Tissue-specific, hormonal, and developmental regulation of SCC-LacZ expression in transgenic mice leads to adrenocortical zone characterization.
We report here the study of the human CYP11A1 promoter in driving tissue-specific, developmentally and hormonally regulated reporter gene expression. A 4.4-kb fragment containing all known regulatory elements is more efficient than a short basal promoter fused to an upstream adrenal enhancer in driving reporter LacZ gene expression both in cell culture and in transgenic mice. The LacZ gene controlled by the 4.4- and 2.3-kb promoters was expressed in the adrenal cortex, testicular Leydig cells, ovarian corpora lutea, and granulosa cells. Transgene expression in the adrenals was stimulated by ACTH, indicating the presence of ACTH-responsive sequence. Beta-galactosidase activity was first detected in the adrenal primordia at 11.5 days postcoitum. Its expression continued throughout all stages of adrenal development in a pattern similar to that of the endogenous CYP11A1, which was expressed in all zones of the adrenal cortex, but was strongest in the X zone. The X zone grew before puberty but regressed afterward, as did the levels of CYP11A1 and LacZ gene expression in the X zone. Our study of the CYP11A1 promoter in transgenic mice led to characterization of the adrenocortical zones.
Hu
M C
MC
Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chou
S J
SJ
Huang
Y Y
YY
Hsu
N C
NC
Li
H
H
Chung
B C
BC
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme / Q000235:genetics*; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D002786:Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme; D001616:beta-Galactosidase