title: A regulatory element in the human interleukin 2 gene promoter is a binding site for the zinc finger proteins Sp1 and EGR-1.
abstract: Activation of the interleukin 2 (IL-2) gene after antigen recognition is a critical event for T cell proliferation and effector function. Prior studies have identified several transcription factors that contribute to the activity of the IL-2 promoter in stimulated T lymphocytes. Here we describe a novel regulatory element within the IL-2 promoter located immediately upstream of the nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) domain. This region (termed the zinc finger protein binding region (ZIP)) serves as binding site for two differently regulated zinc finger proteins: the constitutively expressed transcription factor Sp1 and the inducible early growth response protein EGR-1. In unstimulated cells which do not secrete IL-2, only Sp1 binds to this region, while in stimulated IL-2 secreting cells the inducible EGR-1 protein recognizes this element. In Jurkat T cells, the ZIP site serves as an activator for IL-2 gene expression, and a combination of ZIP and NFAT binding sites is required for maximal IL-2 promoter activity. These results suggest a critical role of the ZIP site for IL-2 promoter activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Skerka
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Decker
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Zipfel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497325:EGR1 protein, human; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; C486109:Egr1 protein, mouse; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D014157:Transcription Factors