Pe. Mullis et al., REGULATION OF HUMAN GROWTH-HORMONE RECEPTOR GENE-TRANSCRIPTION BY HUMAN GROWTH-HORMONE BINDING-PROTEIN, Molecular and cellular endocrinology, 131(1), 1997, pp. 89-96
The hypothesis that growth hormone binding protein (GHBP) has an effec
t on its own on the regulation of the GH-receptor/ GHBP transcription
was tested. Three different forms of human GHBP (recombinant non-glyco
sylated GHBP, recombinant glycosylated GHBP and GHBP purified and extr
acted from serum) were added in different concentrations determined by
LIFA [0 pmol/l; 50 pmol/l (low level), 200 pmol/l (average level) and
500 pmol/l (high level in circulation)] to a human hepatoma cell line
(HuH7 cells) cultured in a serum free hormonally-defined medium. Foll
owing the incubation with GHBP for 0, 1 and 2 h, GH-receptor expressio
n was quantitatively assessed by using polymerase chain reaction ampli
fication. Treatment with a GHBP concentration of 50 pmol/l resulted in
a significant increase of GH-receptor mRNA molecules given as number
of molecules x 10(6)/mu g total RNA. In contrast, the concentration of
500 pmol/l presented a significant decrease of GH-receptor mRNA molec
ules, whereas 200 pmol/l GHBP produced a GH-receptor gene expression w
hich was in between the values of the experiments with 50 and 500 pmol
/l of GHBP added. Furthermore, the three different forms of human GHBP
used provided similar data and, therefore; did not effect in any vari
ation of GH-receptor expression. In addition, nuclear run-on experimen
ts confirmed the changes in GH-receptor expression and cycloheximide (
10 mu g/ml) did nor alter the transcription indicating that the up and
down regulating effects of GHBP on the GH-receptor/GHBP gene transcri
ption was dependent, at least partly, on pre-existing factors and does
not require protein synthesis. In conclusion; we present data showing
that GHBP on its own has an effect on GH-receptor gene expression. (C
) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.