title: Transcription factors modulating angiotensinogen gene expression in hepatocytes.
abstract: The gene encoding angiotensinogen is regulated at the transcriptional level in hepatocytes in response to glucocorticoids and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 and TNF). These hormones activate transcription of the angiotensinogen gene by changing the abundance of DNA binding proteins that interact with a multihormone-inducible enhancer located between nucleotides -615 to -440 upstream of the major transcription start site. Activation of this enhancer in hepatocytes is effected by glucocorticoid- and cytokine-inducible DNA binding proteins. Cytokine induction is mediated through the interaction of two classes of transcription factors that bind to the acute-phase response element (APRE): nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B), and CCAAT-Box/Enhancer Binding Protein (C/EBP). NF-kappa B is a multiprotein DNA binding complex sequestered in the cytoplasm that is induced in the nucleus by cytokines, whereas C/EBP is a nuclear transcription factor family implicated in the expression of differentiated hepatic proteins. During the acute-phase response, individual C/EBP family members are discordinately regulated: C/EBP alpha levels fall, whereas another C/EBP family member termed nuclear factor IL6 (NF-IL6), is induced. We investigated the interaction between the two acute-phase induced APRE-binding proteins: NF-kappa B and NF-IL6. Both proteins bind to overlapping nucleotides in a mutually exclusive fashion with similar affinities for the APRE. NF-IL6, a less potent transactivator, attenuates NF-kappa B mediated transcription late in the evolution of the acute-phase response. These observations argue for a temporal model of sequentially-expressed transcription factors occupying the APRE during the evolution of the inflammatory process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Brasier
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Copland
mesh_terms: D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D000808:Angiotensinogen / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000808:Angiotensinogen; D004247:DNA