ISSN:
1435-1463
Keywords:
Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase
;
alternative promoter
;
tissue-specific expression
;
transfection experiment
;
DNase I hypersensitive site
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary The human aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) gene is transcribed in a tissue-specific manner by an alternative promoter. In this study using human cultured cell lines, we analyzed the alternative promoter that regulates tissue-specific expression of AADC. Neither neuronalnor nonneuronal-type mRNA of AADC was detected in HeLa cells, nonneuronal-type mRNA of AADC was expressed in HepG2 cells, and the neuronal-type was expressed in the SK-N-SH cell line. We examined the promoter activities located in 5′- and 3′-flanking regions of exon N1 and exon L1 by transfection experiments. Plasmids containing 5′-flanking regions of exon L1, the shortest of which was 0.3kb, could promote specifically high expression of the reporter gene in HepG2 cells. On the other hand, plasmids containing 5′-flanking regions of exon N1 (3.6 kb to 0.5 kb) could promote the reporter gene expression not only in SK-N-SH cells but also in HeLa and HepG2. More enhanced expression were observed by transfection of plasmids containing parts of the first intron in these cell lines. Thus, these results suggest that the basal liver-specific promoter activity is located in the 5′-flanking region of exon L1 and that the first intron may also be needed for enhanced expression rather than determination of cell-specificity.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01292612
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