title: The sterol response element binding protein regulates cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression in endothelial cells.
abstract: We previously demonstrated that cholesterol deprivation increases endothelial cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-dependent prostacyclin [prostaglandin I2 (PGI2)] production in vitro. Cholesterol directly regulates gene transcription through the sterol response element binding protein (SREBP). In this work, we demonstrate that SREBP directly regulates COX-2 expression. Cholesterol reduces human COX-2 promoter-luciferase reporter construct activity in transiently transfected endothelial cells. Conversely, cotransfection with a constitutively active mutant SREBP increases COX-2 promoter activity. SREBP-1a and -2 specifically bind a putative sterol response element (SRE) sequence in the COX-2 promoter. This sequence competes for SREBP binding to a low density lipoprotein receptor consensus sequence in an electromobility-shift assay. These data indicate that endothelial COX-2 is regulated by cholesterol via the SREBP pathway. The present study identifies COX-2 as the first vascular gene without a clear role in lipid metabolism transactivated by SREBP, and suggests that enhanced production of PGI2 through this pathway may be an additional benefit of cholesterol-lowering therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Layton Harris
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Matthew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Petrie
authors.forename: Jason D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Oates
authors.forename: Douglas E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Vaughan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D051782:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C497387:SREBF1 protein, human; C497390:SREBF2 protein, human; D051780:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; D051782:Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2; D014157:Transcription Factors; D008148:Lovastatin; D011464:Epoprostenol; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases