Gastrin gene expression and regulation in rat islet cell lines

Gastrin gene expression was observed in two permanent rat insulinoma (RIN) cell lines derived from a rat insulinoma. Gastrin expression was selective; highest expression was seen in a cell line which did not express other islet cell hormones. Gastrin mRNA transcription initiated from the same promoter as antral gastrin mRNA. DNA transfection studies with a gastrin chloramphenicol acetyltransferase chimeric gene showed higher expression in gastrin-expressing RIN cells than non-gastrin-expressing islet cells. This implies that gastrin-expressing RIN cells selectively express a trans-acting transcriptional activator which binds to cis-acting regulatory sequences within the 5'-flanking DNA sequence and first exon of the gastrin gene. The gastrin peptide precursor synthesized in these RIN cell lines is subject to the same repertoire of posttranslational modifications within the cell's secretory apparatus (endoproteolytic cleavage, tyrosine sulfation, and C-terminal amidation) as seen in antral G cells. Gastrin mRNA levels in these RIN cells were selectively increased by increasing the extracellular calcium concentration. Membrane depolarization also stimulated gastrin mRNA levels, probably through activation of voltage-sensitive calcium channels. Thus, these gastrin-expressing RIN cell lines provide permanent cell lines useful in analyzing the cellular regulation of gastrin gene expression.