Effects of Protein Kinase-C-Related Adrenocorticotropin Secretagogues and Interleukin-1 on Proopiomelanocortin Gene Expression in Rat Anterior Pituitary Cells*

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Abstract
To examine the effects of the cAMP-independent protein kinase-C system and interleukin-1 (IL-1) on secretion of ACTH and POMC gene expression in cultured rat anterior pituitary (AP) cells, AP cells were incubated with CRF, 8-bromo-cAMP, arginine vasopressin, angiotensin II, norepinephrine, and phorbol 12-myristate 12-acetate. After 15 h of incubation, CRF and 8-bromo-cAMP increased both ACTH release and the POMC mRNA level. Arginine vasopressin, angiotensin II, norepinephrine, or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate stimulated ACTH release but failed to increase basal or CRF-stimulated POMC mRNA levels. Human recombinant IL-1.alpha. and -.beta. increased neither ACTH release nor POMC mRNA levels after 3 h of incubation. After 15 h of incubation, 100 pM to 10 nM IL-1.alpha. and -.beta. increased ACTH release. However, POMC mRNA levels were significantly elevated only by 10 pM IL-1.beta.. These results suggest that the CRF-cAMP system plays a major role in both ACTH release and expression of the POMC gene in AP cells, but the cAMP-independent protein kinase-C system contributes only to ACTH release; that acute stimulation of ACTH release from AP with IL-1 administration is not due to direct action of IL-1 at the pituitary level; that chronic expsoure of AP cells to IL-1.alpha. or .beta. can stimulate ACTH release; and that the direct effects of IL-1.alpha. and -.beta. on POMC gene expression, if any, seem to be minimal.