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In 22 human tumor cell lines the regulation of production of plasminogen activators urokinase (u-PA) and tissue-type (u-PA) and their inhibitors PAI-1 and PAI-2 was studied. These four components may determine the net plasminogen activator activity, which is often associated with tumor development and metastatic processes. The amount of specific mRNA and protein produced by the cells was measured for all four components. The frequent finding of t-PA (alone or in combination with t-PA) suggests that t-PA can also be a tumor-associated plasminogen activator. In 11 of the 22 cells PAI-1 mRNA and in 6 of the 22 cells PAI-2 mRNA was found, pointing to a possible role of plasminogen activator inhibitors in the tumor-related plasminogen activator activity. This study demonstrates that there are at least two important regulatory steps in the regulation of production of plasminogen activators and their inhibitors: (a) the regulation at the mRNA level, since a high protein amount is always correlated with a high mRNA amount found in the tumor cells; (b) there must be a significant regulatory step at the (post)translational level as can be concluded from differences in mRNA usage.

Growth and rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) result from increased collagen turnover. Collagen turnover critically depends on specific collagenases that cleave the triple helical region of fibrillar collagen. As yet, the collagenases responsible for collagen degradation in AAAs have not been identified. Increased type I collagen degradation products confirmed collagen turnover in AAAs (median values: <1, 43, and 108 ng/mg protein in control, growing, and ruptured AAAs, respectively). mRNA and protein analysis identified neutrophil collagenase [matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8] and cysteine collagenases cathepsin K, L, and S as the principle collagenases in growing and ruptured AAAs. Except for modestly increased MMP-14 mRNA levels, collagenase expression was similar in growing and ruptured AAAs (anterior-lateral wall). Evaluation of posttranslational regulation of protease activity showed a threefold increase in MMP-8, a fivefold increase in cathepsins K and L, and a 30-fold increase in cathepsin S activation in growing and ruptured AAAs. The presence of the osteoclastic proton pump indicated optimal conditions for extracellular cysteine protease activity. Protease inhibitor mRNA expression 'was similar in AAAs and controls, but AAA protein levels of cystatin C, the principle cysteine protease inhibitor, were profoundly reduced (>80%). We found indications that this secondary deficiency relates to cystatin C degradation by (neutrophil-derived) proteases. Copyright © American Society for Investigative Pathology.

Background: The role of angiotensin as a vasoconstrictor is well established. Lately, several other actions of this hormone on vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells have been recognized including the induction of hypertrophy and/or DNA synthesis. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), a mitogen recently shown to increase plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) synthesis in VSM cells, shares with angiotensin II (Ang II) several steps of its intracellular signaling pathway. Methods and Results: The expression of PAI-1 and tissue-type plasminogen activator (TPA) mRNA in cultured rat VSM cells was studied. Northern blot analysis demonstrated a severalfold increase in the PAJ-1 mRNA 3 to 8 hours after stimulated with 300 nmol/L Ang II. A similar response for TPA mRNA was observed. This induction did not require the synthesis of an intermediate protein or peptide because it was not affected by cycloheximide. In the cell-conditioned supernatant, the net result was an increase in PAI-1 activity from 4.18 ± 1.8 to 13.2 ± 6.8 IU/mL 6 hours after the addition of 300 nmol/L Ang II (mean ± SD, P ≤ .008, n = 6). The Ang IL-induced increase in PAI activity was dose related, with a maximal at a concentration of 23 nmol/L (n = 3) and an ED₅₀ of 3.3 ± 1.5 nmol/L (n = 5). [Sar¹-Ile⁸] angiotensin II, a specific competitive antagonist of Ang II, blocked 90 ± 9% (n = 3) of the PAI activity induced by 10 nmol/L Ang II. In basal conditions, fibrin overlay zymography demonstrated the presence of free TPA. After stimulation with Ang II, lysis caused by the in situ hybridization of TPA was also present in the region of the TPA/PAI-1 complex. Angiotensin 1 (Ang 1) elicited an increase in PAI activity similar to that obtained with equivalent doses of Ang II. Captopril (5 μg/ml), an inhibitor of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), completely prevented the Ang I effect, demonstrating that VSM cells display an ACE-like activity. Conclusions: Recent research has demonstrated the existence of a localized vascular renin-angiotensin system. The finding that Ang II can potentially modulate the plasminogen activation in the arterial wall has important biological and therapeutical implications for the evolution of arterial will thrombi and the migration of cells through the vessel wall in the genesis of atherosclerotic lesions. We speculate that the reduction in thrombotic events observed in patients with a previous myocardial infarction and in high- renin, hypertensive patients treated with ACE inhibitors could be due at least in part to the decreased production of PAI-1 by VSM cells caused by these agents. Chemicals/CAS: Amino Acids; Angiotensin II, 11128-99-7; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; RNA, Messenger; Thymidine, 50-89-5; Tissue Plasminogen Activator, EC 3.4.21.68

Chemicals/CAS: tryptophan, 6912-86-3, 73-22-3; Anthranilate Synthase, EC 4.1.3.27; Lactose, 63-42-3; RNA, Bacterial; RNA, Messenger; Tryptophan Synthase, EC 4.2.1.20; Tryptophan, 73-22-3

Apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient mice develop hepatic steaatosis and show impaired very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-triglyceride (TG) secretion. These effects are normalized on the introduction of the human APOE3 gene. To assess whether this apoE effect is isoform specific, we studied hepatic lipid metabolism in mice expressing either APOE3 or the mutant APOE3Leiden on apoe-/- or apoe+/- backgrounds. The transgenes were expressed mainly in periportal hepatocytes, as revealed by in situ hybridization. Mice expressing APOE3Leiden, on the apoe-/and apoe+/- backgrounds, had fatty livers, which were absent in APOE3/apoe-/- mice. APOE3Leiden/apoe-/mice showed a strongly reduced VLDL-TG secretion compared with APOE3/apoe-/- mice (48± 14 versus 82± 10 μmol/kg per hour, respectively). The presence of a single mouse apoe allele increased VLDL-TG secretion in APOE3Leiden/apoe +/- mice (121±43 μmol/kg per hour) compared with APOE3Leiden/apoe-/- mice. These results show that APOE3Leiden does not prevent development of a fatty liver and does not normalize VLDL-TG secretion in mice with an apoE-deficient background. The presence of a single mouse apoe allele is sufficient to normalize the APOE3Leiden-associated reduction of VLDL-TG secretion but does not prevent steatosis. We conclude that apoE-mediated stimulation of VLDL secretion is isoform specific. Chemicals/CAS: apolipoprotein E3 (Leidein); Apolipoprotein E3; Apolipoproteins B; Apolipoproteins E; Lipoproteins, VLDL; Protein Isoforms; RNA, Messenger; Triglycerides; very low density lipoprotein triglyceride

Endothelial cells play an important role in the regulation of fibrinolysis by the production of several key regulatory proteins. The cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF), lymphotoxin, and interleukin-1 (IL-1), but not interleukin-6, increase the production of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) by endothelial cells, whereas they have no stimulatory effect on the production of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA). Primary cultures of human endothelial cells release very little urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA). We report here that TNF and lymphotoxin induce, in a concentration-dependent way, the production of both cellular and secreted u-PA antigen in primary and subcultured human endothelial cells. The TNF-induced increase was accompanied by a more than 10-fold increase in u-PA mRNA. Upon stimulation of early passage umbilical vein endothelial cells by TNF, u-PA was predominantly secreted at the basolateral side, whereas PAI activity and t-PA were found in more equal amounts at the apical and basolateral sides of the cell monolayers. TNF-stimulated u-PA secretion by subcultured human aorta endothelial cells showed only a marginal polarity. The u-PA antigen was present in a plasmin-activatable form (single chain u-PA) and in a nonactivatable form (probably u-PA: PAI-1 complex). During the induction of u-PA by TNF, the ratio between plasmin-activatable u-PA and total u-PA decreased markedly. This may indicate that TNF also increases the degree of u-PA activation. The parallel induction of the synthesis and secretion of both u-PA and PAI-1 by endothelial cells adds a new aspect to the alterations of the fibrinolytic system caused by inflammatory mediators. This aspect may be significant for the regulation of cell-associated and interstitial plasminogen activator activity.

It has been shown that proinflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines correlate with disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS). To establish whether such correlations depend on the disease stage, we assessed in a longitudinal fashion the expression of interleukin (IL)-12 (p40 and p35), tumor necrosis factor- 1/4 , interferon-γ, and IL-10 mRNA by competitive polymerase chain reaction in unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells of relapsing-remitting (RR) and secondary progressive (SP) MS patients, in relation to monthly clinical and magnetic resonance imaging monitoring. MS patients had increased levels of IL-12p40 and decreased levels of IL-10 mRNA compared with controls; this difference was most pronounced in SP patients. Both RR and SP patients had increased levels of IL-12p40 mRNA compared with controls during the development of active lesions. Moreover, in RR MS an increase was found before relapse. IL-12p35 mRNA was decreased in both groups, and in relation to disease activity it showed a pattern different from IL-12p40 mRNA. In RR MS, IL-10 mRNA was low 4 weeks before magnetic resonance imaging activity and 6 weeks before relapse; a significant increase to normal levels was noted when active lesions became apparent. In contrast, SP patients showed low IL-10 mRNA levels constitutively, suggesting that IL- 10 plays an important role in the control of disease progression. Chemicals/CAS: Interleukin-10, 130068-27-8; Interleukin-12, 187348-17-0; RNA, Messenger

We have examined the mRNA levels and methylation patterns of the liver-specific tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) gene in inbred female rats aged 6, 24 and 36 months. Northern hybridization analysis of total RNA showed a 65% decrease in the steady state transcript level of TAT in the liver of 24- and 36-month old rats as compared to 6-month old animals. The TAT gene as studied by Southern hybridization analysis using the isoschizomers Hpa II and Msp I was found to be hypomethylated in the liver as compared to spleen and brain at six CpG sites within the gene. Methylation at these sites remained unchanged during aging.

We recently found that the proteins of the proteolytic system of plasminogen activation emerge in late stages of melanocytic tumor progression. A large body of evidence suggests a role for two proteins, the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP)/α2-macroglobulin receptor and its receptor-associated protein (RAP), in the internalization of components of the plasminogen activation system. Here, we present data on the presence of these two proteins in human melanoma cell lines which differ in metastatic capacity, their corresponding xenografts, and in cutaneous melanocytic lesions. With flow cytometry, we found surface expression of LRP to be restricted to urokinase plasminogen activator, producing highly metastatic cell lines. These cell lines also produce higher levels of LRP mRNA, whereas RAP mRNA and protein are expressed at equal levels in all cell lines and not expressed at the cell surface. Xenografts of cell lines producing high levels of LRP remarkably contain only a small fraction of LRP-positive tumor cells. Using immunohistochemistry on frozen sections of 107 human melanocytic lesions comprising the various stages of melanocytic tumor progression, we found that expression of both LRP and RAP decreased in tumor progression. Furthermore, we noted that LRP and RAP are coexpressed within the same lesion. Using immunofluorescence double staining, we found that LRP and RAP colocalize in the same cells in the lesions studied and in the same cell structures in the cell lines studied. In conclusion, our results indicate that LRP and RAP are coordinately expressed in a decreased fashion in melanocytic tumor progression. Based on the staining results in xenografts and in human melanocytic lesions, we conclude that a strong correlation between expression of LRP and urokinase-type plasminogen activator seems not to exist in in vivo melanomas. Chemicals/CAS: LDL-Receptor Related Protein 1; Neoplasm Proteins; Receptors, Immunologic; Receptors, LDL; RNA, Messenger

Bacillus subtilis forms dormant spores upon nutrient depletion. Under favorable environmental conditions, the spore breaks its dormancy and resumes growth in a process called spore germination and outgrowth. To elucidate the physiological processes that occur during the transition of the dormant spore to an actively growing vegetative cell, we studied this process in a time-dependent manner by a combination of microscopy, analysis of extracellular metabolites, and a genome-wide analysis of transcription. The results indicate the presence of abundant levels of late sporulation transcripts in dormant spores. In addition, the results suggest the existence of a complex and well-regulated spore outgrowth program, involving the temporal expression of at least 30% of the B. subtilis genome. Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Plasminogen activator (PA) and PA inhibitor (PAI) antigen, activity, and mRNA were analyzed in the three layers of rat aorta, and the effect of endotoxin on PA and PAI was studied. All PA activity in aorta was identified as tissue-type PA (TPA) activity; no urokinase-type PA was detected. In the tunica adventitia TPA activity, TPA antigen, and TPA mRNA were detected, whereas in the tunica media TPA antigen and TPA mRNA, but no TPA activity, were found. PAI activity was detected in the tunica media, explaining the absence of TPA activity in this layer. Removal of the endothelial cells had no effect on TPA antigen and PAI activity in intima-media preparations. Also, similar amounts of PAI-1 mRNA were found in intima-media preparations, irrespective of the presence or absence of the intima. Immunohistochemical staining showed that TPA immunoreactivity was present in all three layers of the aorta, whereas PAI-1 immunoreactivity was found in medial smooth muscle cells but not in endothelial cells. After endotoxin treatment, TPA activity was decreased in extracts of the total aorta and of the adventitia, although TPA antigen and TPA mRNA were unchanged. PAI-1 mRNA was strongly increased in the tunica adventitia and in the tunica media, as was PAI activity in the tunica media. Thus, endotoxin decreased TPA activity by increasing the synthesis of PAI-1; TPA was unaffected. Our observations in rat aorta differ from observations in mouse aorta and in rat carotid artery, and they caution against extrapolation from one tissue (or species) to another. Chemicals/CAS: plasminogen activator inhibitor, 105844-41-5; tissue plasminogen activator, 105913-11-9; urokinase, 139639-24-0; Endotoxins; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; RNA, Messenger; Tissue Plasminogen Activator, EC 3.4.21.68

To investigate the regulation of age-related changes in albumin synthesis in the rat liver, total postnuclear RNA and polyribosomes, both membrane-bound and free, were prepared from livers of rats of different ages. By the use of a specific complementary DNA probe, the albumin mRNA sequence content was quantitated in these RNA fractions. These studies showed a specific increase in albumin mRNA sequence content in total postnuclear RNA and membrane-bound polyribosomes at between 12 and 24 months of age. Between 24 and 36 months of age, the increase in the amount of albumin mRNA in these two fractions was due only to an increase in liver weight. The increase in albumin mRNA sequence content was not found in the poly(A)+ fraction but in the RNA extracted from the void of oligo(dT)-cellulose column chromatography. The isolated polyribosomes were translated in a cell-free system to assess age-related changes in total protein and albumin synthesis due to translational control. No changes with age were found in the translational capacity of membrane-bound and free polyribosomes per RNA unit. Immunoprecipitation of the synthesized albumin in the translation products revealed that albumin synthesis in the cell-free system is not increased proportionally with the elevated albumin mRNA level between 12 and 24 months of age. This indicates that albumin mRNAs present in the livers of old rats are biologically less active than those found in younger animals. Chemicals/CAS: DNA, 9007-49-2; RNA, 63231-63-0; Amino Acids; DNA, 9007-49-2; RNA, Messenger; Serum Albumin

To study the role of the lumenal binding protein (BiP) in the transport and secretion of proteins, we have produced plants with altered BiP levels. Transgenic plants overexpressing BiP showed dramatically increased BiP mRNA levels but only a modest increase in BiP protein levels. The presence of degradation products in BiP overproducers suggests a regulatory mechanism that increases protein turnover when BiP is abundant. Antisense inhibition of BiP synthesis was not successful, demonstrating that even a minor reduction in the basal BiP level is deleterious to cell viability. Overexpression of BiP leads to downregulation of the basal transcript levels of endogenous BiP genes and greatly reduces the unfolded protein response. The data confirm that BiP transcription is regulated via a feedback mechanism that involves monitoring of BiP protein levels. To test BiP activity in vivo, we designed a functional assay, using the secretory protein α-amylase and a cytosolic enzyme as a control for cell viability. During tunicamycin treatment, an overall reduction of α-amylase synthesis was observed when compared with the cytosolic marker. We show that the tunicamycin effect is due to the depletion of BiP in the endoplasmic reticulum because coexpressed BiP alone is able to restore efficient α-amylase synthesis. This is a novel assay to monitor BiP activity in promoting secretory protein synthesis in vivo.

Antigen-presenting cells are thought to modulate the development of Th1 and Th2 cells by the secretion of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and IL-12. Because glucocorticoids (GC) favor the development of Th2 responses, we determined whether dexamethasone (DEX) and hydrocortisone (HC) have differential effects on lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-10 and IL-12 production in whole-blood cultures. Significant inhibition of IL-12(p40) and IL-12(p70) was found with 10-8 mol/L and 10-9 mol/L DEX respectively, whereas IL-10 was relatively insensitive or even stimulated. Accordingly, the expression of IL-12(p40) and IL-12(p35) mRNA was more sensitive to DEX than IL-10 mRNA. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist RU486 enhanced IL-12 production and largely abrogated the inhibition of IL-12 by GC, indicating that this suppression was mainly GR-mediated. High concentrations of RU486 were inhibitory for IL-10, suggesting that GC may exert a positive effect on IL-10. In the presence of neutralizing anti-IL-10 antibodies, DEX was still capable of IL-12 suppression whereas RU486 still enhanced IL-12 production, indicating that GC do not modulate IL-12 via IL-10 exclusively. Taken together these results indicate that GC may favor Th2 development by differential regulation of IL- 10 and IL-12.

In patients heterozygous for familial hypercholesterolemia, the low- density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol lowering effect of β-hydroxy-β- methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors may depend on the nature of the mutation in the LDL receptor gene. To test this hypothesis, we compared the response to simvastatin, 20 mg daily for 9 weeks, between heterozygous carriers of functionally different classes of mutations, i.e. mRNA negative or mRNA positive mutations. Out of 116 consecutive, unrelated patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, 27 patients were selected for molecular analyses: 14 patients with mRNA negative and 13 with mRNA positive mutations. Before simvastatin treatment, patients with mRNA negative mutations had higher levels of LDL cholesterol, lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and significantly more often tendon xanthomas, compared to patients with mRNA positive mutations. Simvastatin reduced the mean fasting LDL cholesterol levels to a similar percentage in the mRNA negative and mRNA positive patients (37, 36%, respectively, 95% CI of difference - 8 to 5%, P = 0.2). This effect was similar to the 37% decrease observed in our total series of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (n = 116). The increase in mean concentration of HDL cholesterol was greater in the mRNA negative group than in the mRNA positive group (16, 0%, respectively, 95% CI of difference 8-25%, P = 0.002) independent of the response of total triglycerides to simvastatin. The percentage LDL cholesterol lowering response varied among multiple carriers of the same mutation, even in the case of mRNA negative mutations. We conclude that the percentage LDL lowering response to simvastatin treatment was similar in patients with mRNA negative and mRNA positive mutations. Moreover, variation of this response within multiple carriers of the same mutation suggests an influence of additional factors.

Raised plasma lipoprotein(a) (lp(a)) concentrations have been reported in patients with Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, which were lowered by insulin therapy. To investigate the biochemical background of these changes, we studied the effect of insulin on apolipoprotein(a) (apo(a)) synthesis and mRNA levels in primary cultures of cynomolgus monkey hepatocytes. Low concentrations of insulin (10 nmol/l) had a small but significant decreasing effect (p < 0.046) on apolipoprotein(a) secretion (- 16%). Maximum inhibition (-33%) was obtained after incubation for 72 h with 1000 nmol/l insulin. Apolipoprotein B-100 secretion was 30%-36% decreased when using 10-1000 nmol/l and no change was observed for the secretion of apolipoprotein A-1 and albumin which were measured as control proteins. Steady state apolipoprotein(a) mRNA concentrations paralleled the decrease in apolipoprotein(a) synthesis (-29% after incubating the cells for 48 h with 100 nmol/l insulin) indicating that the decreased synthesis is regulated at the (post)-transcriptional level. Concentrations of apolipoprotein B-100 and apolipoprotein A-1 mRNA were not changed after incubation with insulin. We conclude that high concentrations of insulin suppress apolipoprotein(a) synthesis in monkey hepatocytes at the (post)-transcriptional level. These data may provide an explanation for the increased plasma concentrations of lipoprotein(a) as found in patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Chemicals/CAS: Apolipoprotein B-100; Apolipoproteins B; Apolipoproteins; Apoprotein(a), EC 3.4.21.-; Insulin, 11061-68-0; Lipoprotein(a); RNA, Messenger

The apolipoprotein E2 (Lys146→Gln) variant is associated with a dominant form of familial dysbetalipoproteinemia. Heterozygous carriers of this variant have elevated levels of plasma triglycerides, cholesterol, and apolipoprotein E (apoE). It was hypothesized that the high amounts of triglycerides in the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) fraction are due to a disturbed lipolysis of VLDL. To test this hypothesis, apoE knockout mice were injected with an adenovirus containing the human APOE*2 (Lys146→Gln) gene, Ad-E2(146), under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter. ApoE knockout mice injected with an adenovirus vector encoding human apoE3 (Ad-E3) were used as controls. Five days after adenovirus injection, plasma cholesterol levels of mice injected with a high dose of Ad-E2(146) (2 x 109 plaque-forming units) were not changed compared with preinjection levels, whereas in the group who received a low dose of Ad-E2(146) (5 x 108 plaque- forming units) and in the groups injected with a low or a high dose of Ad-E3, plasma cholesterol levels were decreased 5-, 6-, and 12-fold, respectively. Plasma triglycerides were not affected in mice injected with Ad-E3. In contrast, a 7-fold increase in plasma triglycerides was observed in mice injected with the low dose of Ad-E2(146) compared with mice injected with Ad- E3. Injection with the high dose of Ad-E2(146) resulted in a dramatic increase of plasma triglycerides (50-fold compared with Ad-E3 injection). In vitro lipolysis experiments showed that the lipolysis rate of VLDLs containing normal amounts of apoE2 (Lys146→Gln) was decreased by 54% compared with that of VLDLs containing comparable amounts of apoE3. The in vivo VLDL-triglyceride production rate of Ad-E2(146)-injected mice was not significantly different from that of Ad-E3-injected mice. These results demonstrate that expression of apoE2 (Lys146→Gln) causes hypertriglyceridemia due to an apoE variant-specific inhibition of the hydrolysis of VLDL-triglycerides. Chemicals/CAS: Apolipoprotein E2; Apolipoprotein E3; Apolipoproteins E; Lipoproteins, VLDL; RNA, Messenger; Triglycerides

The tissue-specific distribution of tissue-type and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (t-PA and u-PA) and their inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) was analyzed at mRNA level in five major rat organ tissues. t-PA mRNA was detected in lung, kidney, heart, and liver. u-PA mRNA was detected in kidney and lung. Presence of PA mRNA correlated with the detection of PA activity in extracts of these tissues. PAI-1 mRNA was detected predominantly in heart and lung. Although PAI activity could not be measured directly in tissue extracts, the presence of PAI-1 mRNA correlated with the occurrence of PA·PAI complex in fibrin autography of tissue extracts. Endotoxin injection caused a very large increase in plasma PAI activity. This increase correlated with a marked increase in PAI-1 mRNA in nearly all tissues studied. The increase in PAI-1 mRNA is most pronounced in lung and liver. Endotoxin injection also caused an increased level of t-PA mRNA in heart and kidney, and an increased u-PA mRNA level in kidney. mRNA analysis of freshly isolated and separated subfractionated liver cells showed that the marked increase in PAI-1 mRNA in the liver after endotoxin injection may be due mainly to a strong increase of PAI-1 mRNA in the liver endothelial cells.

In man, the plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) gene codes for two mRNA species, one of 3.2 kilobases (kb) and the other of 2.4 kb. We report that the protein kinase C activating phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), causes a different induction of the two PAI-1 mRNA species in the human hepatoma cell line, HepG2. Upon addition of 100 nM PMA, the level of the 3.2-kb PAI-1 mRNA species increased to 25-fold after 3 h, and then declined rapidly. The level of the 2.4-kb species increased more slowly and reached a maximal 18-fold stimulation after 6 h, followed by a gradual decrease towards control levels. Run-on analysis showed that PMA induces a transient 40-fold increase in PAI-1 gene transcription rate. The relative concentration of the two PAI-1 mRNA species in the nuclei of PMA-treated HepG2 cells shifted towards the 2.4-kb form, suggesting that changes in transcription termination site and/or post-transcriptional nuclear processing might contribute to their different accumulation. Also, the two mRNAs differ in turnover rate, with a half-life of about 0.85 h for the 3.2-kb form and a half-life of about 2.5 h for the 2.4-kb form. By itself, cycloheximide had no effect on PAI-1 gene transcription rate or PAI-1 mRNA levels in HepG2. When added 1 h prior to PMA, however, cycloheximide prevented the induction of PAI-1 mRNA, which suggests that PMA exerts its stimulating transcriptional activity through a newly synthesized regulatory protein. When cycloheximide was added 2 h after PMA, when the PAI-1 gene transcription rate was maximally increased, the two PAI-1 mRNAs reached even higher levels than with PMA alone and maximal mRNA levels were maintained for a much longer period (up to 8 h). Thus, ongoing protein synthesis is required for both the induction and the transient nature of the PMA-induced PAI-1 mRNA accumulation. We conclude that the differential accumulation of the two PAI-1 mRNAs by PMA in serum-starved HepG2 cells is due both to changes in transcription termination and/or post-transcriptional nuclear processing and to differences in half-life between the two mRNAs in a process that requires ongoing protein synthesis. Chemicals/CAS: Cycloheximide, 66-81-9; Plasminogen Inactivators; Protein Kinase C, EC 2.7.1.37; RNA, Messenger; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate, 16561-29-8

Neutrophil collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase-8 or MMP-8) is regarded as being synthesized exclusively by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). However, in vivo MMP-8 expression was observed in mononuclear fibroblast- like cells in the rheumatoid synovial membrane. In addition, we detected MMP- 8 mRNA expression in cultured rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts and human endothelial cells. Up-regulation of MMP-8 was observed after treatment of the cells with either tumor necrosis factor-α (10 ng/ml) or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (10 nM). Western analysis showed a similar regulation at the protein level. The size of secreted MMP-8 was 50 kDa, which is about 30 kDa smaller than MMP-8 from PMN. Conditioned media from rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts contained both type I and II collagen degrading activity. However, degradation of type II collagen, but not that of type I collagen, was completely inhibited by 50 μM doxycycline, suggesting specific MMP-8 activity. In addition, doxycycline down-regulated MMP-8 induction, at both the mRNA and protein levels. Thus MMP-8 exerts markedly wider expression in human cells than had been thought previously, implying that PMN are not the only source of cartilage degrading activity at arthritic sites. The inhibition of both MMP-8 activity and synthesis by doxycycline provides an incentive for further studies on the clinical effects of doxycycline in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.