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ABSTRACT
The pro-opiomelanocortin gene is widely expressed in human tissues, although both transcriptional initiation sites and regulation appear to be tissue specific. In order to determine how promoter and enhancer choice is effected, we have studied the methylation pattern of the gene in a number of normal tissues, tumours and cell lines. Variability of this pattern was observed in the 5′-flanking DNA, particularly at the HpaII site located at −304 bp upstream from the pituitary CAP site. This site was generally methylated in tissues likely to express the predominant extrapituitary (800 nucleotide) message, while in tissues known to express the normal pituitary (1150 nucleotide) message and longer species, a tendency towards undermethylation was observed. Although the sites at which variable methylation occurs did not correspond to established binding sites for regulatory proteins, many of these regions remain to be determined and thus it is possible that methylation may be influential in the tissue-specific regulation of this gene.
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ABSTRACT
As an approach to understanding the abnormalities of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene regulation in human ACTH-secreting tumours, we have analysed the POMC mRNA content of nine such tumours using the Northern blot technique. Most of the tumours and normal human pituitary contained easily detectable quantities of POMC mRNA. The length of this message in most tumours was similar to, or slightly larger than, that in the normal pituitary (1150–1200 bases). Ribonuclease H studies suggested that the origin of any size heterogeneity was a longer poly(A) tail in the tumour RNA. Some tumours, however, expressed a short POMC mRNA (800 bases) which may lack the first two exons of the POMC gene as has been described. A third POMC mRNA size variant (1500 bases) was also seen in low levels in two cases, and as the principal mRNA species in one case. Primer extension and S1 nuclease protection studies suggested that most transcripts in the tumours analysed originated from the conventional promoter, and thus the use of an alternative promoter is not an adequate explanation for the expression of this gene in ectopic ACTH-secreting tumours.
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ABSTRACT
Expression of the RNA coding for the ACTH—β-lipotrophin precursor, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), has been demonstrated in five human small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines. Using Northern and slot-blot hybridization analysis of RNA and a bovine POMC cDNA as probe, the processed POMC RNA from SCLC cells was found to be approximately 1350 nucleotides in length, which is larger than that found in the normal human pituitary. Expression of the POMC gene was confirmed by measurement of ACTH precursors secreted by the cells, using a novel two-site immunoradiometric assay based on monoclonal antibodies, which directly quantifies both POMC and pro-ACTH but does not recognize ACTH. Levels of POMC in medium accumulated throughout the growth of the cells, in contrast to POMC RNA which showed a relatively constant level of expression. We conclude that human SCLC cell lines are valuable models for studying the aberrant expression and regulation of the human POMC gene.
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ABSTRACT
In the normal pituitary, glucocorticoids are the principal negative regulator of the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene which gives rise to the biologically active peptides ACTH and β-endorphin. In Cushing's syndrome, ACTH-secreting pituitary tumours show a degree of glucocorticoid resistance, whilst ACTH-secreting extra-pituitary tumours have an even greater resistance to glucocorticoid excess. In an attempt to understand the mechanism of this phenomenon, we have compared the effects of glucocorticoids on POMC mRNA and peptide secretion in human and mouse corticotroph adenoma cells and in small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cells. ACTH precursor peptides were inhibited within 24 h by 25–50 nm hydrocortisone in primary cultures from a human corticotroph adenoma. In the mouse corticotroph adenoma cell line (AtT20), inhibition of both ACTH precursors and ACTH was not observed after 24 h but, by 10 days, glucocorticoids suppressed peptide levels with a concentration causing 50% inhibition of 50 nm hydrocortisone and maximal inhibition at 500 nm hydrocortisone. In marked contrast, there was no response to 500 nm hydrocortisone in the five SCLC cell lines (COR L103, COR L42, COR L24, COR L31, DMS 79) all of which secrete ACTH precursors. However, two of the five SCLC cell lines (COR L31 and DMS 79) were responsive to 1000 nm hydrocortisone. POMC mRNA, quantitated by slot-blot analysis, gave similar results for the five SCLC cell lines, implying that the abnormality may occur at the level of gene expression. When one of the three resistant cell lines (COR L103) was incubated with 2000 nm hydrocortisone or 2000 nm dexamethasone a clear suppression of precursor peptides and POMC mRNA was observed. This suggests that the resistance to glucocorticoid inhibition is relative rather than absolute, implying that the normal mechanism is functioning but impaired. Furthermore, there is at least a 20-fold difference in the responsiveness to glucocorticoid inhibition between pituitary and extra-pituitary tumour cells in vitro, which may signify a difference in the underlying mechanism in these two cell types.
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The ACTH receptor melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2-R) is a G-protein-coupled receptor principally expressed in the adrenal cortex and the adipocyte, where it stimulates steroidogenesis and lipolysis respectively. The coding region of the murine gene is encoded by a single exon, although three upstream non-coding exons have been documented, one of which is incorporated by alternative splicing in adrenal cells. We have detected a novel transcript in adipocytes, which includes a previously unidentified 86 bp exon upstream of the coding region. This transcript appears with slower kinetics during a time course of differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells and is much more highly expressed in these cells and murine adipose tissues than in the Y1 murine adrenocortical cell line, also it is undetectable in murine foetal testes. Inclusion of this exon extends the 5′ UTR to 468 bp and introduces three upstream open reading frames. These are typical features of mRNAs under translational control and imply that the MC2-R gene is regulated both transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally during adipogenesis.
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ABSTRACT
We have generated hybridomas which secrete monoclonal antibodies to the AT1 subtype of the angiotensin II receptor (AT1 receptor). These were obtained after immunization of Balb C/c mice with synthetic peptides representing sequences from either the extracellular domain (residues 8-17) or the intracellular domain (residues 229-237) of the AT1 receptor.
Hybridoma populations were first screened for the production of antibodies which bound to rat liver cells. Further selection, and cloning by limiting dilution, was carried out for antibodies which bound specifically to rat adrenal glomerulosa cells. Confirmation that the antibody designated 6313/G2 interacted with the angiotensin II receptor was obtained using COS-7 cells transfected with AT1A receptor cDNA. In particular, the initial characterization of 6313/G2 showed specific immunofluorescence of vascular endothelium.
