Yonsei Med J.  2013 May;54(3):772-777. 10.3349/ymj.2013.54.3.772.

Human SNF2L Gene Is Regulated Constitutively and Inducibly in Neural Cells via a cAMP-Response Element

• Xia Y
• Wang L
• Ma C
• Gong Y
• Zhao Y

• KMID: 1727896
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2013.54.3.772

Abstract

PURPOSE
SNF2L belongs to Imitation Switch family and plays an essential role in neural tissues and gonads. In our previous studies, we have demonstrated that the basal transcription of human SNF2L gene is regulated by two cis-elements, cAMP response element (CRE)- and Sp1-binding sites. Recent studies suggested that cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) stimulation significantly up-regulated SNF2L expression in ovarian granulose cells. These data suggested that protein kinase-mediated signal pathways might also regulate SNF2L expression in neural cells. We therefore investigated the effects of agents that activate protein kinases A on SNF2L gene expression in neural cells.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
To increase intracellular cAMP levels, all neural cells were treated with forskolin and dbcAMP, two cAMP response activators. We exmined the effects of cAMP on the promoter activity of human SNF2L gene by luciferase reporter gene assays, and further examined the effects of cAMP on endogenous SNF2L mRNA levels by qPCR.
RESULTS
Transient expression of a luciferase fusion gene under the control of the SNF2L promoter was significantly increased by treatment of rat primary neurons with forskolin or dbcAMP, but not PC12, C6 and SH-SY5Y cells. Consistently, treatment with forskolin or dbcAMP could enhance endogenous SNF2L mRNA levels also only in rat primary neurons.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that the CRE consensus sequence in the SNF2L proximal promoter most likely confers constitutive activation and regulation by cAMP in neural cells.

Keyword

SNF2L; CRE; cAMP stimulation; neural cells

MeSH Terms

Animals
Bucladesine/pharmacology
Cell Line
Colforsin/pharmacology
Cyclic AMP/*metabolism
DNA-Binding Proteins/chemistry/*genetics/metabolism
*Gene Expression Regulation
Humans
Luciferases/analysis
Neurons/*metabolism
PC12 Cells
Promoter Regions, Genetic
RNA, Messenger/metabolism
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Recombinant Fusion Proteins/analysis
*Response Elements
Transcription Factors/chemistry/*genetics/metabolism
DNA-Binding Proteins
RNA, Messenger
Recombinant Fusion Proteins
Transcription Factors
Colforsin
Bucladesine
Cyclic AMP
Luciferases