Rv. Paul et al., DESTABILIZATION OF NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE C-RECEPTOR MESSENGER-RNA BY PHORBOL-MYRISTATE ACETATE, Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 9(1), 1998, pp. 26-32
Natriuretic peptide C receptor (NPR-C) expression in rat mesangial cel
ls is downregulated by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and the p
rotein kinase C agonist phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). This study sh
ows that PDGF and PMA diminish NPR-C mRNA abundance and that PMA does
so by accelerating the degradation of the transcript. Exposure to PMA
(0.1 mu M) decreased mesangial cell NPR-C mRNA levels by more than 50%
within 3 h and I-125-atrial natriuretic peptide binding by approximat
ely 50% within 6 h. Disappearance of NPR-C transcripts after PMA treat
ment was more than twice as rapid as that seen after inhibition of RNA
transcription with actinomycin D. Treatment with PDGF A/B (10 ng/ml)
also produced downregulation of NPR-C mRNA, but the rate of transcript
disappearance was similar to that seen after actinomycin D. Coincubat
ion with actinomycin D inhibited the rapid disappearance of NPR-C mRNA
with PMA. NPR-C mRNA levels increased four-to eightfold within 6 h af
ter treatment with the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, but
simultaneous treatment with PMA or PDGF still decreased the level of N
PR-C mRNA despite the presence of cycloheximide. These results indicat
e that NPR-C expression is rapidly regulated by changes in the rate of
catabolism of its mRNA through a protein kinase C-activated mechanism
that depends on transcription. Treatment with cycloheximide induces N
PR-C mRNA, but downregulation of this mRNA by either PDGF or PMA does
not depend on synthesis of new protein.