Cyclic AMP enhances gene expression, synthesis and release of newly synthesized alpha and luteinizing hormone beta subunits in cultured rat anterior pituitary cells

Abstract

We have previously demonstrated that GnRH stimulates the synthesis of both the ? and LH? polypeptide chains, an effect which was reproduced in a non additive manner by direct activation of protein kinases A and C, and abolished by actinomycin D. In the present study, we examined the effects in monolayer cultures from rat anterior pituitary cells of 8-Br-cAMP and cholera toxin, on ? and LH? subunit mRNA levels and in parallel the synthesis and release of the subunits. RNA blot hybridization analysis with cDNA probes demonstrated that ? and LH? mRNA levels increased by 8.9- and 4.7-fold, respectively, after a 5 h-incubation in the presence of 6 nM cholera toxin and 7.1- and 2.9-fold in the presence of 1.5 mM 8-Br-cAMP. Under the same conditions, [(35)S]methionine incorporation into ? and LH? subunits was optimally stimulated, by 2.8-fold and 1.7 to 2.2-fold, respectively, whether the cAMP analogue 8-Br-cAMP or cholera toxin, an endogenous cAMP generator, were employed. Further, in addition to synthesis, 8-Br-cAMP appeared to increase release of neosynthesized ? and LH? polypeptides, and in this respect, 8-Br-cAMP was more effective than GnRH. In contrast, 8-Br-cAMP had a weak, non significant effect compared to GnRH on the release of total radioimmunoassayable LH in the cell media. These data provide the first direct evidence for a stimulation of ? and LH? gene expression by cyclic AMP, which accounts for an increase in subunit synthesis. They suggest that cAMP, as previously shown for diacylglycerols, is a potent candidate for an intracellular mediator of the GnRH effects on subunit synthesis and that it is largely responsible for sustained (protein synthesis-dependent) LH release.