Human promoter mutations unveil Oct-1 and GATA-1 opposite action on Gfi1b regulation.
Growth factor-independence 1b (Gfi1b) is a zinc finger transcription factor essential for erythroid and megakaryocytic development. To better understand Gfi1b regulation and to know the implication of the level of expression of this gene in human pathology, we have searched for promoter punctual sequence variations in 214 patients with different hematological diseases. We found two previously unknown congenital mutations at evolutionary conserved GATA and octamer-binding (Oct) transcription factor sites. The Oct site mutation was also found in five relatives of the patient. The GATA motif mutation reduced promoter activity by 50% in vitro, while homozygous patients with the octamer site mutation showed a four-to-five times increase of Gfi1b RNA in platelets. Electrophoretic mobility shift analyses demonstrated that different protein complexes bind to both sites and that binding is reduced by the mutations. Finally, we found that GATA-1 and Oct-1 are the main components of each complex. This study provides evidences of a new mechanism for Gfi1b repression. This is also the first report of Gfi1b mutations with a functional implication; further investigation and follow-up will clarify the involvement of these mutations in hematological disease.
Hernández
Aurora
A
Hematology Department, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, University Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
Villegas
Ana
A
Anguita
Eduardo
E
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D050982:GATA1 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D050811:Octamer Transcription Factor-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010375:Pedigree; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D050982:GATA1 Transcription Factor; C494688:GATA1 protein, human; C111977:GFI1B protein, human; D050811:Octamer Transcription Factor-1; C494165:POU2F1 protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins