Open AccessDevelopmental and hormonal regulation of alpha 2u-globulin gene transcription.
Author(s) -
Ashok B. Kulkarni,
Ruth M. Gubits,
Philip Feigelson
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.82.9.2579
Subject(s) - biology , alpha globulin , endocrinology , medicine , rna , transcription (linguistics) , messenger rna , gene , sex hormone binding globulin , transcriptional regulation , globulin , glucocorticoid , alpha (finance) , transcription factor , hormone , microbiology and biotechnology , androgen , biochemistry , linguistics , philosophy , construct validity , nursing , patient satisfaction
Hepatic alpha 2u-globulin protein and RNA levels are under developmental and complex multihormonal control. The present studies directly evaluate the degree to which this regulation is transcriptional. alpha 2u-Globulin transcription was determined by measuring nuclear runoff RNA in vitro, and tissue alpha 2u-globulin mRNA levels were measured by dot blot hybridization. These studies reveal that (i) in male rats the transcriptional rate of the alpha 2u-globulin genes increases during postnatal development; (ii) no alpha 2u-globulin transcription is detectable in hepatic nuclei derived from hypophysectomized rats; (iii) growth hormone and glucocorticoid are both absolutely required, and glucocorticoid can replace androgen for alpha 2u-globulin gene transcription in the livers of hypophysectomized male rats; and (iv) chronic treatment of mature male rats with estrogen results in a progressive decrease in the hepatic transcription of alpha 2u-globulin genes. In all instances changes in the transcriptional rate of alpha 2u-globulin genes paralleled the tissue level of alpha 2u-globulin RNA. Thus transcriptional control predominates in regulating hepatic alpha 2u-globulin RNA levels.