title: Sp1 and C/EBP-related factor regulate the transcription of human Cu/Zn SOD gene.
abstract: The Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) is one of the key enzymes that protect cells against oxidative stress. It catalyzes the dismutation of superoxide radicals (O2-) to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. To study the transcriptional regulation of the human Cu/Zn SOD gene, we began by analyzing the 1.5-kb upstream region of the gene (see Kim et al., 1994). The element from nucleotides (nt) -116 to -45 increased the transcriptional activity of Cu/Zn SOD. Analyses by DNase I footprinting and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed that Sp1 binds to the region from nt -104 to -89 and C/EBP-related factors to the region from nt -64 to -55. Studies using two mutant versions of this promoter, in which the Sp1 and C/EBP-related factor binding sites were deleted, respectively, revealed that Sp1 and C/EBP-related factors activate the transcription of SOD1 gene. An Sp1 expression plasmid, pPacSp1, stimulated the SOD1-linked CAT expression. Cotransfection of the element from nt -116 to -45 with the C/EBP alpha expression vector, pMSV-C/EBP, increased the transcriptional activity of the Cu/Zn SOD in HepG2 cells, but barely in HeLa cells. Because Sp1 is a ubiquitously expressed transcriptional factor, the binding of Sp1 to the proximal upstream region of the Cu/Zn SOD might explain the expression of Cu/Zn SOD in a wide variety of cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology Education, Seoul National University, South Korea.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Rho
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D002460:Cell Line; D018983:DNA Footprinting; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase