Dataset Information

Inhibition of immediate-early-gene induction in renal mesangial cells by depletion of intracellular polyamines.

ABSTRACT: Mitogens have been shown to stimulate the activity of the rate-limiting enzyme for polyamine synthesis, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), and ODC mRNA expression in cultured rat mesangial cells (MCs). In addition, inhibition of ODC by alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) results in growth arrest of MCs. To elucidate the mechanisms involved in the inhibition of MC proliferation due to polyamine depletion, we studied the effects of DFMO on the activation of phospholipase C and induction of the immediate early genes (IEGs), c-fos, c-jun and Egr-1, which are thought to regulate cell growth. Mitogenic 10% fetal-calf serum (FCS) and 1 unit/ml thrombin activated phospholipase C in MCs within 30 s, as assessed by generation of [3H]inositol phosphates. This activation was not affected by DFMO. mRNAs of the IEGs c-fos, c-jun and Egr-1 were induced by FCS within 15 min. Expression of these genes reached a peak at 60 min and disappeared at 3 h. Treatment of MCs with a growth-suppressing dose of DFMO (5 mM) inhibited mRNAs of all three IEGs by 52-87% at 1 h. Total expression of Egr-1 over 20-120 min was diminished by 41%, and the time point of maximal expression was delayed by 40 min. This inhibitory effect was abolished in a time-dependent manner (1-3 days) by prior addition of 200 microM putrescine, the reaction product of ODC. Egr-1 mRNA expression was super-induced by the inhibitor of protein synthesis, cycloheximide. This effect was also blocked by DFMO. The results indicate that the DFMO-induced process of MC growth inhibition involves steps necessary for IEG activation. The signal-transduction step sensitive to polyamines occurs distal to the activation of phospholipase C. Since reconstitution of normal induction of IEGs requires 3 days, it seems likely that polyamine depletion affects the regulation of IEG expression in an indirect fashion. We conclude that activation of IEGs requires the presence of polyamines and plays a significant role in the induction of MC replication.

SUBMITTER: Schulze-Lohoff E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1137909 | biostudies-other | 1994 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:Early growth response 3 (Egr3) is an immediate early gene (IEG) that is regulated downstream of a cascade of genes associated with risk for psychiatric disorders, and dysfunction of Egr3 itself has been implicated in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. As an activity-dependent transcription factor, EGR3 is poised to regulate the neuronal expression of target genes in response to environmental events. In the current study, we sought to identify a downstream target of EGR3 with the goal of further elucidating genes in this biological pathway relevant for psychiatric illness risk. We used electroconvulsive stimulation (ECS) to induce high-level expression of IEGs in the brain, and conducted expression microarray to identify genes differentially regulated in the hippocampus of Egr3-deficient (-/-) mice compared to their wildtype (WT) littermates. Our results replicated previous work showing that ECS induces high-level expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) in the hippocampus of WT mice. However, we found that this induction is absent in Egr3-/- mice. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) validated the microarray results (performed in males) and replicated the findings in two separate cohorts of female mice. Follow-up studies of activity-dependent Bdnf exons demonstrated that ECS-induced expression of both exons IV and VI requires Egr3. In situ hybridization demonstrated high-level cellular expression of Bdnf in the hippocampal dentate gyrus following ECS in WT, but not Egr3-/-, mice. Bdnf promoter analysis revealed eight putative EGR3 binding sites in the Bdnf promoter, suggesting a mechanism through which EGR3 may directly regulate Bdnf gene expression. These findings do not appear to result from a defect in the development of hippocampal neurons in Egr3-/- mice, as cell counts in tissue sections stained with anti-NeuN antibodies, a neuron-specific marker, did not differ between Egr3-/- and WT mice. In addition, Sholl analysis and counts of dendritic spines in golgi-stained hippocampal sections revealed no difference in dendritic morphology or synaptic spine density in Egr3-/-, compared to WT, mice. These findings indicate that Egr3 is required for ECS-induced expression of Bdnf in the hippocampus and suggest that Bdnf may be a downstream gene in our previously identified biologically pathway for psychiatric illness susceptibility.

Project description:BackgroundDiabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end stage renal disease. All three cell types of the glomerulus, podocytes, endothelial cells and mesangial cells, play important roles in diabetic nephropathy. In this report we used Meis1-GFP transgenic mice to purify mesangial cells from normal mice and from db/db mice, which suffer diabetic nephropathy. The purpose of the study is to better define the unique character of normal mesangial cells, and to characterize their pathogenic and protective responses during diabetic nephropathy.MethodsComprehensive gene expression states of the normal and diseased mesangial cells were defined with microarrays. By comparing the gene expression profiles of mesangial cells with those of multiple other renal cell types, including podocytes, endothelial cells and renal vesicles, it was possible to better define their exceptional nature, which includes smooth muscle, phagocytic and neuronal traits.ResultsThe complete set of mesangial cell expressed transcription factors, growth factors and receptors were identified. In addition, the analysis of the mesangial cells from diabetic nephropathy mice characterized their changes in gene expression. Molecular functions and biological processes specific to diseased mesangial cells were characterized, identifying genes involved in extracellular matrix, cell division, vasculogenesis, and growth factor modulation. Selected gene changes considered of particular importance to the disease process were validated and localized within the glomuerulus by immunostaining. For example, thrombospondin, a key mediator of TGF? signaling, was upregulated in the diabetic nephropathy mesangial cells, likely contributing to fibrosis. On the other hand the decorin gene was also upregulated, and expression of this gene has been strongly implicated in the reduction of TGF? induced fibrosis.ConclusionsThe results provide an important complement to previous studies examining mesangial cells grown in culture. The remarkable qualities of the mesangial cell are more fully defined in both the normal and diabetic nephropathy diseased state. New gene expression changes and biological pathways are discovered, yielding a deeper understanding of the diabetic nephropathy pathogenic process, and identifying candidate targets for the development of novel therapies.

Dataset Information

Inhibition of immediate-early-gene induction in renal mesangial cells by depletion of intracellular polyamines.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets