Evidence from studies with N-ethyl-maleimide and 12- O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate that AP-1 and CREB are involved in the glucocorticoid activation of TRH gene expression in hypothalamic cultures

Abstract

To determine whether c- fos/c- jun (AP-1) and CREB mediate glucocorticoid stimulated TRH gene regulation, we investigated the effect of N-ethyl-maleimide (NEM), an alkylating agent, and 12- O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on this process. NEM decreased while TPA increased TRH levels in rat hypothalamic culture, changes similar to their effects on CREB and Fos/Jun proteins in the AtT 20 cell line. This suggests that glucocorticoid stimulation of TRH gene expression may be regulated by the AP-1 complex and CREB pathway.