Activity of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1alpha and hepatocyte nuclear factor 1beta isoforms is differently affected by the inhibition of protein phosphatases 1/2A

14-3-3ζ interacts with hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α and enhances its DNA binding and transcriptional activation

14-3-3 proteins regulate numerous cellular processes through interaction with a variety of proteins, and have been identified as HNF1α binding partner by mass spectrometry analysis in our previous study. In the present study, the interaction between 14-3-3ζ and HNF1α has been further validated by in vivo and in vitro assays. Moreover, we have found that overexpression of 14-3-3ζ potentiated the transcriptional activity of HNF1α in cultured cells, and silencing of 14-3-3ζ by RNA interference in HepG2 cells specifically affected the HNF1α-dependent gene expression. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that 14-3-3ζ is recruited to endogenous HNF1α responsive promoters and enhances HNF1α binding to its cognate DNA sequences. In addition, we have also provided evidence that the association between HNF1α and 14-3-3ζ is phosphorylation-dependent. Taken together, these results suggest that 14-3-3ζ may be an endogenous physiologic regulator of HNF1α.

Acetoacetate induces CYP2E1 protein and suppresses CYP2E1 mRNA in primary cultured rat hepatocytes

The ketone body acetoacetate (AA) in the absence of insulin or in the presence of diabetic insulin levels decreases CYP2E1 mRNA expression in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. AA activates p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K) and protein kinase C (PKC) by approximately 2- to 2.5-fold, respectively, following 6-h treatment. The AA-mediated activation of p70S6K, but not PKC, was abolished by inhibition of PI 3-K with LY294002 [2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one] or wortmannin, in agreement with p70S6K being downstream of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K). Inhibition of PI 3-K, mTOR with rapamycin, or PKC with bisindolylmaleimide ameliorated the AA-mediated down-regulation of CYP2E1 mRNA expression. Neither the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor PD98059 (2'-amino-3'-methoxyflavone) nor the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor SB203580 [4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)1H-imidazole] ameliorated the AA-mediated suppression of CYP2E1 mRNA expression. Heterogeneous nuclear RNA analysis revealed that AA suppressed CYP2E1 gene transcription by approximately 50% and that inhibition of PI 3-K and PKC diminished this AA-mediated effect on transcription. CYP2E1 mRNA half-life slightly increased from approximately 24 h in untreated hepatocytes to approximately 32 h in AA-treated cells. Interestingly, AA increased CYP2E1 protein levels by approximately 2- and 2.5-fold at 24 and 48 h, respectively. DL-beta-hydroxybutyrate was without effect. Polysomal distribution studies revealed that AA increased the proportion of RNA associated with the actively translated polysomal fractions versus the 40S to 60S untranslated fractions by approximately 40%. CYP2E1 protein half-life increased from approximately 8 h in untreated hepatocytes to approximately 24 in AA-treated cells. These data show that AA decreases CYP2E1 mRNA expression through inhibition of gene transcription while simultaneously elevating CYP2E1 protein levels through increased translation and decreased protein degradation.

Transcriptional regulation of the IAPP gene in pancreatic beta-cells

Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP or amylin) is co-secreted with insulin from the pancreatic beta-cells. Transcription of the IAPP gene is controlled by a complex promoter region, spanning from -2798 to +450 relative to the transcriptional start site. In the present study, we have used reporter gene analysis and semi-quantitative RT-PCR to establish that insulin, glucagon, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and the GLP-1 derivatives GLP(7-36)Amide and Exendin-4 all stimulate IAPP promoter activity, as well as endogenous IAPP mRNA levels in isolated islets of Langerhans. In contrast, somatostatin had no effect, and whilst the inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1alpha and IL-1beta had no effect on promoter activity, they all decreased IAPP mRNA levels in isolated islets. Finally, utilising a series of deletion reporter gene constructs of the human IAPP gene promoter, we used overexpression studies to establish that HNF-3beta (FoxA2) negatively regulates the IAPP promoter, whilst the MODY3 transcription factor HNF-1alpha positively regulates promoter activity.

Rapid Transcriptional Suppression of Rat Cytochrome P450 Genes by Endotoxin Treatment and Its Inhibition by Curcumin

Down-regulation of constitutive hepatic cytochrome P450 (P450) mRNAs by bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) or other inflammatory stimuli has been documented extensively, but the contribution of transcriptional suppression to this effect is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the rates of transcription of the CYP2C11, CYP3A2, and CYP2E1 genes are reduced to 20, 30, and 10% of control levels, respectively, in rat liver within 1 to 2 h of injection of LPS (1 mg/kg). The magnitude and rapidity of these effects indicate that transcriptional suppression is a primary reason for the decline in P450 mRNAs. Injection of curcumin significantly inhibited the rapid transcriptional suppression of CYP2E1, and blocked that of CYP3A2. These effects seemed to be independent of inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation by curcumin, because induction of known NF-kappaB-regulated genes was not attenuated. One hour after LPS injection, the DNA-binding activities of hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)1alpha, HNF3beta, and HNF4alpha were reduced to 73, 72, and 53%, respectively, of control values. The nuclear abundances of Sp1, liver-enriched transcriptional inhibitory protein (LIP), HNF1alpha, and HNF3beta were unchanged, whereas the abundance of HNF4alpha was reduced to 87% of control levels. We conclude that changes in Sp1 or LIP do not contribute significantly to the early suppression of P450 transcription in the acute phase rat liver. Although changes in DNA-binding activities of HNF1alpha, HNF3beta, and HNF4alpha are too small individually to explain the observed changes in P450 transcription, the role of each factor in concert with other factors remains to be determined.

Induction of heme-binding protein 23/peroxiredoxin I gene expression by okadaic acid in cultured rat hepatocytes

Heme-binding protein 23 (HBP23), also termed peroxiredoxin I (Prx I), is an antioxidant protein that is induced by various oxidative stress stimuli. HBP23/Prx I has thioredoxin-dependent peroxidase activity and noncovalently binds the prooxidant heme with high affinity. To investigate the regulatory role of cellular phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events on hepatic HBP23/Prx I gene expression, primary cultures of rat hepatocytes were treated with okadaic acid (OA) which is a specific inhibitor of the serine threonine protein phosphatases 1 and 2A. In hepatocyte cultures HBP23/Prx I was highly expressed for up to 5 days and, both protein and mRNA levels of HBP23/Prx I were induced by OA. The time kinetics of OA-dependent HBP23/Prx I mRNA upregulation were coordinate to that of heme oxygenase (HO)-1, which is the inducible isoform of the rate-limiting enzyme of heme-degradation. In contrast to HO-1, however, induction of HBP23/Prx I mRNA by OA was downregulated by dibutyryl-cAMP, and was enhanced by the specific protein kinase A inhibitors KT5720 and H-89. HBP23/Prx I induction by OA occurred on the transcriptional level as determined by studies with actinomycin D and nuclear run-off assays.

Hormone response of rodent phenylalanine hydroxylase requires HNF1 and the glucocorticoid receptor

Expression of the rodent phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene is dependent upon hormones. Induction by glucocorticoids and cAMP occurs slowly and maximal stimulation is obtained by a synergistic effect of the two compounds. Hormone responsiveness is conferred by the tissue-specific HSIII enhancer and involves (i) protein kinase A mediating the cAMP response, even though a consensus sequence for binding of the cAMP response element binding protein is not present; (ii) other serine/threonine kinases as deduced from inhibitor studies; (iii) glucocorticoid receptor protein bound to glucocorticoid response element half sites; and (iv) binding of the liver-enriched transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 (HNF1) to sites in the enhancer. Glucocorticoid receptor and HNF1, bound to their cognate sites, cooperatively increase the glucocorticoid response of the PAH gene, this response being synergistically enhanced by cAMP after long-term treatment.