Regulation of the acid-labile subunit of the insulin-like growth factor complex in cultured rat hepatocytes.

The acid-labile subunit (ALS) is a glycoprotein that forms a ternary complex in serum with insulin-like growth factors and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3. This study investigates the regulation of ALS production, measured by RIA, and messenger RNA (mRNA) content, measured by Northern analysis, in primary rat hepatocyte monolayer cultures. Hepatocytes produced ALS at a linear rate over 48 h. Exposure to human GH (30 ng/ml) caused a maximum 2.2-fold stimulation of ALS production compared to that in control cultures, giving a rate of 200 ng/10(6) cells.48 h. ALS mRNA appeared as a predominant 2-kilobase band and increased 4-fold by administration of 30 ng/ml GH. Both dexamethasone and epidermal growth factor (EGF) inhibited ALS production, with maximal effects at 100 nM dexamethasone and 50 ng/ml EGF (both approximately 50% inhibition). ALS mRNA levels measured 24 or 48 h after dexamethasone addition were decreased 75-80% compared to the control value. A similar decrease in ALS mRNA was observed 24 h after EGF addition, but a second addition of EGF at 24 h was required to maintain this decrease for 48 h. This study demonstrates that rat hepatocytes secrete immunoreactive ALS under GH regulation, and that EGF and corticosteroid inhibit ALS production and mRNA levels. The quantitative discrepancies between ALS production rates and mRNA levels suggest that posttranscriptional events may have a role in ALS regulation.