TY - JOUR
T1 - Albumin gene expression is down-regulated by albumin or macromolecule infusion in the rat
AU - Pietrangelo, Antonello
AU - Panduro, Arturo
AU - Chowdhury, Jayanta Roy
AU - Shafritz, David A.
PY - 1992
Y1 - 1992
N2 - A novel feedback regulatory mechanism operating on transcription of the albumin gene is described in the rat. In 1946, it was proposed that circulating colloids, including serum albumin, may affect the synthesis and/or secretion of albumin in the liver. The molecular basis for this proposed regulation has now been investigated by adding oncotically active macromolecules to the circulation of normal or genetically albumin-deficient Nagase anatbuminemic rats (NAR) and analyzing the hepatic expression of genes, including albumin after 24 h. The transcription rate of the albumin gene was higher in NAR than in normal rats and was dramatically reduced by raising serum albumin to 1.6 g/dl. Intravenous infusion of albumin into normal rats also decreased transcriptional activity of the albumin gene by 50-60%, and this decrease correlated with changes in serum colloid osmotic pressure after albumin infusion. Inhibition of albumin gene transcription was also observed upon intravenous infusion of other protein or nonprotein macromolecules, such as γ-globulin and dextran. This down-regulation appears to control the steady-state level of albumin mRNA in the liver. Aside from a concomitant decrease in apo E gene transcription after albumin or macromolecule infusion, there was no change in the transcription rate of other genes, including those exhibiting liver-preferred or -specific expression (e.g., tyrosine amino-transferase, cytochrome P-450, α1-antitrypsin, apolipoproteins A-1 and B, and transferrin) or general cellular expression (e.g., α-tubulin, pro α2 collagen, and β-actin). Feedback regulation of albumin gene expression by serum colloids may serve as a specific homeostatic mechanism to maintain the steady-state level of total protein in the circulation.
AB - A novel feedback regulatory mechanism operating on transcription of the albumin gene is described in the rat. In 1946, it was proposed that circulating colloids, including serum albumin, may affect the synthesis and/or secretion of albumin in the liver. The molecular basis for this proposed regulation has now been investigated by adding oncotically active macromolecules to the circulation of normal or genetically albumin-deficient Nagase anatbuminemic rats (NAR) and analyzing the hepatic expression of genes, including albumin after 24 h. The transcription rate of the albumin gene was higher in NAR than in normal rats and was dramatically reduced by raising serum albumin to 1.6 g/dl. Intravenous infusion of albumin into normal rats also decreased transcriptional activity of the albumin gene by 50-60%, and this decrease correlated with changes in serum colloid osmotic pressure after albumin infusion. Inhibition of albumin gene transcription was also observed upon intravenous infusion of other protein or nonprotein macromolecules, such as γ-globulin and dextran. This down-regulation appears to control the steady-state level of albumin mRNA in the liver. Aside from a concomitant decrease in apo E gene transcription after albumin or macromolecule infusion, there was no change in the transcription rate of other genes, including those exhibiting liver-preferred or -specific expression (e.g., tyrosine amino-transferase, cytochrome P-450, α1-antitrypsin, apolipoproteins A-1 and B, and transferrin) or general cellular expression (e.g., α-tubulin, pro α2 collagen, and β-actin). Feedback regulation of albumin gene expression by serum colloids may serve as a specific homeostatic mechanism to maintain the steady-state level of total protein in the circulation.
KW - Colloid osmotic pressure
KW - Feedback control
KW - Plasma proteins
KW - Serum colloids
KW - Transcriptional regulation
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U2 - 10.1172/JCI115778
DO - 10.1172/JCI115778
M3 - Article
C2 - 1601985
AN - SCOPUS:0026708229
SN - 0021-9738
VL - 89
SP - 1755
EP - 1760
JO - Journal of Clinical Investigation
JF - Journal of Clinical Investigation
IS - 6
ER -