Glucocorticoids and cyclic AMP synergistically regulate the abundance of preproenkephalin messenger RNA in neuroblastoma-glioma hybrid cells

Expression of the proenkephalin gene in human neuroblastoma cell lines

Several human tumour cell lines were screened for secretion of proenkephalin-derived peptides with an antiserum directed to its N-terminus, Met-enkephalin-Arg6,Phe7 and for proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides with an antiserum to beta-endorphin. The neuroblastoma SK-N-MC cell line secreted Met-enkephalin-Arg6,Phe7-immunoreactive peptides in relatively high amounts into the culture medium, although processing was not complete and there was no evidence for free Met-enkephalin-Arg6,Phe7. Gene expression was confirmed by the presence of proenkephalin mRNA and proenkephalin-derived polypeptides in extracts of the SK-N-MC cells and also in the neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. In the latter cells, however, the expression was approximately 3 times lower, there was less processing of proenkephalin and no evidence for secretion.

Chronic exposure to opiate agonists increases proenkephalin biosynthesis in NG108 cells

The neuroblastoma-glioma NG108 cell line has been shown to contain both a delta-opiate receptor and enkephalin peptides. In this paper, the presence of authentic proenkephalin mRNA and proenkephalin-derived peptides are demonstrated. Growth of the cells in the presence of etorphine for 5-7 days resulted in a 3-fold increase of proenkephalin mRNA, which was accompanied by comparable increases in proenkephalin peptides and free enkephalin. The effect was mimicked by either morphine or [D-Ala2,D-Met5]enkephalinamide, and was blocked by naloxone. The EC50 for the effect of etorphine was 10(-9) M. The cyclic AMP content of cells grown for 5 days in the presence of etorphine was the same as that of control cells. Forskolin treatment also increased the proenkephalin mRNA content of the cells: the effect was not additive with that of etorphine, suggesting that the effect of opiate agonists was not occurring through their inhibition of adenylate cyclase. The results suggest that proenkephalin synthesis in NG108 cells can be regulated by two different mechanisms, one involving cyclic AMP while the other, regulated by the opiate receptor, is yet to be determined.

Enkephalin precursor gene expression in postmeiotic germ cells

Preproenkephalin mRNA was detected in rat testis after postnatal day 30. A high abundance of preproenkephalin mRNA was present in the spermatids (i.e., spermatogenic cells at postmeiotic stage) purified from mature rat testis. The mRNA size of the spermatids was about 1900 bases, which was larger than that of other tissues expressing the preproenkephalin gene. The spermatids contained small amounts of enkephalin-containing proteins, but little or no Met-enkephalin. Preproenkephalin gene expression in the germ cells suggests the connection between gametogenesis and nervous system.

The enkephalin-containing cell: strategies for polypeptide synthesis and secretion throughout the neuroendocrine system

1. Enkephalinergic cells are found throughout the diffuse neuroendocrine system, in the adrenal medulla, brain, spinal cord, peripheral and enteric nervous systems, and endocrine pancreas. 2. In each of these diverse cell types, the enkephalin phenotype is (i) established during development, (ii) modified by the particular environment in which the cell is located, and (iii) maintained by ongoing biosynthesis at a rate consistent with loss of enkephalins from the cell during periods of secretion. 3. Enkephalin expression and biosynthesis have been studied in several neuroendocrine cell types and tumor cell lines. Transcriptional, translational, and posttranslational factors can play a role at all three stages (establishment, modification, and maintenance) in the regulation of enkephalin expression during the lifetime of the cell. 4. Cyclic nucleotides, glucocorticoids, and calcium may all act to control the overall level of enkephalin biosynthesis pretranslationally, while regulation of posttranslational processing of proenkephalin seems to be important in determining the pattern of proenkephalin-derived opiate peptides produced in a given tissue. 5. The themes (and variations) of cell regulation that apply to enkephalin expression may be similar for other bioactive peptides produced in neural and endocrine tissues.

Preproenkephalin mRNA in neuroblastoma X glioma, NG 108-15, hybrid cells and in parental cell lines: mouse neuroblastoma, N18, and rat glioma, C6

Preproenkephalin mRNA was analyzed in Neuroblastoma X Glioma, NG 108-15, cells as well as in respective parental cell lines, i.e. mouse Neuroblastoma N18 and rat Glioma C6, using a rat preproenkephalin cDNA as a probe. NG synthesize efficiently a preproenkephalin mRNA, similar in size to that of normal tissues. Of the two parental cell lines, Neuroblastoma seems to synthesize it as well as NG; conversely Glioma cell lines under the same conditions do not appear to synthesize preproenkephalin mRNA with the same efficiency as NG and N18.