title: Effects of oxidation and reduction on the binding of transcription factors to cis-regulatory elements located in the FGF-4 gene.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that the addition of reducing agents to the culture medium of embryonic cell lines stimulates their growth. Moreover, recent studies have shown that the redox state of several transcription factors affects their binding to DNA. In light of these findings, we employed gel mobility shift analysis to examine the effects of oxidation and reduction on the ability of transcription factors to bind cis-regulatory elements located in the FGF-4 gene, which is expressed during early mammalian development. In this study, we demonstrate that both the oxidizing agent diamide and the alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide inhibit the ability of Oct-1, Oct-3, Sp1, and several Sp1-related nuclear proteins to bind important cis-regulatory elements located in the FGF-4 gene. We also demonstrate that not all transcription factors are affected by oxidation. Specifically, we show that the binding of the transcription factor NF-YA, which binds to a critical CCAAT box, and the binding of a high mobility group (HMG) protein(s), which binds to a critical HMG motif, are not affected by diamide or N-ethylmaleimide. Taken together, our findings and those of others support the hypothesis that the redox state of the cell can regulate gene transcription and, thus, can influence important physiological processes.
authors.affiliation: Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198-6805, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lickteig
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brigman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzino
mesh_terms: D000477:Alkylating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003959:Diamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004229:Dithiothreitol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005033:Ethylmaleimide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051519:Fibroblast Growth Factor 4; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051863:Host Cell Factor C1; D051379:Mice; D050811:Octamer Transcription Factor-1; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; D016877:Oxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000477:Alkylating Agents; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D003959:Diamines; C496446:Fgf4 protein, mouse; D051519:Fibroblast Growth Factor 4; C497693:Hcfc1 protein, mouse; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D051863:Host Cell Factor C1; D050811:Octamer Transcription Factor-1; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; D016877:Oxidants; C494166:Pou2f1 protein, mouse; C494174:Pou5f1 protein, mouse; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016329:Sp1 Transcription Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D005033:Ethylmaleimide; D004229:Dithiothreitol