title: Adenylyl cyclase type VI gene transfer reduces phospholamban expression in cardiac myocytes via activating transcription factor 3.
abstract: Cardiac-directed expression of adenylyl cyclase type VI (AC(VI)) increases stimulated cAMP production, improves heart function, and increases survival in cardiomyopathy. In contrast, pharmacological agents that increase intracellular levels of cAMP have detrimental effects on cardiac function and survival. We wondered whether effects that are independent of cAMP might be responsible for these salutary outcomes associated with AC(VI) expression. We therefore conducted a series of experiments focused on how gene transcription is influenced by AC(VI) in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes, with a particular focus on genes that might influence cardiac function. We found that overexpression of AC(VI) down-regulated mRNA and protein expression of phospholamban, an inhibitor of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase. We determined that the cAMP-responsive-like element in the phospholamban (PLB) promoter was critical for down-regulation by AC(VI). Overexpression of AC(VI) did not alter the expression of CREB, CREM, ATF1, ATF2, or ATF4 proteins. In contrast, overexpression of AC(VI) increased expression of ATF3 protein, a suppressor of transcription. Following AC(VI) gene transfer, when cardiac myocytes were stimulated with isoproterenol or NKH477, a water-soluble forskolin analog that directly stimulates AC, expression of ATF3 protein was increased even more, which correlated with reduced expression of PLB. We then showed that AC(VI)-induced ATF3 protein binds to the cAMP-responsive-like element on the PLB promoter and that overexpression of ATF3 in cardiac myocytes inhibits PLB promoter activity. These findings indicate that AC(VI) has effects on gene transcription that are not directly dependent on cAMP generation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, USA.
authors.forename: Mei Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Shu Qiang
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Feramisco
authors.forename: H Kirk
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Hammond
mesh_terms: D051700:Activating Transcription Factor 3; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005576:Colforsin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D053498:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection; D000099211:Phospholamban
chemical_list: D051700:Activating Transcription Factor 3; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases; D005576:Colforsin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D007545:Isoproterenol; D008156:Luciferases; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053498:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000099211:Phospholamban; C497108:Atf3 protein, rat; C121100:adenylyl cyclase 6