title: Localization of a negative glucocorticoid response element of the human corticotropin releasing hormone gene.
abstract: Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) plays a primary role in mediating suprapituitary activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and is an important physiologic target of negative feedback regulation by glucocorticoids. We sought to define cis-acting regions of the CRH promoter responsible for cAMP-dependent activation and glucocorticoid-dependent repression of CRH promoter activity. In transiently transfected AtT-20 cells, cAMP-dependent transcriptional activation was mediated largely through a classical, consensus, cAMP-response element (CRE) at - 224 bp. Dexamethasone (DEX) produced a specific 2-3-fold repression of cAMP-stimulated, but not basal, CRH promoter activity. Using a series of 5' nested deletions, dexamethasone-dependent repression of cAMP-stimulated CRH promoter activity was localized to promoter sequences between -278 and -249 bp. Specific, high-affinity binding of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) DNA-binding domain to this promoter region was observed using an eletrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). We conclude that (i) cAMP dependent activation of the CRH promoter is mediated primarily by the CRE at -224 bp, (ii) glucocorticoid-dependent repression is specific for the CRH promoter, and not a generalized effect of glucocorticoid signaling or interference with the protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway, (iii) a highly conserved region between -278 and -249 bp is critical for glucocorticoid dependent repression, and (iv) GR is capable of interacting directly with this functionally defined negative glucocorticoid response element of the CRH promoter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Albuquerque Veterans Administration Medical Center, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, 87108, USA.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Malkoski
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Handanos
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Dorin
mesh_terms: D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D002460:Cell Line; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D016384:Consensus Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000494:pharmacology; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008324:Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / Q000235:genetics; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000166:cytology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004247:DNA; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases