Growth-related expression of the ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase PC-1 in rat liver

Plasma cell differentiation antigen-1 (PC-I) is a 5'-ectonucleotide pyropho sphatase that has been implicated in various processes including insulin- a nd nucleotide-mediated signaling and cell growth, We show here that the exp ression of both PC-1 mRNA and protein in rat liver and in hepatoma cells is strictly growth-related. Thus, the level of PC-1 in FAO hepatoma cells inc reased with the cell density. PC-1 was not expressed in the neonatal rat li ver, but gradually appeared in the first weeks of age, to reach adult level s around the weaning period, Furthermore, PC-1 protein and mRNA largely dis appeared from the liver within 24 hours following a hepatectomy of 70%, but re-appeared in the later phases (3-15 days) of the ensuing regeneration pe riod. An equally rapid loss of PC-l protein and mRNA could also be provoked in normal livers by the administration of the translational inhibitor, cyc loheximide, but the transcriptional inhibitors, actinomycin D and ol-amanit in, did not show these effects. Nuclear run-on assays revealed that the los s of PC-1 mRNA after hepatectomy or after the administration of cycloheximi de was not caused by a decreased transcription of the PC-1 gene, suggesting that the level of PC-1 is controlled by an mRNA-stabilizing protein that i s lost after hepatectomy and has a high turnover.