title: Valproic acid induces transcriptional activation of human GD3 synthase (hST8Sia I) in SK-N-BE(2)-C human neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: In this study, we have shown the transcriptional regulation of the human GD3 synthase (hST8Sia I) induced by valproic acid (VPA) in human neuroblastoma SK-N-BE(2)-C cells. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the regulation of hST8Sia I gene expression in VPA-stimulated SK-N-BE(2)-C cells, we characterized the promoter region of the hST8Sia I gene. Functional analysis of the 5'-flanking region of the hST8Sia I gene by the transient expression method showed that the -1146 to -646 region, which contains putative binding sites for transcription factors c-Ets-1, CREB, AP-1 and NF-kappaB, functions as the VPA-inducible promoter of hST8Sia I in SK-N-BE(2)-C cells. Site-directed mutagenesis and electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated that the NF-kappaB binding site at -731 to -722 was crucial for the VPA-induced expression of hST8Sia I in SK-N-BE(2)-C cells. In addition, the transcriptional activity of hST8Sia I induced by VPA in SK-N-BE(2)-C cells was strongly inhibited by SP600125, which is a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor, and GO6976, which is a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, as determined by RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) and luciferase assays. These results suggest that VPA markedly modulated transcriptional regulation of hST8Sia I gene expression through PKC/JNK signal pathways in SK-N-BE(2)-C cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Dong-A University, Busan, 604-714, Korea.
authors.forename: Haw-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Hyun-Mi
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Dae
authors.forename: Na-Ri
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Kyoung-Sook
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Cheorl-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young-Choon
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000378:metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020218:Response Elements / Q000235:genetics; D012799:Sialyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014635:Valproic Acid; C026226:ganglioside, GD3; D012799:Sialyltransferases; C043662:alpha-N-acetylneuraminate alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases