NMDA induces post-transcriptional regulation of alpha2-guanylyl-cyclase-subunit expression in cerebellar granule cells.
Activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors commonly affects gene expression in different neurons. We reported previously that chronic treatment of rat cerebellar granule cells with NMDA (24 hours) upregulates the expression of mRNA encoding the alpha2 subunit of the nitric-oxide-sensitive guanylyl cyclase. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in this process remained to be elucidated. Here, we have performed mRNA-decay experiments using the transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D, providing evidence that the half-life of alpha2 mRNA is significantly prolonged in cells exposed to NMDA. The role of the 3' untranslated region of the alpha2 transcripts in NMDA-induced mRNA stabilisation was examined and an association between the RNA-binding proteins AUF1 and ELAV-like protein 1 (HuR/HuA), and endogenous alpha2 mRNA was demonstrated in vivo, as revealed by coimmunoprecipitation experiments with specific antibodies against AUF1 and HuR. Further studies indicated that stimulation of the NMDA receptor induces a downregulation in AUF1 levels stabilising the alpha2 mRNA transcripts. These events are triggered through a mechanism that depends on formation of nitric oxide, and on the subsequent activation of guanylyl cyclase and cGMP dependent protein kinases.
Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, E-28040 Spain.
Sandra
S
Jurado
Fernando
F
Rodríguez-Pascual
José
J
Sánchez-Prieto
Francisco M
FM
Reimunde
Santiago
S
Lamas
Magdalena
M
Torres
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D051959:ELAV Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000081035:Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein D0; D034502:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein D / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017942:Nitric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D020871:RNA Stability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D051959:ELAV Proteins; D000081035:Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein D0; D034502:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein D; C000630988:Hnrnpd protein, rat; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017942:Nitric Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D006152:Cyclic GMP