title: A peroxisome proliferator response elements regulatory system in xenopus oocytes and its application.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) is a kind of ligand-activated transcription factors binding to peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE), a specific recognition site. It is thought to play a critical role in glucose and lipid metabolism and in inflammation control. The aim of this study was to establish a new cellular model for the quick screening of lipid-lowering drugs, which may be effective as PPAR-gamma ligands on the PPRE-mediated pathway regulatory system.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two plasmids were constructed: pXOE-PPARgamma, in which the human PPARgamma gene was in the downstream of TFIIIA gene promoter, and pLXRN-PPRE-d2EGFP, in which the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene was subcloned into PPRE. The xenopus oocytes were injected with these two plasmids, and consequently treated with prostaglandin E1, pioglitazone, and different kinds of lipid-lowering drugs. After 3 days, the oocytes were observed under a fluorescence microscope. To confirm the drug action,we injected pXOE-PPARgamma plasmid into the oocytes, which then treated with prostaglandin E1 and Hawthorn flavonoids. The mass of expressed lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in the cells was determined by enzyme labeling linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of EGFP was only induced by prostagalandin E1, pioglitazone, Hawthorn flavonoids. A concentration-response relationship was seen between expressed EGFP and Hawthorn flavonoids. The levels of LPL in both Hawthorn flavonoids groups and PPARgamma ligand prostagalandin E1 group injected with pXOE-PPARgamma plasmid increased significantly (< 0.001) compared with controls, and a concentration-response relationship was observed between LPL mass and Hawthorn flavonoids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to establish a PPRE regulatory EGFP reporter system in xenopus oocytes to monitor the activity of PPARgamma ligand. Hawthorn flavonoids can increase the expression of gene downsteam of PPRE by effect on the PPRE pathway regulatory system.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal College, Hangzhou 310018, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Chun-lei
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Xing-de
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Wo
authors.forename: Li-ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000527:Alprostadil / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D027825:Crataegus; D005260:Female; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000502:physiology*; D020025:Peroxisome Proliferators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010957:Plasmids; D020218:Response Elements / Q000502:physiology*; D014981:Xenopus
chemical_list: D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D047495:PPAR gamma; D020025:Peroxisome Proliferators; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase; D000527:Alprostadil