Different cis-acting DNA elements control expression of the human apolipoprotein AI gene in different cell types

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 605-614
Author(s):  
K N Sastry ◽  
U Seedorf ◽  
S K Karathanasis

In mammals, the gene coding for apolipoprotein AI (apoAI), a protein of the plasma lipid transport system, is expressed only in the liver and the intestine. A series of plasmids containing various lengths of sequences flanking the 5' end of the human apoAI gene were constructed and assayed for transient expression after introduction into cultured human hepatoma (HepG2), colon carcinoma (Caco-2), and epithelial (HeLa) cells. The results showed that while most of these constructs are expressed in HepG2 and Caco-2 cells, none of them is expressed in HeLa cells. In addition, the results indicated that a DNA segment located between nucleotides -256 and -41 upstream from the transcription start site of this gene is necessary and sufficient for maximal levels of expression in HepG2 but not in Caco-2 cells, while a DNA segment located between nucleotides -2052 and -192 is required for maximal levels of expression in Caco-2 cells. Moreover, it was shown that the -256 to -41 DNA segment functions as a hepatoma cell-specific transcriptional enhancer with both homologous and heterologous promoters. These results indicate that different cis- and possibly trans-acting factors are involved in the establishment and subsequent regulation of expression of the apoAI gene in the mammalian liver and intestine.

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 605-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
K N Sastry ◽  
U Seedorf ◽  
S K Karathanasis

In mammals, the gene coding for apolipoprotein AI (apoAI), a protein of the plasma lipid transport system, is expressed only in the liver and the intestine. A series of plasmids containing various lengths of sequences flanking the 5' end of the human apoAI gene were constructed and assayed for transient expression after introduction into cultured human hepatoma (HepG2), colon carcinoma (Caco-2), and epithelial (HeLa) cells. The results showed that while most of these constructs are expressed in HepG2 and Caco-2 cells, none of them is expressed in HeLa cells. In addition, the results indicated that a DNA segment located between nucleotides -256 and -41 upstream from the transcription start site of this gene is necessary and sufficient for maximal levels of expression in HepG2 but not in Caco-2 cells, while a DNA segment located between nucleotides -2052 and -192 is required for maximal levels of expression in Caco-2 cells. Moreover, it was shown that the -256 to -41 DNA segment functions as a hepatoma cell-specific transcriptional enhancer with both homologous and heterologous promoters. These results indicate that different cis- and possibly trans-acting factors are involved in the establishment and subsequent regulation of expression of the apoAI gene in the mammalian liver and intestine.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 677-687
Author(s):  
R L Widom ◽  
J A Ladias ◽  
S Kouidou ◽  
S K Karathanasis

The gene coding for apolipoprotein AI (apoAI), a plasma protein involved in the transport of cholesterol and other lipids in the plasma, is expressed predominantly in liver and intestine. Previous work in our laboratory has shown that different cis-acting elements in the 5'-flanking region of the human apoAI gene control its expression in human hepatoma (HepG2) and colon carcinoma (Caco-2) cells. Hepatocyte-specific expression is mediated by elements within the -256 to -41 DNA region relative to the apoAI gene transcription start site (+1). In this study it was found that the -222 to -110 apoAI gene region is necessary and sufficient for expression in HepG2 cells. It was also found that this DNA region functions as a powerful hepatocyte-specific transcriptional enhancer. Gel retardation and DNase I protection experiments showed that HepG2 cells contain proteins that bind to specific sites, sites A (-214 to -192), B (-169 to -146), and C (-134 to -119), within this enhancer. Site-directed mutagenesis that prevents binding of these proteins to individual or different combinations of these sites followed by functional analysis of these mutants in HepG2 cells revealed that protein binding to any one of these sites in the absence of binding to the others was not sufficient for expression. Binding to any two of these sites in any combination was sufficient for only low levels of expression. Binding to all three sites was essential for maximal expression. These results indicate that the transcriptional activity of the apoAI gene in liver cells is dependent on synergistic interactions between transcription factors bound to its enhancer.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 677-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
R L Widom ◽  
J A Ladias ◽  
S Kouidou ◽  
S K Karathanasis

The gene coding for apolipoprotein AI (apoAI), a plasma protein involved in the transport of cholesterol and other lipids in the plasma, is expressed predominantly in liver and intestine. Previous work in our laboratory has shown that different cis-acting elements in the 5'-flanking region of the human apoAI gene control its expression in human hepatoma (HepG2) and colon carcinoma (Caco-2) cells. Hepatocyte-specific expression is mediated by elements within the -256 to -41 DNA region relative to the apoAI gene transcription start site (+1). In this study it was found that the -222 to -110 apoAI gene region is necessary and sufficient for expression in HepG2 cells. It was also found that this DNA region functions as a powerful hepatocyte-specific transcriptional enhancer. Gel retardation and DNase I protection experiments showed that HepG2 cells contain proteins that bind to specific sites, sites A (-214 to -192), B (-169 to -146), and C (-134 to -119), within this enhancer. Site-directed mutagenesis that prevents binding of these proteins to individual or different combinations of these sites followed by functional analysis of these mutants in HepG2 cells revealed that protein binding to any one of these sites in the absence of binding to the others was not sufficient for expression. Binding to any two of these sites in any combination was sufficient for only low levels of expression. Binding to all three sites was essential for maximal expression. These results indicate that the transcriptional activity of the apoAI gene in liver cells is dependent on synergistic interactions between transcription factors bound to its enhancer.


1988 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 224-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aliza Kalo ◽  
Esther Segal

Findings from our previous studies revealed a correlation between the level of adherence in vitro of Candida albicans to human exfoliated vaginal epithelial cells (VEC) and the hormonal status of the cell donors. In the present study we investigated the effect of the sex hormones estradiol, estriol, progesterone, and testosterone on the binding of the yeasts to HeLa cell lines and VEC in vitro. Monolayers of HeLa cells were exposed to the hormones and yeasts under controlled conditions. The number of adherent yeasts per square millimetre of HeLa cell monolayers and the percentage of VEC with adherent yeasts was estimated by microscopic counts. The results showed that the tested sex hormones affected at various degrees the adhesion of yeasts to HeLa cells or VEC. Progesterone had the most marked effect, leading to a significant increase in the number of adherent yeasts to HeLa cells or in the percentage of adhesion of VEC. In addition, VEC were separated on Percoll gradients into the two cell types: superficial (S) and intermediate (I), cell types which appear physiologically under increased serum levels of estradiol or progesterone, respectively. Adhesion assays with the separated cell populations revealed an increased binding capacity of the I cells. The finding that progesterone increased the adherence of yeasts to genital mucosa and that VEC of the I type have a higher capacity to adhere the yeasts is compatible with our previous observation that increased numbers of I cells, appearing under high level of progesterone, are found in situations known to have predisposition to vaginal candidiasis. Thus, our data point to a possible involvement of the hormone progesterone in the adherence of C. albicans to genital epithelium.


1992 ◽  
Vol 286 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
C P Simkevich ◽  
J P Thompson ◽  
H Poppleton ◽  
R Raghow

The transcriptional activity of plasmid pCOL-KT, in which human pro alpha 1 (I) collagen gene upstream sequences up to -804 and most of the first intron (+474 to +1440) drive expression of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene [Thompson, Simkevich, Holness, Kang & Raghow (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 2549-2556], was tested in a number of mesenchymal and non-mesenchymal cells. We observed that pCOL-KT was readily expressed in fibroblasts of human (IMR-90 and HFL-1), murine (NIH 3T3) and avian (SL-29) origin and in a human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line (A204), but failed to be expressed in human erythroleukaemia (K562) and rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, indicating that the regulatory elements required for appropriate tissue-specific expression of the human pro alpha 1 (I) collagen gene were present in pCOL-KT. To delineate the nature of cis-acting sequences which determine the tissue specificity of pro alpha 1 (I) collagen gene expression, functional consequences of deletions in the promoter and first intron of pCOL-KT were tested in various cell types by transient expression assays. Cis elements in the promoter-proximal and intronic sequences displayed either a positive or a negative influence depending on the cell type. Thus deletion of fragments using EcoRV (nt -625 to -442 deleted), XbaI (-804 to -331) or SstII (+670 to +1440) resulted in 2-10-fold decreased expression in A204 and HFL-1 cells. The negative influences of deletions in the promoter-proximal sequences was apparently considerably relieved by deleting sequences in the first intron, and the constructs containing the EcoRV/SstII or XbaI/SstII double deletions were expressed to a much greater extent than either of the single deletion constructs. In contrast, the XbaI* deletion (nt -804 to -609), either alone or in combination with the intronic deletion, resulted in very high expression in all cells regardless of their collagen phenotype; the XbaI*/(-SstII) construct, which contained the intronic SstII fragment (+670 to +1440) in the reverse orientation, was not expressed in either mesenchymal or nonmesenchymal cells. Based on these results, we conclude that orientation-dependent interactions between negatively acting 5′-upstream sequences and the first intron determine the mesenchymal cell specificity of human pro alpha 1 (I) collagen gene transcription.


2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (8) ◽  
pp. 3233-3242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Meyer ◽  
Jeanette E. Bröms ◽  
Xijia Liu ◽  
Martin E. Rottenberg ◽  
Anders Sjöstedt

Certain intracellular bacteria use the host cell cytosol as the replicative niche. Although it has been hypothesized that the successful exploitation of this compartment requires a unique metabolic adaptation, supportive evidence is lacking. ForFrancisella tularensis, many genes of theFrancisellapathogenicity island (FPI) are essential for intracellular growth, and therefore, FPI mutants are useful tools for understanding the prerequisites of intracytosolic replication. We compared the growth of bacteria taken up by phagocytic or nonphagocytic cells with that of bacteria microinjected directly into the host cytosol, using the live vaccine strain (LVS) ofF. tularensis; five selected FPI mutants thereof, i.e., ΔiglA, ΔiglÇ ΔiglG, ΔiglI, and ΔpdpEstrains; andListeria monocytogenes. After uptake in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM), ASC−/−BMDM, MyD88−/−BMDM, J774 cells, or HeLa cells, LVS, ΔpdpEand ΔiglGmutants, andL. monocytogenesreplicated efficiently in all five cell types, whereas the ΔiglAand ΔiglCmutants showed no replication. After microinjection, all 7 strains showed effective replication in J774 macrophages, ASC−/−BMDM, and HeLa cells. In contrast to the rapid replication in other cell types,L. monocytogenesshowed no replication in MyD88−/−BMDM and LVS showed no replication in either BMDM or MyD88−/−BMDM after microinjection. Our data suggest that the mechanisms of bacterial uptake as well as the permissiveness of the cytosolic compartmentper seare important factors for the intracytosolic replication. Notably, none of the investigated FPI proteins was found to be essential for intracytosolic replication after microinjection.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1202-1208
Author(s):  
R A Graves ◽  
P Tontonoz ◽  
B M Spiegelman

The molecular basis of adipocyte-specific gene expression is not well understood. We have previously identified a 518-bp enhancer from the adipocyte P2 gene that stimulates adipose-specific gene expression in both cultured cells and transgenic mice. In this analysis of the enhancer, we have defined and characterized a 122-bp DNA fragment that directs differentiation-dependent gene expression in cultured preadipocytes and adipocytes. Several cis-acting elements have been identified and shown by mutational analysis to be important for full enhancer activity. One pair of sequences, ARE2 and ARE4, binds a nuclear factor (ARF2) present in extracts derived from many cell types. Multiple copies of these elements stimulate gene expression from a minimal promoter in preadipocytes, adipocytes, and several other cultured cell lines. A second pair of elements, ARE6 and ARE7, binds a separate factor (ARF6) that is detected only in nuclear extracts derived from adipocytes. The ability of multimers of ARE6 or ARE7 to stimulate promoter activity is strictly adipocyte specific. Mutations in the ARE6 sequence greatly reduce the activity of the 518-bp enhancer. These data demonstrate that several cis- and trans-acting components contribute to the activity of the adipocyte P2 enhancer and suggest that ARF6, a novel differentiation-dependent factor, may be a key regulator of adipogenic gene expression.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document