title: Identification and characterization of a prostate-specific androgen-independent protein-binding site in the probasin promoter.
abstract: In this study we investigated the combination of transcription factors and proteins binding to the proximal part of the prostate-specific probasin (PB) promoter. Using DNaseI in vitro footprinting, several protected regions were identified on the proximal PB promoter (nucleotides -286 to +28 relative to the transcription start site) when nuclear extracts from LNCaP, a human prostate cancer cell line, were used. Four of the protected areas were observed only when LNCaP nuclear extracts treated with synthetic androgen (10 nM R1881) were used. Two other regions, referred to as FPI and FPII, showed protection regardless of the presence or absence of androgen. When DNaseI footprinting was done using other prostate and non-prostate nuclear extracts, protection of the FPII region was only seen in prostate cell lines. These androgen-independent regions were further tested for tissue and binding specificity using the electrophoretic mobility-shift assay. Eight complexes formed with the FPI probe while four complexes were observed with the FPII probe on incubation with the tested nuclear extracts. Methylation protection assays reveal that prostate cancer cell lines yield slightly different protection patterns for some of the protein complexes formed with non-prostate-derived cell lines, suggesting the presence of prostate-enriched or -exclusive proteins. Site-directed mutagenesis of the protected nucleotides within FPII resulted in a significant reduction in expression from the PB promoter. Identification of proteins binding to the FPII region revealed the participation of nuclear factor I (NF-I) or a closely related protein, although other unknown proteins are also involved. Defining the DNA and protein components that dictate prostate-specific expression of the PB promoter in an androgen-independent manner would provide a strong basis for the design and development of a gene therapy for systemic treatment of androgen-independent prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, and The Prostate Centre, Vancouver General Hospital, Canada. lyeung@vanhosp.bc.ca
authors.forename: Lillian H Y
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Jason T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: Pernille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sorenson
authors.forename: Colleen C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Rennie
mesh_terms: D000727:Androgen-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018983:DNA Footprinting; D019175:DNA Methylation; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D006801:Humans; D051839:NFI Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D020598:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D051840:Y-Box-Binding Protein 1
chemical_list: D000727:Androgen-Binding Protein; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051839:NFI Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D020598:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051840:Y-Box-Binding Protein 1; C070856:YBX1 protein, human; C027519:probasin; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen