Abstract
Aminopeptidase N/CD13 is a metallopeptidase found in many tissues. Aminopeptidase N activity is high in the small intestinal mucosa, moderate in the liver, and low in the spleen. Using DNase I footprinting and electrophoretic mobility shift assays with nuclear extracts from these tissues, three cis elements (DF, LF-B1, UF) were identified in the aminopeptidase N promoter. The DF region (-53 to -30) interacts with the ubiquitously expressed transcription factor Sp1. The LF-B1 region (-85 to -58) interacts with the liver transcription factor LF-B1 (HNF-1) which was detected as well in nuclei from small intestinal mucosa. The UF region (-112 to -90) interacts with nuclear factors which seem to be expressed differentially in the liver and the small intestine. Transfection of promoter deletions into HepG2 cells showed that the LF-B1 region is necessary for high expression of the aminopeptidase N gene in liver cells. LF-B1 could not be detected in spleen nuclei. In accordance with this, RNA analysis demonstrated that the aminopeptidase N promoter operating in the small intestine and in the liver is inactive in the spleen. In this tissue initiation of transcription from the aminopeptidase N gene occurs from an upstream promoter.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Biological Chemistry |
| Volume | 266 |
| Issue number | 27 |
| Pages (from-to) | 18089-96 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| ISSN | 0021-9258 |
| Publication status | Published - 1991 |