The Regulation of Insulin-like Growth Factor-binding Protein 1 Messenger Ribonucleic Acid in Cultured Rat Hepatocytes: the Roles of Glucagon and Growth Hormone

In previous studies it was shown that bovine GH (bGH) suppressed and glucagon stimulated the level of 24- and 30- to 34-kilodalton insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) in the media of cultured rat hepatocytes. In the present study we have evaluated the regulation of IGFBP-1 gene expression in primary rat hepatocyte cultures. Glucagon produced a dose-dependent stimulation of hepatocyte IGFBP-1 messenger RNA (mRNA), attaining levels 2- to 6-fold greater than control at a glucagon concentration of 100 ng/ml. GH inhibited the accumulation of IGFBP-1 mRNA in a dose-dependent manner producing, 40-70% inhibition at 50 ng/ml. The effect of glucagon was comparable to and additive with dexamethasone (1 microM). The addition of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (100 microM) and (Bu)2cAMP (100 microM) augmented IGFBP-1 mRNA levels 5- to 6-fold. 4 beta-Phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate (300 nM) was found to inhibit IGFBP-1 mRNA levels by 40-50%. The inhibitory effect of bGH on IGFBP-1 mRNA levels was abolished after preincubation with 4 beta-phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate (10 microM) for 24 h, whereas glucagon's stimulatory effect was unaffected. The addition of staurosporine (500 nM) and H-7 (1 mM) abolished the inhibitory effect of GH but also significantly inhibited the stimulatory effect of glucagon, a result consistent with these agents acting on both protein kinase C (PKC) and PKA. In the presence of 10 micrograms/ml cycloheximide, IGFBP-1 gene expression was superinduced by bGH, whereas the effect of glucagon was uninfluenced. Thus the inhibitory action of GH involves, in part, the activation of PKC. Glucagon's stimulatory effect seems to involve the activation of PKA. The inhibitory effect of bGH on IGFBP-1 gene expression may require the continuing synthesis of one or more labile protein(s).