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2‐Aminopurine inhibits RNA and protein synthesis and reduces catecholamine desensitization in C6‐2B rat glioma cells
Author(s) -
DeBernardi Maria A.,
Brooker Gary
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(92)80415-d
Subject(s) - desensitization (medicine) , adenylate kinase , protein biosynthesis , gene expression , messenger rna , cyclase , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , heterologous , c fos , biology , endocrinology , biochemistry , gene , stimulation , receptor
We previously proposed that intracellular cyclic AMP accumulation induces a putative, rapidly turning over protein inhibitory to further hormone activation of adenylate cyclase. In the present study, 2‐aminopurine, which has been reported to selectively block c‐ fos gene expression, was used to test the hypothesis that c‐fos protein might be involved in the desensitization process. Indeed, a reduction in heterologous desensitization to catecholamines was observed in 2‐aminopurine‐treated C6‐2B rat glioma cells. However, we found 2‐aminopurine to inhibit, in a concentration‐dependent manner, total cellular RNA and protein synthesis in C6‐2B. HeLa, Swiss 3T3 and BALB/e cells. mRNA synthesis was also markedly reduced in 2‐aminopurine‐treated cells. These unexpected findings, while supporting our hypothesis of a protein synthesis‐sensitive step in the development of refractoriness, raise concern about the specificity of action of 2‐aminopurine to inhibit c‐ fos induction and thus any cellular process, including desensitization, which might be regulated by c‐ fos gene expression.