpha agonists, reduced ERalpha protein by 50% while stimulating ERalpha transcriptional activity 4- to 8-fold. The antagonist ICI 182,780 similarly decreased ERalpha levels, but prevented ER activation. FSK prevented all ligand-induced ERalpha degradation. Lactacystin, a proteasome inhibitor, abolished E2-stimulated, but not FSK-stimulated, ERalpha transcription. Thus, stimulation of ERalpha transcription by the PKA-dependent pathway is dissociated from receptor degradation and proteasome activity. These data suggest a mechanism of ERalpha transcriptional activation by PKA that is distinct from E2 activation and that may contribute to the synergistic transcriptional activation of ERalpha by ligand-dependent and PKA-dependent pathways.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Virginia, Box 800578, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Houng-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Katzenellenbogen
authors.forename: Benita S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Katzenellenbogen
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shupnik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000502:physiology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D008024:Ligands; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000502:physiology*; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; D051381:Rats; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D008024:Ligands; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D005576:Colforsin; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D004958:Estradiol; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex