title: BMP regulation of the mouse connexin43 promoter in osteoblastic cells and embryos.
abstract: We examined BMP regulation of the gap junction gene Gjal (Cx43alpha1) using a series of lacZ reporter constructs containing up to 6.7 kbs of mouse Cx43alpha1 promoter sequence. Using transient transfection assays, we showed that BMP2, BMP4, and GDF5, but not BMP6 or BMP7, can modulate Cx43alpha1 promoter activity in the osteosarcoma cell line ROS17/2.8. Positive regulatory elements were found at the proximal and distal ends of the 6.7 kb promoter fragment, while negative regulatory elements were found in the intervening region. Comparison of Cx43alpha1 promoter sequences from the human vs. mouse showed five regions with significant sequence conservation, two of which contained Smad binding elements in conjunction with a BMP response element. Analysis of a transgenic mouse line containing a Cx43alpha1 promoter driven lacZ reporter construct revealed lacZ expression in the developing joints, an expression pattern similar to that previously reported for Gdf5. LacZ expression was also observed in axial regions of the skeletal anlage, which in situ hybridization analysis confirmed as sites of Gdf5 transcript expression. When the Cx43alpha1 promoter driven lacZ transgene was bred into the brachypodism mouse Gdf5(bpJ)(bp) harboring a Gdf5 loss of function mutation, lacZ expression was extinguished. This was observed in homozygous and heterozygous bp animals, suggesting that Cx43alpha1 promoter regulation by GDF5 is subject to haploinsufficiency. Overall, these observations are consistent with recent studies by others indicating a role for Cx43alpha1 in osteogenesis and osteoblastic function during mouse development.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Biology, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-8019, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Loredo
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tuan
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lo
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D055418:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D055428:Growth Differentiation Factor 5; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007763:Lac Operon; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C525718:BMP2 protein, human; C525809:BMP4 protein, human; C525816:BMP6 protein, human; C525819:BMP7 protein, human; C525719:Bmp2 protein, mouse; C525810:Bmp4 protein, mouse; C525817:Bmp6 protein, mouse; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D055418:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D018031:Connexin 43; C525893:GDF5 protein, human; C525894:Gdf5 protein, mouse; D055428:Growth Differentiation Factor 5; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D008156:Luciferases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase