Regulation of proenkephalin gene expression in cultured bovine chromaffin cells

Abstract

In cultured bovine chromaffine cells proenkephalin gene expression is induced by a variety of stimuli, such as membrane depolarization by high potassium ions, activation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin or activation of protein kinase C by phorbol esters. In this study the regulatory elements responsible for the proenkephalin (PENK) gene activation have been studied by transfection of rat PENKCAT reporter genes in primary cultured bovine chromaffin cells. It is shown that the ENKCRE-2 element confers the inducibility of the PENK gene in response to high potassium ions, forskolin and phorbolesters