title: Role of hepatocyte nuclear factor-3 alpha and hepatocyte nuclear factor-3 beta in Clara cell secretory protein gene expression in the bronchiolar epithelium.
abstract: The 5' flanking region of the Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP) gene contains two cis-acting elements which bind hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)-3 alpha and HNF-3 beta in vitro. To determine the role of these proteins in mediating CCSP gene expression in the bronchiolar epithelium, chimeric CCSP-reporter gene constructs containing various regions of the CCSP 5' flanking region were co-transfected into H-441 cells with HNF-3 alpha or HNF-3 beta expression plasmids. These studies indicate that each of these transcription factors positively regulates CCSP gene expression and revealed that CCSP region I (-132 to -76) is sufficient to mediate this effect. Gel-mobility-shift assays with oligonucleotides corresponding to CCSP region I, nuclear extract from bronchiolar epithelial cells and HNF-3-specific antibodies indicate that HNF-3 alpha and HNF-3 beta are the only proteins in bronchiolar epithelial cells which directly interact with this region. Consistent with these observations, HNF-3 alpha and HNF-3 beta transcripts were found to be enriched in this cell population and in situ hybridization of adult lung revealed HNF-3 gene expression in non-ciliated bronchiolar epithelial cells expressing the CCSP gene. Finally, experiments with CCSP region I and a heterologous promoter indicate that this region acts in a promoter-specific context, suggesting that additional factors interacting via the minimal CCSP promoter region are essential in determining the effects of HNF-3 on cell-specific CCSP gene expression in the bronchiolar epithelium.
authors.affiliation: Edward Mallinckrodt Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Bingle
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Hackett
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moxley
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Longmore
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Gitlin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051541:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alpha; D051542:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-beta; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014598:Uteroglobin
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C496501:Foxa1 protein, rat; C496504:Foxa2 protein, rat; D051541:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alpha; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C556391:Scgb1a1 protein, rat; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051542:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-beta; D014598:Uteroglobin