title: Activation of the human alpha1(I) collagen promoter by leptin is not mediated by transforming growth factor beta responsive elements.
abstract: Leptin increases human alpha1 (I) collagen mRNA and type I collagen production and enhances hepatic fibrosis in animal models of hepatic fibrosis. These effects of leptin on fibrogenesis may be mediated by TGFbeta1, since leptin increases the TGFbeta type II receptor and augments the effect of TGFbeta1 on collagen production by stellate cells. In this study, leptin increased the activity of the human alpha1 (I) collagen promoter in transfected stellate cells. Leptin did not further enhance the activation of the promoter induced by TGFbeta1. Leptin had no effects on the transfected TGFbeta-responsive p3TP-LUX plasmid, which contains 3 CAGA elements that are essential and sufficient for the induction by TGFbeta. Leptin did not increase significantly the binding of proteins to two TGFbeta1 responsive elements in the human alpha1 (I) collagen promoter. In conclusion, this study shows that leptin activates the alpha1 (I) collagen gene and that this effect is not mediated by TGFbeta responsive elements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 710 Rutland Avenue, 921 Ross Research Building, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mezey
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D000090602:Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D020218:Response Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D000090602:Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain; D020738:Leptin; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta