Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.3.1.28 (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase)
 5,100 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Testosterone biosynthesis in Leydig cells is dependent on the action of 17 alpha-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase cytochrome P450 (P450c17), which is encoded by the Cyp17 gene. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), a proinflammatory cytokine, inhibits cAMP-stimulated testosterone production in mouse Leydig cells. The inhibition of testosterone production is parallel to the inhibition of P450c17 messenger RNA and protein levels. To examine the mechanism of TNF alpha-mediated inhibition of steroidogenesis, the effect of TNF alpha on cAMP-stimulated induction of Cyp17 expression was investigated. To determine whether the protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathway is involved in TNF alpha inhibition of steroidogenesis, the effects of the PKC activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), and the PKC inhibitor, calphostin C, were examined. Treatment of normal mouse Leydig cells in primary culture with 50 microM 8-bromo-cAMP (cAMP) plus 1 ng/ml TNF alpha or 10 nM PMA caused a similar (approximately 90%) decrease in testosterone accumulation and cAMP-stimulated P450c17 messenger RNA levels compared to those after treatment with cAMP alone. To determine whether TNF alpha inhibits the cAMP-induced expression of the Cyp17 gene, plasmids containing two different size fragments of the 5'-flanking region of the Cyp17 gene upstream of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene were transiently transfected into MA-10 tumor Leydig cells, and the effect of TNF alpha on cAMP-induced CAT activity was determined. Treatment of cells, transfected with either plasmid, with 500 microM cAMP plus increasing concentrations (0.1, 1.0, and 10 ng/ml) of TNF alpha resulted in a dose-dependent repression of cAMP-stimulated CAT activity. Higher concentrations of TNF alpha (up to 100 ng/ml) did not result in greater inhibition. Treatment of transfected cells with 10 nM PMA resulted in a 51 +/- 6.6% inhibition of cAMP-stimulated CAT activity. Calphostin C (1 microM) completely reversed the inhibitory effect of TNF alpha or PMA. Calphostin C alone had no effect on promoter activity. TNF alpha-stimulated PKC alpha translocation was quantitated by Western blot. After treatment for 3 h, the distribution of immunoreactive PKC alpha in cytosol vs. nucleus was 55%/45%, 60%/40%, and 29%/71% in control, cAMP-treated, and TNF alpha-treated cells, respectively. TNF alpha-stimulated PKC alpha translocation was further demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence assay. PMA, a known activator of PKC, and TNF alpha had a similar inhibitory effect on P450c17 expression, testosterone production, and Cyp17-CAT activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:Tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibition of 17 alpha-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase gene (Cyp17) expression. 762 89

Transient transfection studies have proven useful in unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying gonadotrope-specific expression and hormonal regulation of the gene encoding the alpha-subunit of the glycoprotein hormones. In contrast, similar studies performed with the LH beta gene have been less informative. When assayed by transient transfection into alpha T3-1 cells, activity of a 776-basepair bovine LH beta promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase fusion gene (bLH beta CAT) was no greater than that of a promoterless control. To determine whether limited activity in vitro reflected the absence of critical regulatory elements, we examined activity of bovine LH beta fusion genes after stable integration in transgenic mice. In contrast to transient transfection studies, the LH beta promoter targeted high levels of CAT expression specifically to the pituitary. In addition, a bLH beta TK fusion gene was active only in gonadotropes. The bLH beta CAT transgene was also evaluated for responsiveness to gonadal steroids and GnRH. Testosterone and 17 beta-estradiol were capable of suppressing activity 70-80% in castrated males, despite the absence of high affinity binding sites for androgen or estrogen receptors. This suggests that feedback inhibition of LH beta CAT transgene expression by gonadal steroids may occur through an indirect mechanism, possibly at the level of the hypothalamus. To address whether the bLH beta CAT transgene could be regulated by GnRH, we treated ovariectomized females with antide, a GnRH antagonist. Antide suppressed transgene activity by 60%. Thus, the proximal promoter of the bovine LH beta subunit gene directs appropriate patterns of cell-specific expression and retains responsiveness to gonadal steroids and GnRH. In light of the robust activity of the LH beta promoter in transgenic mice, we suggest that this animal model can be exploited further to dissect the complex mechanisms that underlie gonadotrope-specific expression and hormonal regulation of the LH beta gene.
 ...
PMID:The proximal promoter of the bovine luteinizing hormone beta-subunit gene confers gonadotrope-specific expression and regulation by gonadotropin-releasing hormone, testosterone, and 17 beta-estradiol in transgenic mice. 770 66