The role of c-Jun protein in thrombin-stimulated expression of preproendothelin-1 mRNA in porcine aortic endothelial cells.

Treatment of porcine aortic endothelial cells with thrombin induced a time- and dose-dependent expression of preproendothelin-1 (PPET-1) mRNA. The thrombin-induced expression of PPET-1 mRNA was markedly inhibited by calphostin C, a specific inhibitor of protein kinase C, and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA) induced the expression of PPET-1 mRNA dose-dependently, but 4 alpha-phorbol 12, 13-didecanoate, an inactive enantiomer of phorbol ester, had no effect on the expression of PPET-1 mRNA. On the other hand, challenge of the endothelial cells with thrombin induced a marked and time-dependent increase in the binding activity of nuclear extract to the TPA-responsive element. Furthermore, thrombin elicits synthesis of c-Jun protein as well as triggering its dephosphorylation. From these results, it is concluded that thrombin-stimulated expression of PPET-1 mRNA in porcine aortic endothelial cells can be induced not only by c-Jun protein synthesis but also by initial dephosphorylation in response to activation of protein kinase C.