The regulatory and catalytic subunits of rat liver cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases respond differently to thyroparathyroidectomy and 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

The regulatory subunits of cytoplasmic and nuclear cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases increased, while the holoenzyme activities fell in the livers of thyroparathyroidectomized (TPTX) rats. 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 reversed this TPTX-induced decline in holoenzyme activities. TPTX also prevented the increase in holoenzyme activities, but not the increase in the concentration of regulatory subunits that normally occurs in partially hepatectomized animals. An injection of 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 into these TPTX animals, at the time of partial hepatectomy restored the increases in holoenzyme activities, without affecting the changes in regulatory subunits. Thus, the synthesis of regulatory and catalytic subunits can be uncoupled by TPTX and 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 appears to selectively control the activity of C subunits.