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Analysis of an alternative promoter that regulates tissue-specific expression of the human aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase gene in cultured cell lines

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Summary

The human aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) gene is transcribed in a tissue-specific manner by an alternative promoter. In this study using human cultured cell lines, we analyzed the alternative promoter that regulates tissue-specific expression of AADC. Neither neuronalnor nonneuronal-type mRNA of AADC was detected in HeLa cells, nonneuronal-type mRNA of AADC was expressed in HepG2 cells, and the neuronal-type was expressed in the SK-N-SH cell line. We examined the promoter activities located in 5′- and 3′-flanking regions of exon N1 and exon L1 by transfection experiments. Plasmids containing 5′-flanking regions of exon L1, the shortest of which was 0.3kb, could promote specifically high expression of the reporter gene in HepG2 cells. On the other hand, plasmids containing 5′-flanking regions of exon N1 (3.6 kb to 0.5 kb) could promote the reporter gene expression not only in SK-N-SH cells but also in HeLa and HepG2. More enhanced expression were observed by transfection of plasmids containing parts of the first intron in these cell lines. Thus, these results suggest that the basal liver-specific promoter activity is located in the 5′-flanking region of exon L1 and that the first intron may also be needed for enhanced expression rather than determination of cell-specificity.

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Abbreviations

AADC :

aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase

DA :

Dopamine

L-DOPA :

L-3,4,-dihydroxyphenylalanine

L-5-HTP :

L-5-hydroxytryptophan

5-HT :

serotonine

APUD :

amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation

CAT :

chloramphenicolacetyltransferase

RT-PCR :

reverse transcription-PCR

EGTA :

ethylene glycol-bis (β-aminoethyl ether)-N, N, N′, N′-tetraacetic acid

ONPG :

o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside

RLU :

relative light unit

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan

    C. Sumi-Ichinose, S. Hasegawa, M. Ohtsuki, H. Nomura, T. Nomura & Y. Hagino

  2. Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan

    K. Fujita & T. Nagatsu

Authors
  1. C. Sumi-Ichinose
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  2. S. Hasegawa
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  3. M. Ohtsuki
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  4. H. Nomura
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  5. T. Nomura
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  6. Y. Hagino
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  7. K. Fujita
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  8. T. Nagatsu
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Sumi-Ichinose, C., Hasegawa, S., Ohtsuki, M. et al. Analysis of an alternative promoter that regulates tissue-specific expression of the human aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase gene in cultured cell lines. J. Neural Transmission 103, 1–15 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01292612

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01292612

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