RESUMEN
To understand the mechanisms controlling platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFR-beta) expression in malignancies, we have cloned and characterized the first functional promoter of the human PDGFR-beta gene, which has been confirmed by luciferase reporter gene assays. The transcription initiation sites were mapped by primer extension. Promoter deletion experiments demonstrate that the proximal, highly GC-rich region (positions -165 to -139) of the human PDGFR-beta promoter is crucial for basal promoter activity. This region is sensitive to S1 nuclease and likely to assume a non-B-form DNA secondary structure within the supercoiled plasmid. The G-rich strand in this region contains a series of runs of three or more guanines that can form multiple different G-quadruplex structures, which have been subsequently assessed by circular dichroism. A Taq polymerase stop assay has shown that three different G-quadruplex-interactive drugs can each selectively stabilize different G-quadruplex structures of the human PDGFR-beta promoter. However, in transfection experiments, only telomestatin significantly reduced the human PDGFR-beta basal promoter activity relative to the control. Furthermore, the PDGFR-beta mRNA level in Daoy cells was significantly decreased after treatment with 1 muM telomestatin for 24 h. Therefore, we propose that ligand-mediated stabilization of specific G-quadruplex structures in the human PDGFR-beta promoter can modulate its transcription.
Asunto(s)
G-Cuádruplex , Regiones Promotoras Genéticas , Receptor beta de Factor de Crecimiento Derivado de Plaquetas/genética , Secuencia de Bases , Células Cultivadas , Dicroismo Circular , Clonación Molecular , G-Cuádruplex/efectos de los fármacos , Humanos , Ligandos , Modelos Moleculares , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , ARN Mensajero/metabolismo , Receptor beta de Factor de Crecimiento Derivado de Plaquetas/metabolismoRESUMEN
The nuclease hypersensitivity element III1 (NHE III1) upstream of the P1 and P2 promoters of c-MYC controls 80-90% of the transcriptional activity of this gene. The purine-rich strand in this region can form a G-quadruplex structure that is a critical part of the silencer element for this promoter. We have demonstrated that this G-quadruplex structure can form a mixture of four biologically relevant parallel-loop isomers, which upon interaction with the cationic porphyrin TMPyP4 are converted to mixed parallel/antiparallel G-quadruplex structures.
Asunto(s)
Genes myc/genética , Porfirinas/farmacología , Regiones Promotoras Genéticas/genética , Elementos Silenciadores Transcripcionales/efectos de los fármacos , Transcripción Genética/genética , ADN/química , ADN/efectos de los fármacos , ADN/genética , Genes myc/efectos de los fármacos , Humanos , Modelos Genéticos , Conformación de Ácido Nucleico/efectos de los fármacos , Regiones Promotoras Genéticas/efectos de los fármacos , Elementos Silenciadores Transcripcionales/genéticaRESUMEN
We have demonstrated that a parallel G-quadruplex structure in the c-MYC promoter functions as a transcriptional repressor element. Furthermore, a specific G-to-A mutation in this element results in destabilization of the G-quadruplex repressor element and an increase in basal transcriptional activity. To validate this model in an in vivo context, we have examined the sequence of this region in human colorectal tumors and the surrounding normal tissue. We have found that approximately 30% of tumors contain one of two specific G-to-A mutations, not present in the surrounding normal tissue, that destabilize the parallel G-quadruplex, which would be expected to give rise to abnormally high expression of c-MYC in these cells. In contrast, G-quadruplex-disruptive mutations were absent in 20 colon adenomas, suggesting that these mutations occur late in tumorigenesis. We have also demonstrated that these same mutations are found in established colorectal cell lines. NM23-H2 levels are lower in cancer tissues and cell lines that harbor these mutations. In cells with repressed levels of NM23-H2, the mutated and destabilized G-quadruplex silencer element can be reinstated by the addition of G-quadruplex-stabilizing compounds, providing an opportunity for therapeutic intervention for patients carrying these mutations.