Expression of the stress-induced p8 mRNA is transiently activated after culture medium change

Eur J Cell Biol. 2001 Nov;80(11):720-5. doi: 10.1078/0171-9335-00209.

Abstract

We report here that the mere fact of changing culture medium for fresh medium induced in several cell lines the expression of stress-activated genes including protein kinases p38, JNK and ERK1/2 and the transcription factor C/EBPbeta. As a consequence, p8, a gene induced by stress in several tissues, was strongly up-regulated. Induction did not occur after change for cell-conditioned medium. Induction was however transient, with a peak at 60 min for p38, at 15-30 min for JNK and at 15 min for ERK1/2, at 2-3 hours for C/EBPbeta and at 4-6 hours for p8. Repression of the induction was due to the secretion of thermolabile molecule(s) that progressively conditioned the medium. As low as 25% of conditioned medium added to fresh culture medium was sufficient to abolish the stress response. Taken together, our data indicate that the renewal of culture medium induces a transient cellular stress that may be a source of artifacts in experiments performed shortly after a change of culture medium.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3T3 Cells
  • Animals
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins
  • Culture Media, Conditioned / chemistry
  • Culture Media, Conditioned / pharmacology*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Gene Expression / drug effects*
  • Gene Expression / physiology
  • Growth Substances / genetics*
  • HT29 Cells
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases*
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 4
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Proteins*
  • RNA, Messenger / analysis
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

Substances

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • C-EPB transcription factor
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins
  • Culture Media, Conditioned
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Growth Substances
  • NUPR1 protein, human
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Nupr1 protein, mouse
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transcription Factors
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 4
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases