The inhibition of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (guanosine triphosphate) gene expression by insulin is not mediated by protein kinase C

The role protein kinase C plays in the regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene expression by insulin and phorbol esters was studied in H4IIE hepatoma cells (ATCC CRL 1548). The combined effects of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and insulin on the suppression of mRNA coding for PEPCK (mRNAPEPCK) synthesis were additive. A potent inhibitor of both cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases and protein kinase C, 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine, inhibited the cAMP and PMA-mediated regulation of mRNAPEPCK synthesis, but did not affect the action of insulin. Desensitization of the protein kinase C pathway by exposure to PMA for 16 h abolished the subsequent action of the phorbol ester, but did not affect insulin- or cAMP-mediated regulation of PEPCK gene expression. We conclude that insulin suppresses PEPCK gene expression independently from the protein kinase C-mediated pathway used by phorbol esters.     

3-Aminobenzamide inhibits poly(ADP ribose) synthetase activity and induces phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) in H4IIE hepatoma cells

The purpose of this study was to determine whether changes in ADP-ribosylation affect expression of the gene encoding the gluconeogenic enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) in H4IIE hepatoma cells. Treatment with 3-aminobenzamide, a specific inhibitor of poly(ADP ribose) synthetase, caused an 89% decrease of ADP-ribosylation in isolated nuclei, and resulted in a two- to threefold induction of immunoassayable PEPCK in cultured cells. In contrast, the structurally related compound p-aminobenzoic acid had no significant effect on either process. In vivo labeling of proteins with [35S]methionine, followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography, showed that the induction of immunoreactive PEPCK by 3-aminobenzamide was due to a selective increase in the synthesis of the protein. The specific induction of PEPCK synthesis by 3-aminobenzamide was accounted for by a twofold increase of mRNAPEPCK which reached its maximal value 4 h after the addition of 3-aminobenzamide and returned to the basal level by 10 h. A possible role of ADP-ribosylation in cAMP or glucocorticoid induction of PEPCK was investigated in experiments in which H4IIE cells were treated with combinations of 3-aminobenzamide and either dexamethasone or a cAMP analog. In each case the effects on PEPCK induction were additive, indicating that glucocorticoids and cAMP induce PEPCK by pathways different from that used by 3-aminobenzamide.     

Induction of the messenger ribonucleic acid coding for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in H4-II-E cells. Evidence for a nuclear effect of cyclic AMP

The effect of N6,O2'-dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate (Bt2cAMP) on the induction of the mRNA coding for the enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was examined in H4-II-E cells. this mRNA comprised about 0.1% of total cellular poly(A)+RNA activity in uninduced cells and was increased 5- to 7-fold by the cyclic nucleotide. The maximal level was reached 3 h after addition of the nucleotide to the cell culture. This induction is attributed to cAMP since the nonmetabolizable analogs 8-bromocAMP and 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)cAMP produce inductions comparable to Bt2cAMP while sodium butyrate and dibutyryl cyclic GMP had little effect. The increased translational activity correlated well with a proportionate increase in the amount of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase) mRNA sequences which were hybridizable to a specific cDNA probe. Blot hybridization of total nuclear RNA isolated from uninduced H4-II-E cells revealed eight P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase RNA sequence species ranging in size from 1.8 to 6.9 kilobases. Treatment with Bt2cAMP increased the amount of all eight of these forms. This increase became maximal by 45-60 min and was maintained for at least 1 h. In contrast, analysis of cytoplasmic RNA showed a single 3.2-kilobase (23 S) band, which was still increasing in amount 2 h after Bt2cAMP treatment. Thus, Bt2cAMP resulted in a sequential induction of nuclear P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase RNA sequences followed by an increase in cytoplasmic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA. We conclude that cyclic AMP exerts its main effect on P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase induction at the nuclear level.     

Acute and chronic regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA by insulin and glucose

Using the well differentiated rat hepatoma Fao we have studied the regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) mRNA by insulin and glucose and compared these results to glucose production as estimated by glucose release into the medium. Fao cells possess an active gluconeogenic pathway and, when grown in glucose-free medium, release glucose for over 8 h. Addition of the cAMP analog, 8-(4-chlorophenyl-thio) cAMP (8-CTP-cAMP) or increasing the concentration of dihydroxyacetone and oxaloacetate results in an increase in glucose release which can be suppressed by insulin at concentrations between 1 and 100 nM. These effect of cAMP and insulin are associated with parallel changes in the level of mRNAPEPCK. Insulin treatment reduces mRNAPEPCK levels in these cells by 80%; this effect is transient reaching a maximum at 2-4 h. Addition of glucose to cells grown in glucose-free (G-) medium produces a decrease in mRNAPEPCK which is similar in magnitude and kinetics to that produced by insulin. Conversely, when cells grown in normal medium are placed in G- medium mRNAPEPCK levels triple over a period of 8 h, then return toward the basal value. Cells grown in G- medium or in G- medium plus 10nM insulin for 1 yr exhibit only slightly increased levels of mRNAPEPCK and respond to both 8-CTP-cAMP, and insulin, although the response to 8-CTP-cAMP is slightly blunted. These data indicate that glucose and insulin can play independent roles in regulation of PEPCK gene expression, and that these regulatory effects are usually transient.     

Hormonal regulation of hepatic P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) during development.

Hepatic gluconeogenesis in the rat does not begin until birth. The enzyme P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase appears initially at birth and is the final enzyme in the gluconeogenic sequence to develop. The appearance of this enzyme in the cytosol of rat liver is caused by the stimulation of enzyme synthesis, probably due directly to an increase in the hepatic concentration of cAMP. Enzyme degradation does not begin until 36 hours after birth. Studies with fetal rats in utero have shown that dibutyryl cAMP or glucagon will stimulate P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis and that this effect can be blocked by insulin. Insulin is known to depress the synthesis of P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase in adult rat liver and in Reuber H-35 liver cells in culture. The glucocorticoids are without effect on the synthesis of the enzyme in fetal rat liver. Work by Girard et al. (J. Clin. Invest. 52: 3190, 1973) has established that the molar ratio of insulin to glucagon drops from 10 immediately after birth, to 1 after one hour. This is due to both a rise in glucagon and a fall in insulin concentrations at birth. These studies, together with our work on the synthesis of P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase, indicate that the sharp drop in the concentration of insulin may relieve the normal inhibition of enzyme synthesis. This would allow the initial stimulation of enzyme synthesis by the glucagon-mediated rise in the concentration of CAMP.     

Insulin decreases phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) mRNA activity by a receptor-mediated process

The mRNA that codes for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase accounts for approximately 0.2% of the protein synthesized in H4IIEC3 hepatoma cells maintained for 24 h in serum-free medium containing N6,O2'-dibutyryl cAMP and theophylline. This value decreases to 0.04% within 3 h after the addition of insulin. Maximal effects are produced by 10(-10) M insulin, and half-maximal deinduction of both the relative rate of synthesis of P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase and mRNA coding for P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase activity occurs at approximately 2 X 10(-12) M insulin. Porcine proinsulin is 4% as potent as porcine insulin since half-maximal deinduction of mRNA coding for P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase occurs at 5 X 10(-11) M. The concentration of proinsulin required to inhibit 125I-insulin binding by 50% is 2 X 10(-7) M, as compared to 6 X 10(-9) M for insulin; thus, the decreased sensitivity of this deinduction to proinsulin parallels the decreased binding affinity H4IIEC3 cells have for proinsulin as compared to insulin. These data indicate that insulin regulates P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis through a receptor-mediated process, that the effect occurs when less than 2% of the insulin receptors are occupied, and that this effect is exerted prior to the level of mRNA translation.     

The regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) synthesis in rat kidney cortex. The role of acid-base balance and glucocorticoids.

The effects of metabolic acidosis and of hormones on the activity, synthesis, and degradation of renal cytosolic P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) (EC 4.1.1.32) were studied in the rat using isotopic -immunochemical procedures. At normal acid-base balance, the synthesis of the enzyme accounted for between 2 and 3.5% of the synthesis of all soluble protein in the kidney cortex. P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis was selectively stimulated in acute metabolic acidosis, so that the relative rate of synthesis of the enzyme was increased to 7% 13 hours after oral administration of ammonium chloride. The stimulation of P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis preceded any increase in the assayable activity of the enzyme. The administration of sodium bicarbonate to acutely acidotic rats returned the rate of enzyme synthesis to normal in 8 hours. The effect of acidosis on both the synthesis and the activity of P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase was prevented by actinomycin D, cordycepin, and cycloheximide. The degradation in vivo of pulse-labeled P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase was not affected by acidosis. Thus, the stimulation of P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis is the major mechanism for the increase in the level of the enzyme observed in metabolic acidosis. The administration of glucocorticoid triamcinolone resulted in an increase in the relative rate of P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis and a commensurate increase in the activity of the enzyme in the renal cortex. Both changes were abolished by actinomycin D. Fasting was characterized by a high enzyme activity and a rapid rate of enzyme synthesis in the kidney cortex. This high rate of synthesis was reduced after the administration of sodium bicarbonate, but not after glucose feeding. Moreover, the injection of insulin to diabetic rats did not repress P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis in the renal cortex. Theophylline plus N-6, 0-2'-dibutyryl adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate stimulated P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis in the kidney of intact rats. However, the latter effect was probably due to glucocorticoid secretion, since it did not occur in adrenalectomized animals. The administration of parathyroid extracts did not result in the induction of the enzyme. Thus, the hormonal regulation of cytosolic P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase synthesis in the kidney differs markedly from that in the liver.     

Regulation of rat liver phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) messenger ribonucleic acid activity by N6, O2'-dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-phosphate

N6,O2'-Dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-phosphate (Bt2cAMP) induces the synthesis of the gluconeogenic enzyme, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP) (EC 4.1.32), in rat liver by increasing the activity of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) coding for this enzyme (mRNAPEPCK) more than 20-fold (from less than 0.01% to greater than 0.20% of total mRNA activity) as determined by using in vitro translation systems which measure only active mRNAPEPCK. The increase in mRNAPEPCK activity could result from increased synthesis, increased processing, or decreased inactivation rates. Actinomycin D and cordycepin inhibit mRNAPEPCK induction by 89% and 70%, respectively, a result that indicates a requirement for ongoing RNA synthesis but that does not distinguish which of these steps is regulated by cAMP. We have employed a kinetic approach, not involving RNA synthesis inhibitors, to determine the half-life of mRNAPEPCK both during a period of deinduction following glucose feeding and during a subsequent induction by Bt2cAMP. An estimated half-life of 20 +/-5 min during both of these periods indicates that Bt2cAMP has no effect on the rate of inactivation of mRNAPEPCK. We conclude that Bt2cAMP effects the increase in activity of mRNAPEPCK by promoting its synthesis or processing.