Induction of tyrosine hydroxylase by cyclic AMP and glucocorticoids in a rat pheochromocytoma cell line: effect of the inducing agents alone or in combination on the enzyme levels and rate of synthesis of tyrosine hydroxylase.

The enzymatic activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (EC 1.14.16.2) increases in rat pheochromocytoma PC18 cells exposed to either elevated levels of cyclic AMP or glucocorticoids. The cyclic AMP-mediated increase in activity is elicited by cyclic AMP analogs or by compounds which activate adenylate cyclase or inhibit phosphodiesterase. The glucocorticoid-mediated increase is elicited only by glucocorticoid steroid hormones; nonglucocorticoid steroid hormones have no effect on tyrosine hydroxylase. In PC18 cells exposed simultaneously to both cyclic AMP-elevating agents and glucocorticoids, the increase in tyrosine hydroxylase activity is greater than that observed in cells treated with optimal concentrations of either inducing agent alone. Immunochemical titration experiments demonstrate that the increases in tyrosine hydroxylase activity observed in cells treated with the cyclic AMP analog, 8-bromocyclic AMP, and/or the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, are due to increases in enzyme protein. Time course studies show that in cells treated with either 8-bromocyclic AMP or dexamethasone, the enzyme level increases slowly to a level 5-7-fold greater than that observed in untreated cells after 4 days of treatment. In cells treated with both of these inducing agents simultaneously, the enzyme level increases to a level 10-12-fold greater than that observed in control cells after 4 days of treatment. This additive increase in activity in cells treated with both inducing agents is observed at all time points. The rates of synthesis and degradation of tyrosine hydroxylase have also been measured in PC18 cells, using an antiserum to tyrosine hydroxylase to rapidly isolate radiolabeled enzyme from cells that have been incubated in the presence of [3H]leucine. The apparent half-life of tyrosine hydroxylase in the PC18 cells is approximately 30 hr. In PC18 cells incubated in the presence of radiolabeled leucine for 60 min, 0.2-0.3% of the total soluble protein synthesized is identified as tyrosine hydroxylase. In cells treated with either 8-bromocyclic AMP or dexamethasone for 24 hr, there is a 6-8-fold increase in the rate of synthesis of the enzyme. In cells treated with both inducing agents simultaneously, there is a 10-12-fold increase in the rate of synthesis; thus, the additive increase in enzyme level observed in cells treated with both inducing agents is paralleled by an additive increase in the rate of synthesis of the enzyme in these cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)