Regulated expression of human atrial natriuretic polypeptide gene in mouse L cells

To investigate whether the human atrial natriuretic polypeptide (hANP) gene is responsive to glucocorticoid, we co-introduced the hANP gene (with SV40 enhancer) with HSV-tk gene into mouse tk- L cells. The transformants with hANP gene with SV40 enhancer expressed hANP specific RNAs. The administration of 1 microM dexamethasone reduced the expressed hANP specific RNAs, especially those that had a physiological initiation site. These results suggest that the hANP gene is really a glucocorticoid responsive gene and may be negatively regulated by glucocorticoid.