Regulation of gene expression and acceleration of differentiation in human keratinocytes by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a suspected human carcinogen, is believed to produce its toxic and carcinogenic effects by altering expression of growth-regulatory factors. TCDD alters the expression of a number of specific genes in the transformed human keratinocyte cell line, SCC-12F, including transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), TGF-beta 2, plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 (PAI-2), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta). To determine whether nontransformed human keratinocytes (NHK) respond similarly to TCDD, we studied the effect of TCDD on NHK growth and differentiation, and gene expression. NHK were treated prior to reaching confluence with 10 nM TCDD and evaluated at 1, 2, 3, and 5 days following treatment for the effect of TCDD on cell number, morphology, involucrin levels, mRNA expression, and protein concentrations. TCDD altered both the mRNA and protein concentrations of TGF-alpha, TGF-beta 2, PAI-2, and IL-1 beta. The mRNA level for u-PA, a plasminogen activator that is inhibited by PAI-2, was not altered following TCDD treatment. However, u-PA protein levels were significantly induced, indicating an effect of TCDD on u-PA synthesis, secretion, or turnover. TCDD enhanced NHK differentiation, as determined by an increase in involucrin expression. TCDD did not alter cell number or colony-forming efficiency, suggesting that TCDD was enhancing the differentiation of cells already committed to terminal differentiation. These results demonstrate that treatment of NHK with TCDD results in the simultaneous modulation of expression of a number of growth-regulatory proteins and suggest that the growth and differentiation response of human keratinocytes to TCDD is due to a complex interaction of these diverse proteins.