Parathyroid Hormone Increases Prostaglandin G/H Synthase-2 Transcription by a Cyclic Adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-mediated Pathway in Murine Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 Cells

PTH increased PG synthase-2 transcription in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells at 30 min, as assessed by nuclear run-on assays. To determine the signaling pathways used by PTH, the activity of a construct containing the PG synthase-2 gene between nucleotides -963 and +70 linked to a luciferase reporter was analyzed in stably transfected MC3T3-E1 cells. Agents that activate the cAMP-protein kinase A or protein kinase C pathways increased PG synthase-2 promoter activity. In contrast, the calcium ionophore ionomycin was ineffective. The protein kinase A inhibitor H89 blocked PTH stimulation of PG synthase-2 promoter activity, whereas an overnight pre-incubation with phorbol ester to down-regulate protein kinase C did not. PTH-(3-34), a peptide that has greatly reduced ability to activate the cAMP-protein kinase A pathway, did not increase PG synthase-2 transcription or promoter activity. PTH could induce PG synthase-2 messenger RNA accumulation and PG synthase-2 transcription in the presence of cycloheximide. In addition, PTH-stimulated PG synthase-2 transcription was maintained at a high level at 2 h in the presence of cycloheximide. We conclude that PTH rapidly increases PG synthase-2 transcription in MC3T3-E1 cells, mainly through a cAMP-protein kinase A-mediated pathway without the need for protein synthesis. In contrast, the attenuation of increased PG synthase-2 transcription by PTH requires de novo protein synthesis.