Differential usage of signal transduction pathways defines two types of serum response factor target gene.

Activation of the transcription factor serum response factor (SRF) is dependent on Rho-controlled changes in actin dynamics. We used pathway-specific inhibitors to compare the roles of actin dynamics, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in signaling either to SRF itself or to four cellular SRF target genes. Serum, lysophosphatidic acid, platelet-derived growth factor, and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) each activated transcription of a stably integrated SRF reporter gene dependent on functional RhoA GTPase. Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase-ERK kinase (MEK) signalling reduced activation of the SRF reporter by all stimuli by about 50%, except for PMA, which was effectively blocked. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase slightly reduced reporter activation by serum and lysophosphatidic acid but substantially inhibited activation by platelet-derived growth factor and PMA. Reporter induction by all stimuli was absolutely dependent on actin dynamics. Regulation of the SRF (srf) and vinculin (vcl) genes was similar to that of the SRF reporter gene; activation by all stimuli was Rho-dependent and required actin dynamics but was largely independent of MEK activity. In contrast, activation of fos and egr1 occurred independently of RhoA and actin polymerization but was almost completely dependent on MEK activation. These results show that at least two classes of SRF target genes can be distinguished on the basis of their relative sensitivity to RhoA-actin and MEK-ERK signaling pathways.