Reciprocal expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and acute phase genes during acute inflammation

Part of the hepatic response to injury is mediated by the expression of a gene family known as acute phase genes. Expression of acute phase genes is induced by the presence of cytokines in the circulation such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, interferon gamma, and interleukins-1 and -6. Simultaneous with the transcription of acute phase genes, there is a decrease in the expression of other genes such as albumin. In the present study, we report the decrease in transcription of the gene coding for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), a key regulatory enzyme in the gluconeogenic pathway, in rat liver during an acute inflammatory state induced by bacterial endotoxin. Steady-state mRNA levels of PEPCK decrease 3 h after endotoxin injection, returning to 70% of normal levels after 24 h. This decrease in PEPCK mRNA levels was due to a decline in the rate of transcription of the gene, most likely mediated by an increase in the circulating levels of insulin. However, expression of the PEPCK gene was not induced by an increase in the cellular levels of cAMP during inflammation. Such a lack of response to cAMP may be due to the inactivation of, or decrease in, the levels of the transcriptional factor(s) responsible for PEPCK transcription.