Regulation of glucocorticoid receptor expression

Aldosterone modulates glucocorticoid receptor binding in hippocampal cell cultures via the mineralocorticoid receptor

The regulation of corticosteroid receptor expression in the rat brain by adrenal steroids remains controversial. The results of in vivo studies [Brinton and McEwen, 1988; Luttge et al., 1989] suggest that activation of type I receptors can modulate both mineralocorticoid (MR; type I) and glucocorticoid (GR; type II) receptor binding in selected brain regions. The present study utilized primary hippocampal cell cultures from rats sacrificed at E19-20 days of gestation to examine the effects of RU 28362, corticosterone (CORT) and aldosterone (ALDO) on GR binding ([3H]dexamethasone +/- RU 28362). Four days of exposure to 10 nM RU 28362, a highly selective GR agonist, resulted in a robust (approximately 70%) decrease in GR binding. Similar exposure to 10 nM of either CORT or ALDO also produced a significant (50-55%) decrease in GR binding capacity. Scatchard analyses confirmed that the diminished GR binding capacity in response to ALDO was due to a decrease in total number of binding sites (Bmax for Control = 112 +/- 25 fmol/mg vs. ALDO = 48 +/- 12 fmol/mg) with no significant change in the affinity constant. The calculated EC50 from the ALDO concentration response curve was 3.5 nM. Competition studies demonstrated that such low nM concentrations of ALDO were unable to displace specific [3H]dexamethasone +/- RU 28362 binding. Spironolactone, a highly specific MR antagonist, inhibited the ALDO-induced down-regulation of GR binding. These findings support the hypothesis that MR activation can modulate GR binding in hippocampal cells.

Regulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA and protein levels by phorbol ester in MCF-7 cells. Mechanism of GR mRNA induction and decay

Treatment of MCF-7 cells with the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) (10(-7) M) was associated with a time-dependent increase in specific binding of [3H]dexamethasone (34.8 +/- 4.6 fmol/mg protein after 9 h of TPA treatment compared with 16.0 +/- 2.3 fmol/mg protein in control cells) as well as a transient induction in the level of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA (4- to 8-fold stimulation after 2-3 h, followed by a decline towards the control value after 6 h). In the presence of the transcription inhibitor actinomycin D (AMD) (5.0 micrograms/ml) the TPA-dependent induction of GR mRNA was completely abolished, and GR mRNA showed a gradual decline with a half-life of 2-3 h. In contrast, treatment with TPA and the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (50 microM) resulted in a superinduction of GR mRNA (> 50-fold after 6 h). Inhibition of a half-life of 2-3 h, which is identical to that observed in non-treated cells. We conclude that the increase in GR mRNA in the presence of TPA is dependent on ongoing transcription, whereas the rate by which GR transcripts are degraded, is not altered by TPA.

Heterogeneity in the 5' untranslated region of the rat glucocorticoid receptor mRNA

We have cloned several novel sequences upstream from the first coding exon of the rat glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA using PCR. Analysis of these sequences in RNase protection assays showed that one of the cloned sequences represents the major GR 5' non-coding exon which is expressed in all tissues studied, both at different stages of development and under different hormonal conditions. This major exon is homologous to the human GR 5' untranslated region (UTR). Three other sequences were cloned, but could not be detected in the RNase protection assay, suggesting that they are only minor transcripts, at least under the varying conditions of GR expression studied. One of these sequences is identical to a previously described rat GR cDNA sequence, while another was shown to be contiguous with the rat genomic DNA sequence.

Efficacy and safety of inhaled corticosteroids in asthma. Report of a workshop held in Eze, France, October 1992

Inhaled glucocorticosteroids have now become first-line therapy for the treatment of chronic asthma in many countries. They are the most effective asthma therapy currently available, and numerous studies have documented their long-term efficacy in asthma control in adults and in children. Inhaled steroids suppress inflammation in asthmatic airways, although their precise molecular mechanism of action is not yet certain. It is likely that steroids affect the transcription of several steroid-responsive genes, and, of particular importance, they may inhibit cytokine gene transcription and cytokine effects, thereby reducing the chronic inflammation in asthmatic airways. Inhaled steroids are now used at a much earlier stage in asthma therapy, and there is a strong argument for their early introduction in both adults and children to prevent asthma morbidity and mortality and possibly the structural changes resulting from uncontrolled chronic inflammation, which may lead to irreversible airflow obstruction in some patients. Of paramount importance is the question of safety as inhaled steroids are likely to be required for a long time. Local side effects caused by oropharyngeal deposition of the inhaled steroid may be reduced by the use of spacer devices and mouthwashing. Systemic side effects caused by gastrointestinal absorption of the fraction deposited in the oropharynx may also be reduced by these devices. There are differences in the systemic bioavailability of the different inhaled steroids currently in use, and inhaled steroids with the lowest bioavailability should be chosen when high doses of inhaled steroids are required for asthma control. Systemic side effects are usually observed only when daily doses of > 800 micrograms are inhaled, and whether effects on very sensitive biochemical indices are relevant to long-term deleterious effects is not yet certain. There is now overwhelming evidence that the doses of inhaled steroids required to control asthma in the majority of adults and children are safe and without systemic side effects. It is important to control asthma with the minimum dose of inhaled steroids possible, however. In the future it may be possible to develop inhaled steroids with even fewer systemic effects if the fraction absorbed from the respiratory tract can be rapidly metabolized in the bloodstream.

Glucocorticoid receptors in bovine adrenal medullary cells in culture: regulation by cyclic nucleotides

Glucocorticoid receptor levels within a given cell determine the glucocorticoid effect in the target tissue. Glucocorticoid receptors are present in adrenal medullary cells in culture where they are involved in the regulation of catecholamine biosynthesis. Modulation of glucocorticoid receptor protein and/or messenger RNA levels in response to cyclic nucleotides has been found in various cell types. In this study, we have investigated the effects of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP on glucocorticoid receptor binding and glucocorticoid receptor-mediated function in Percoll-isolated bovine adrenal medullary cells in culture. Four-day treatment of cells with 8-bromo-cyclic AMP (10(-3) M) an analogue of cAMP, or forskolin (10(-5) M), an activator of adenylate cyclase, decreased soluble [3H]dexamethasone binding by 55 and 54%, respectively. 8-Bromo-cyclic GMP treatment decreased [3H]dexamethasone binding by 31 and 34% at 10(-5) and 10(-4) M, respectively. Treatment with 8-bromo-cyclic AMP or forskolin, but not 8-bromo-cyclic GMP, elevated cortisol levels in the medium of treated cells, presumably by elevating steroidogenesis in contaminating cortical cells. Cultures further purified to produce chromaffin-enriched cell cultures, also showed a loss (41%) in soluble [3H]dexamethasone binding when treated with 8-bromo-cyclic AMP (10(-3) M). Four-day treatment of standard Percoll-isolated cells with low concentrations of cortisol (10(-9) to 2 x 10(-7) M) similar to that found in the medium of 8-bromo-cyclic AMP-treated cells, did not decrease soluble [3H]dexamethasone binding, whereas higher cortisol concentrations (10(-6) M) produced a 62% loss in soluble binding. Adsorption of cortisol with bovine serum albumin (5 mg/ml) prevented a cortisol (10(-6) M)-induced loss in soluble [3H]dexamethasone binding with no effect on the 8-bromo-cyclic AMP-induced loss in binding, suggesting that the decrease in binding observed following 8-bromo-cyclic AMP treatment is not due to the release of cortisol from contaminating cortical cells. Finally, we report a loss in the ability of 8-bromo-cyclic AMP- or 8-bromo-cyclic GMP-treated cells to fully induce the activity of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase in response to cortisol, indicating that decreases in soluble [3H]dexamethasone binding translate into a decrease in the functional consequence of glucocorticoid receptor binding in adrenal medullary cells. In conclusion, these results indicate that long-term increases in cyclic nucleotide second messengers are able to decrease glucocorticoid receptor binding in bovine adrenal medullary cells, via a mechanism independent of released cortisol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Involvement of a C/EBP-like protein in the acquisition of responsiveness to glucocorticoid hormones during chick neural retina development

The glucocorticoid receptor in chicken embryonic neural retina is expressed early in ontogeny, yet the tissue's response to the glucocorticoid hormone, i.e., induction of glutamine synthetase (GS), develops later, only during week 2 of ontogeny. Transient transfection of embryonic day 7 (E7) retinal cells, which are nonresponsive to glucocorticoids, with chimeric plasmids containing the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene under the control of glucocorticoid-responsive promoters demonstrated that GR in E7 cells is a functional transactivating factor. We show that the limiting transcription factor that controls the developmental acquisition of responsiveness to glucocorticoids is similar to a CCAAT enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP). This protein recognizes a sequence in the promoter of the chick GS gene, which is required for eliciting the glucocorticoid response. Retinal C/EBP-like protein was not detected in the glucocorticoid-nonresponsive (E7) proliferating glioblasts but was found to be present in the glucocorticoid-responsive (E12) postmitotic cells. Premature expression of C/EBP in the nonresponsive E7 cells by transfection was shown to enhance the developmental acquisition of responsiveness to the glucocorticoid hormone, as deduced from the level of GS inducibility.

Involvement of a C/EBP-like protein in the acquisition of responsiveness to glucocorticoid hormones during chick neural retina development

The glucocorticoid receptor in chicken embryonic neural retina is expressed early in ontogeny, yet the tissue's response to the glucocorticoid hormone, i.e., induction of glutamine synthetase (GS), develops later, only during week 2 of ontogeny. Transient transfection of embryonic day 7 (E7) retinal cells, which are nonresponsive to glucocorticoids, with chimeric plasmids containing the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene under the control of glucocorticoid-responsive promoters demonstrated that GR in E7 cells is a functional transactivating factor. We show that the limiting transcription factor that controls the developmental acquisition of responsiveness to glucocorticoids is similar to a CCAAT enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP). This protein recognizes a sequence in the promoter of the chick GS gene, which is required for eliciting the glucocorticoid response. Retinal C/EBP-like protein was not detected in the glucocorticoid-nonresponsive (E7) proliferating glioblasts but was found to be present in the glucocorticoid-responsive (E12) postmitotic cells. Premature expression of C/EBP in the nonresponsive E7 cells by transfection was shown to enhance the developmental acquisition of responsiveness to the glucocorticoid hormone, as deduced from the level of GS inducibility.

Phosphorylation of chicken oviduct progesterone receptor by cAMP-dependent protein kinase

Phosphorylation of immunopurified chicken oviduct progesterone receptor (PR) was studied in intact cells and under cell-free conditions. Cytosol PR was isolated by incubation with anti-PR monoclonal antibody alpha PR22 adsorbed to protein A-Sepharose and suspended in a reaction mixture containing 10 mM Mg2+, 0.1 mM [gamma-32P]ATP, and the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAMP-PK) from bovine heart. All three major proteins of avian PR (PR-A, 79 kDa; PR-B, 110 kDa; 90 kDa) incorporated 32P-radioactivity on serine residues. The phosphorylation reaction was inhibited by synthetic inhibitors of protein kinases, H-8 and 20-residue peptide IP20. A 40 degrees C preexposure of PR oligomer increased phosphorylation of the 90-kDa protein, known to be a heat-shock protein (hsp-90). The extent of the phosphorylation reaction was temperature-dependent as the 32P-incorporation into PR-A and PR-B increased gradually, showing a maximum at 37 degrees C. Multiple phosphopeptides (4-7) were resolved by two-dimensional electrophoresis chromatography following cleavage of 32P-labeled peptides with trypsin. Both A and B forms of receptor showed similar phosphorylation patterns with B receptor digestion exhibiting two to three additional peptides. Under physiological conditions, preincubation of oviduct mince with forskolin, a regulator of intracellular cAMP levels, caused a greater extent of phosphorylation of PR-A and PR-B proteins. The results of this study demonstrate that chicken oviduct PR is an excellent substrate for the action of cAMP-PK in vitro and that this enzyme may be a physiological regulator of progesterone action in the oviduct.