Study of gene expression on toxicity of dioxin in cultured cells

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2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a highly toxic compound that has recently attracted much attention as an environmental contaminant, elicits a variety of toxic responses. Most of the toxic effects of TCDD are thought to result from alteration of gene expression. In this study, we investigated the trans-acting factors involved in TCDD-dependent mRNA stabilization in a rat liver cytoplasm after a single dose administration of TCDD.UV-crosslinking study showed that the cytoplasmic protein of 50 kDa (p50) selectively recognized the 3' untranslated region of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) mRNA.We also showed that the activation of p50 by TCDD is mediated through a protein phosphorylation cascade but not via de novo protein synthesis.We previously reported that a level of arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) protein decreased with ongoing adipose differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. The AhR is the receptor for TCDD and related compounds. Studies using a TCDD-resistant clone … More of 3T3-L1 cells suggested that the AhR may be involved in the negative regulation of adipose differentiation. To confirm this hypothesis, 3T3-L1 fibroblast cells were stably transfected with a vector expressing high levels of full length sense AhR mRNA, antisense AhR mRNA, or a control vector. Comparison of the differentiation potency of these clones with that of control cells showed that overexpression of the AhR suppressed morphological differentiation as well as inductionof adipocyte-related genes, whereas decreased expression of the AhR induced much greater morphological differentiation and expression of adipocyte-related genes. Activation of C/EBPα and PPARγ2 restored the ability of the AhR-overexpressing cells to differentiate. The cells overexpressing the AhR exhibited the higher p42/p44 MAPkinase activity compared with the control cells. We also showed that activation of the AhR slowed clonal expansion. These results strongly suggest that AhR is a negative regulator of adipose differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. Less