Diabetes, Vol 48, Issue 10 2083-2089, Copyright © 1999 by American Diabetes Association
Regulation of the laminin C1 promoter in cultured mesangial cells
SL Phillips, FR DeRubertis and PA Craven
Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, VA Medical Center and University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15240, USA.
Expression of the genes encoding several matrix proteins, including the
laminin gamma1 and beta1 subunits, is increased in glomeruli or renal
cortex from diabetic animals or in mesangial cells cultured in high
concentrations of glucose. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and IGF-1
have been implicated as mediators of this response. In the present study,
we assessed the influence of high glucose concentrations and the roles of
TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 in the regulation of laminin C1 gene expression in
cultured mesangial cells. Culture of normal rat mesangial cells (RMC) or
SV40-transformed mouse mesangial (MES-13) cells in 500 mg/dl D-glucose for
2 days to 3 weeks significantly increased laminin C1 mRNA abundance
compared with cells cultured in 100 mg/dl D-glucose. IGF-1 also increased
laminin C1 mRNA abundance in RMC or MES-13 cells, whereas TGF-beta1 was
without effect. The influence of raising the medium glucose concentration
on laminin C1 promoter activity was further studied in MES-13 cells that
had been stably transfected with a reporter gene containing the promoter
linked to luciferase. Culture in 500 mg/dl D-glucose for 4 h to at least 1
week increased laminin C1 promoter activity compared with cells maintained
in 100 mg/dl glucose. In contrast, culture of cells in medium that
contained 400 mg/dl mannitol or 400 mg/dl L-glucose in addition to 100
mg/dl D-glucose did not increase laminin C1 promoter activity. The ability
of high glucose to increase laminin C1 promoter activity was absolutely
dependent on the presence of serum. Consistent with results obtained with
mRNA, TGF-beta1 had no influence on promoter activity in stable integrants.
Whereas IGF-1 transiently increased promoter activity in stable integrants,
the increase was not sustained (6 h). Moreover, neutralizing antibody to
TGF-beta or to IGF-1 receptor did not suppress increases in laminin C1
promoter activity induced by culture of stable integrants in high glucose.
Several inhibitors of protein kinase C, including bisindolylmaleimide
(GFX), myristoylated PKC inhibitor peptide, and LY333531, were also without
effect on increases in laminin C1 promoter activity induced by culture in
high glucose. Exposure to the NO donor
(+/-)-s-nitroso-n-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) blocked increases in laminin
C1 promoter activity induced by serum and by culture in high glucose
without influencing promoter activity in cells cultured in the absence of
serum and in 100 mg/dl glucose. The ability of high glucose concentrations
and IGF-1 to increase laminin C1 promoter activity in cultured mesangial
cells, and the suppression of glucose actions by the NO donor SNAP, provide
potential mechanisms whereby the synthesis of the laminin gamma1 chain may
be regulated in the glomerulus in diabetes. Of note, the mechanism by which
high glucose increases laminin C1 promoter activity appears to differ from
mechanisms previously described for some other glucose actions on matrix
protein synthesis. In this regard, TGF-beta and protein kinase C were not
implicated as mediators of the effect of high glucose on laminin C1
promoter activity.