title: MEK1,2 response element mediates angiotensin II-stimulated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 promoter activation.
abstract: The MEK1,2 (MAPK/ERK kinase 1 and 2) pathway mediates the up-regulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) expression in vascular smooth muscle cells by a variety of hormones, including angiotensin II. Transfection of constitutively active MEKK-1, an upstream activator of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways, was used to isolate an enhancer element located between -89 and -50 bp in PAI-1 promoter that was activated by MEKK-1 and selectively blocked by the MEK1,2 inhibitor PD98059. Mutational analysis revealed that the MEKK-1 response element (MRE) contained 2 cis-acting Sp1- and AP-1-like sequences, located between -75 to -70 and -63 to -52 bp, respectively. Overexpression of Sp1 enhanced MEKK-1-induced MRE promoter activity and a dominant-negative c-Fos blocked this Sp1 response. The combination of Sp1 and c-Jun or c-Fos was required to activate this MRE. Angiotensin II (Ang II) stimulation increased c-Fos, c-Jun, and Sp1 binding to the MRE by 100-, 4.9-, and 1.9-fold, respectively, and these responses were inhibited by PD98059 and AT1 receptor antagonist candesartan. Intravenous Ang II infusion in rats increased aortic c-Fos binding to the MRE. This MRE sequence mediated a 4-fold increase of MEK1,2-dependent PAI-1/luciferase mRNA expression by angiotensin II stimulation. This report identifies the MEK1,2 response element that mediates angiotensin II-stimulated PAI-1 promoter activation and shows that activation of this element requires Sp1 and AP-1 co-activation.
authors.affiliation: Research Division, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Hong-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Edward P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Feener
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; D048370:MAP Kinase Kinase 2; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010957:Plasmids; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000804:Angiotensin II; C482128:MAP2K2 protein, human; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; D048370:MAP Kinase Kinase 2; C482125:MAP2K1 protein, human; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one