Multiple signal transduction pathways regulate clusterin (gp 80) gene expression in MDCK cells

ABSTRACT Clusterin (gp 80, apolipoprotein J, TRPM-2) is a widely expressed multifunctional glycoprotein. Its demonstrated and proposed functions include the transport of lipids and membrane fragments, the inhibition of the cytolytic action of the terminal complement complex and the modulation of cell—cell interactions. The expression of the gene is enhanced during tissue injury and remodelling and by hormone-withdrawal-induced apoptosis of prostate and mammary cells. We show here that, in the kidney-derived epithelial cell line MDCK, clusterin mRNA is repressed by glucocorticoids and by progesterone. Treatment with epidermal growth factor also represses clusterin gene expression in MDCK cel…