Glandular kallikrein gene expression is selectively down-regulated by glucocorticoids in pancreatic AR42J cells

In this study we investigated the effects of steroid hormones on glandular kallikrein gene expression in the rat pancreatic acinar cell line AR42J. Using a cloned complementary DNA probe and a polyclonal antibody we demonstrated expression of a true glandular kallikrein gene and protein in AR42J cells by Western and Northern blot analysis. Dexamethasone resulted in a time-dependent parallel decrease of kallikrein messenger RNA and protein with a maximum at 12 and 72 h (30 +/- 10 and 8 +/- 0.5% of control, respectively, P less than 0.05, n = 6). In contrast, dexamethasone stimulated gene expression of two other serine proteases, chymotrypsin and trypsin, approximately 3 to 4-fold. The decrease of kallikrein concentration was dose dependent with half-maximal effects at 5 x 10(-8) M and maximal effects at 10(-7) M dexamethasone (23 +/- 6% of control, n = 3). The glucocorticoid antagonist RU 38486 blocked the glucocorticoid-induced decrease in cellular kallikrein content in a dose-dependent manner. Complete inhibition was observed at equimolar doses of dexamethasone and the antagonist. The inhibitory effect of dexamethasone was completely reversible after hormone withdrawal for 24 h. Neither estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, or aldosterone had significant effects on kallikrein expression. These data suggest that down-regulation of pancreatic kallikrein gene expression occurs selectively in response to glucocorticoids at a pretranslational level, mediated most likely by the glucocorticoid receptor.