Regulation by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) of the DNA binding activity of transcriptional factors via nuclear protein phosphorylation in guinea pig adipose tissue.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachloro-p-dioxin (TCDD) induced a modest stimulation of nuclear protein phosphorylation in explant tissue cultures in 10 min, followed by a substantial decrease in the level of total protein phosphorylation activity in the nucleus. Curiously, this TCDD-induced decline in nuclear protein phosphorylation was accompanied by an increase in cytosolic and extranuclear protein phosphorylation activity. One of the main causes for such a decrease in the protein phosphorylation activity in the nucleus appears to be related to some increase in protein phosphatase activities as judged by the counteractions of okadaic acid and Na3VO4 to the above effect. In addition, TCDD induced changes in nuclear protein kinase activities as well. Manganese-stimulated protein kinase was found to be the predominant type of nuclear protein phosphorylating activity affected by TCDD, with 60% of the total activity due to heparin-sensitive casein kinase II (CK II), a major nuclear protein kinase. The level of CK II activity in the nuclear protein preparation from adipose tissue of TCDD-treated guinea pigs (1 microgram/kg) in the presence of 100 nM heparin was only 35% of the control value after 24 hr. In addition, TCDD was found to increase the protein kinase C and microtubule-associated protein 2 kinase activities as early as 15 min after treatment in isolated adipose tissues in culture. Under in situ incubation conditions with explant tissues in culture, TCDD rapidly enhanced the DNA binding activity of the transcriptional factor AP-1, whereas the same treatment reduced c-Myc DNA binding activity. Genistein, a specific protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, abolished the stimulatory effect of TCDD on AP-1 binding activity, but not on DNA binding activity of c-Myc. Phorbol ester (TPA) increased the binding activity of AP-1 and c-Myc, as expected. However, TCDD in combination with TPA caused a slight reduction in binding activity of both transcriptional factors. On the other hand, in the presence of forskolin, the stimulatory effect of TCDD on AP-1 binding activity and the inhibitory effect on c-Myc were still apparent. Okadaic acid almost abolished the binding activity of c-Myc, whereas in combination with TCDD a stimulatory effect was found. These observations are consistent with the idea that TCDD regulates the DNA binding activity of AP-1 and c-Myc mainly through modulating their states of phosphorylation by altering protein kinase and phosphatase activities.