The faah gene is the first direct target of estrogen in the testis: role of histone demethylase LSD1.
Estrogen (E(2)) regulates spermatogenesis, yet its direct target genes have not been identified in the testis. Here, we cloned the proximal 5' flanking region of the mouse fatty acid amide hydrolase (faah) gene upstream of the luciferase reporter gene, and demonstrated its promoter activity and E(2) inducibility in primary mouse Sertoli cells. Specific mutations in the E(2) response elements (ERE) of the faah gene showed that two proximal ERE sequences (ERE2/3) are essential for E(2)-induced transcription, and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments showed that E(2) induced estrogen receptor β binding at ERE2/3 sites in the faah promoter in vivo. Moreover, the histone demethylase LSD1 was found to be associated with ERE2/3 sites and to play a role in mediating E(2) induction of FAAH expression. E(2) induced epigenetic modifications at the faah proximal promoter compatible with transcriptional activation by remarkably decreasing methylation of both DNA at CpG site and histone H3 at lysine 9. Finally, FAAH silencing abolished E(2) protection against apoptosis induced by the FAAH substrate anandamide. Taken together, our results identify FAAH as the first direct target of E(2).
Department of Public Health and Cellular Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy. paola.grimaldi@uniroma2.it
Paola
P
Grimaldi
Mariangela
M
Pucci
Sara
S
Di Siena
Daniele
D
Di Giacomo
Valentina
V
Pirazzi
Raffaele
R
Geremia
Mauro
M
Maccarrone
D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001483:Base Sequence; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D056466:Histone Demethylases; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases
D000581:Amidohydrolases; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D004967:Estrogens; D056466:Histone Demethylases; D006657:Histones; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases; C504076:KDM1a protein, mouse