2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) induces plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 through an aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated pathway in mouse hepatoma cell lines.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD), a ubiquitous environmental pollutant, elicits a variety of toxicities and is a well-known carcinogen. TCDD alters the expression of many genes including CYP1A1/2, CYP1B1, glutathione S-transferase Ya, aldehyde-3-dehydrogenase, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha and TGF-beta. The present study was aimed at characterization of TCDD to induce plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in mouse hepatoma cell lines. A Hepa1c1c7 wild-type cell [H1(wt)], an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-deficient mutant [H1(AhR(-))] and an AhR nuclear translocator (Arnt)-deficient mutant [H1(Arnt(-))] were used for this study. TCDD induced PAI-1 in H1(wt) cells, but not in H1(AhR(-)) and H1(Arnt(-)) mutants, indicating a functional role of the AhR-Arnt complex in this effect. Cycloheximide (CHX) treatment resulted in increased PAI-1 mRNA induction, indicating that this response to TCDD is a direct effect on transcription and not a secondary effect mediated by other TCDD-induced proteins. Transfection with PAI-1 promoter led to increased PAI-1 promoter activity in H1(wt) cells treated with TCDD, but no such effect occurred in H1(AhR(-)) or H1(Arnt(-)) cells, implying involvement of the AhR and Arnt. In addition, alpha-naphthoflavone and phenanthroline, two AhR antagonists, each blocked the enhancing effect of TCDD on PAI-1 promoter-coupled luciferase activity in H1(wt) cells. PAI-1 promoter deletion analysis indicated that TCDD-induced PAI-1 transcription was distinctly different from TGF-beta-dependent PAI-1 transcription, particularly in the region between -161 to +73. In summary, TCDD induced the PAI-1 gene directly via an AhR- and Arnt-dependent mechanism, which was distinctly different from TGF-beta-driven PAI-1 transcription.