Regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase gene transcription in H4IIE hepatoma cells: evidence for a primary role of the catalytic subunit of 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase.

The purpose of these studies was to determine whether the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase is involved in the regulation of P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene transcription. Cyclic AMP analog pairs that preferentially stimulate either type I or type II protein kinase in a synergistic manner were used to compare regulation of mRNAPEPCK synthesis in H4IIE rat hepatoma cells with protein kinase activation in vitro. Type II protein kinase is predominant in H4IIE cells and analog pairs directed toward this isozyme resulted in a synergistic increase of mRNAPEPCK that was due to a corresponding enhancement of PEPCK gene transcription. When compared to a single analog the addition of a type II-directed analog pair reduced the total analog concentration required for maximal induction of transcription by about 30-fold. H4IIE cells have a small amount of type I kinase; pairs specific for this form of the enzyme were also effective, but to a lesser extent than those for the type II kinase. (Rp)-cAMPS, a cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinase antagonist, inhibited the agonist-induced increase of mRNAPEPCK in a concentration-dependent manner. The results indicate that the activation of PEPCK gene transcription by cAMP in H4IIE cells is mediated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Although the type II isozyme is primarily responsible, type I is also effective. These isozymes have identical catalytic subunits, hence this component presumably mediates the cAMP effect.