Distinct and common pathways in the regulation of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor gene expression by angiotensin II and basic fibroblast growth factor.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) are important modulators of cell growth under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. We and others have previously shown that these growth factors increase insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) number and mRNA in vascular smooth muscle cells and that this effect is transcriptionally regulated. To study the mechanisms and the signaling pathways involved, IGF-1R promoter reporter constructs were transiently transfected in CHO-AT1 cells that overexpress angiotensin AT1 receptors. Our findings indicate that Ang II and bFGF significantly increased IGF-1R promoter activity up to 7- and 3-fold, respectively. The effect induced by Ang II was mediated via a tyrosine kinase-dependent mechanism, since tyrphostin A25 largely inhibited the Ang II-induced increase in promoter activity. In addition, co-transfection of dominant negative Ras, Raf, and MEK1 or pretreatment with the MEK inhibitor PD 98059 dose-dependently decreased both the Ang II- and bFGF-induced increase in IGF-1R transcription and protein expression, suggesting that the Ras-Raf-mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase pathway is required for both growth factors. Reactive oxygen species have been shown to act as second messengers in Ang II-induced signaling, and activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB is redox-sensitive. While co-transfection of dominant negative IkappaBalpha mutant completely inhibited the Ang II-induced increase in transcription, it had no effect on the bFGF signaling. In contrast, co-transfection studies indicated that the transcription factors STAT1, STAT3, and c-Jun and the Janus kinase 2 kinase are required in the signaling pathway of bFGF, whereas only dominant c-Jun inhibited the Ang II-induced effect. In summary, these data demonstrate that Ang II and bFGF increase IGF-1R gene transcription via distinct as well as shared pathways and have important implications for understanding growth-stimulatory effects of these growth factors on vascular cells.