Type-1 plasminogen activator-inhibitor (PAI-1) is a major physiologic inhibitor of plasminogen activation. Incubation of HTC rat hepatoma cells with the cyclic nucleotide analogue, 8-bromo-cAMP, causes a dramatic increase in tissue-type plasminogen activator activity secondary to a 90% decrease in PAI-1 mRNA. Although 8-bromo-cAMP causes a modest decrease in PAI-1 transcription, regulation is primarily the result of a 3-fold increase in the rate of PAI-1 mRNA degradation. To determine the cis-acting sequences required for cyclic nucleotide regulation, we have stably transfected HTC cells with chimeric genes containing sequences from the rat PAI-1 cDNA and the mouse -globin gene and examined the effect of cyclic nucleotides on the decay rate of these transcripts. The mRNA transcribed from the -globin gene is stable and not cyclic nucleotide-regulated, whereas the transcript from a construct containing the -globin coding region and the PAI-1 3-untranslated region (UTR) is destabilized in the presence of 8-bromocAMP, suggesting that this response is mediated by sequences in the PAI-1 3-UTR. Analyses by deletion of sequences from this chimeric construct indicate that, whereas more than one region of the PAI-1 3-UTR can confer cyclic nucleotide responsiveness, the 3-most 134-nucleotide sequence alone is sufficient to do so. Insertion of PAI-1 sequences within the -globin 3-UTR confirms that the 3-most 134 nucleotides of PAI-1 mRNA can confer cyclic nucleotide regulation of stability on a heterologous transcript, suggesting that this sequence may play a major role in hormonal regulation of PAI-1 mRNA stability.Eukaryotic gene expression is determined not only by the rate of gene transcription, but also by the rate at which the transcript is degraded. The steady state concentration of a particular mRNA, as well as the rate at which a new transcriptionally induced steady state is attained, is directly related to the message half-life (1, 2). Numerous recent studies have been aimed at understanding the role of specific sequences within the mRNA in determining basal transcript stability and have led to the identification of consensus sequences that confer stability or instability to a transcript (2, 3). Although it is known that many stimuli alter mRNA stability, little is known about either the cis-acting sequences in the RNA or the cellular factors involved in regulation of message decay.Plasminogen activators (PAs) 1 are serine proteases that are critical for thrombolysis and also play a key role in other physiological functions involving tissue remodeling. Plasminogen activator-inhibitors (PAIs) are specific inhibitors of PAs and are members of the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) family of proteins. Type-1 PAI (PAI-1) is a 50 kDa glycoprotein found in plasma, platelets, and a variety of cell types; its expression is regulated by growth factors, cytokines, and hormones, including agents that alter cellular cAMP levels (4).HTC rat hepatoma cells synthesize and secrete tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and P...