CRF and cAMP regulation of POMC gene expression in corticotrophic tumor cells.

The effects of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) on pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene expression were investigated in an anterior pituitary corticotrophic tumor cell line, AtT-20/D16-16. The results of mRNA dot blot hybridization assays suggested that CRF, at a concentration of 10(-7) M, positively regulates the expression of the POMC gene in AtT-20 cells in a concentration-dependent fashion. Evaluation of the time course of this effect indicated that CRF had a biphasic mode of action. CRF and alpha-amanitin (inhibitor of RNA polymerase II activity) were also found to affect POMC mRNA levels in a concentration-dependent fashion. Eight-bromo-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP) produced biphasic effects on POMC mRNA levels, supporting evidence of a role for cAMP as a second messenger in the regulation of POMC gene expression. It was also found that alpha-amanitin negatively regulated basal and CRF-stimulated POMC mRNA levels at both the 2 hr and 24 hr time periods, supporting evidence for positive regulation of POMC by CRF at the transcriptional level.