Developmental and hormonal regulation of alpha 2u-globulin gene transcription.

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Abstract
Hepatic .alpha.2u-globulin protein and RNA levels are under developmental and complex multihormonal control. The present studies directly evaluate the degree to which this regulation is transcriptional. .alpha.2u-Globulin transcription was determined by measuring nuclear runoff RNA in vitro, and tissue .alpha.2u-globulin mRNA levels were measured by dot blot hybridization. In male rats the transcriptional rate of the .alpha.2u-globulin genes increases during postnatal development; no .alpha.2u-globulin transcription is detectable in hepatic nuclei derived from hypophysectomized rats; growth hormone and glucocorticoid are both absolutely required, and glucocorticoid can replace androgen for .alpha.2u-globulin gene transcription in the livers of hypophysectomized male rats; and chronic treatment of mature male rats with estrogen results in a progressive decrease in the hepatic transcription of .alpha.2u-globulin genes. In all instances changes in the transcriptional rate of .alpha.2u-globulin genes paralleled the tissue level of .alpha.2u-globulin RNA. Transcriptional control predominates in regulating hepatic .alpha.2u-globulin RNA levels.