DNase I footprinting assay using liver nuclear extracts revealed six protected regions between nucleotide -600 and +110 and hence named Box I-VI. Upstream promoter element (UPE), a DNA element playing crucial role in transcriptional control of the tissue specific expression of pancreatic beta-cell, has been detected within the proximal region of rat GLUT2 promoter. This region is included in Box VI. The protein-DNA interaction in this region (Box VI) was confirmed by mobility shift assay using liver nuclear extracts. Deletion of the region between -585 bp and -146 bp resulted in dramatic changes in promoter activity when they were expressed in liver and beta-cell derived cell line. When -585/-146 construct was expressed in liver, the activity was decreased to 46%, whereas the activity in beta-cell line, HIT-T15 cell, was increased by 84% when compared to -146/+190 construct. These opposing phenomena can be explained by the fact that beta-cell specifically expresses the UPE binding protein. Assuming that there may be Box VI-binding protein playing negative roles both in hepatocyte and beta-cell, and that the protein acts as a negative regulator of GLUT2 gene, the UPE binding protein in the beta-cell may overcome the inhibition by binding to the protein.
Animal ; Binding Sites ; Cell Line ; Comparative Study ; DNA Footprinting ; Deoxyribonuclease I ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Islets of Langerhans/metabolism* ; Islets of Langerhans/cytology ; Liver/metabolism* ; Liver/cytology ; Monosaccharide Transport Proteins/genetics ; Monosaccharide Transport Proteins/biosynthesis* ; Promoter Regions (Genetics)* ; Protein Binding ; Rats ; Transcription Factor AP-1

The specific inhibition of angiotensin II action at AT(1) receptors by losartan has been shown to decrease peripheral insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic patients and animal models. We examined the effect of losartan on the expression of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), protein kinase B (PKB) and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), as well as the phosphorylation status of IRS-1 and the association between IRS-1 and phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase in skeletal muscle from fat-fed and-streptozotocin (STZ)-treated rats, an animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, the effects of losartan on GLUT4 translocation in muscle cells and on insulin sensitivity were also evaluated. Muscle tissues were isolated from male losartan-treated and untreated normal or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) rats with a dose of 4 mg/kg per day for 6 weeks. Oral administration of losartan improved insulin sensitivity, which was determined by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). In skeletal muscles, the protein levels of IRS-1, PKB and GLUT4 in NIDDM rats were not significantly different from those of the control rats, and they were not affected by losartan. The levels of IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation, PI 3-kinase activity associated with IRS-1 and PKB activation after stimulation with insulin in muscle tissue of NIDDM rats were significantly decreased (P<0.01) compared with those in the control rats, while they were not increased by losartan. Losartan had a major effect on GLUT4 translocation in myocytes, as it significantly increased (P<0.05) the insulin-induced amounts of GLUT4 in plasma membrane (PM) and T-tubules (TT) in myocytes from NIDDM rats. Consistent with these results, the plasma glucose level in losartan-treated NIDDM rats was decreased (P<0.05) compared with that in untreated NIDDM rats. Our results suggest that losartan may exert beneficial effects on insulin resistance by increasing the translocation of GLUT4 in muscle tissue, which is probably associated with a non-PI 3-kinase-dependent mechanism.
Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; blood ; drug therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Glucose Transporter Type 4 ; Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins ; Insulin Resistance ; Losartan ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Monosaccharide Transport Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Muscle Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Phosphoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

In the present study, we show that the expression of type 2 glucose transporter isoform (GLUT2) could be regulated by PPAR-gamma in the liver. Rosiglitazone, PPAR-gamma agonist, activated the GLUT2 mRNA level in the primary cultured hepatocytes and Alexander cells, when these cells were transfected with PPAR-gamma/RXR-alpha. We have localized the peroxisome proliferator response element in the mouse GLUT2 promoter by serial deletion studies and site-directed mutagenesis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay using ob/ob mice also showed that PPAR-gamma rather than PPAR-alpha binds to the -197/-184 region of GLUT2 promoter. Taken together, liver GLUT2 may be a direct target of PPAR-gamma ligand contributing to glucose transport into liver in a condition when PAPR-gamma expression is increased as in type 2 diabetes or in severe obesity.
Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Chromatin Immunoprecipitation ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Genes, Reporter ; Hepatocytes/*metabolism ; Liver/metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Mice, Transgenic ; Monosaccharide Transport Proteins/*biosynthesis/genetics ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; PPAR alpha/genetics/metabolism ; PPAR gamma/agonists/genetics/*metabolism ; *Promoter Regions (Genetics) ; Protein Isoforms/biosynthesis ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; *Response Elements ; Thiazolidinediones/pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo demonstrate the impact of hypoxia on ER-alpha in both breast cancer tissue and cell line, and its relationship with hypoxia-related parameters.

METHODSExpression of ER-alpha in 51 breast cancer patients with ER positive determined by ligand-binding assay was examined by immunohistochemistry and compared with CA-IX and Glut-1. Impact of hypoxia on breast cancer cell line MCF-7 (ER-alpha positive) was observed by Western Blot and RT-PCR.

RESULTSOf 51 breast cancer patients, 49 were ER-alpha positive. Regional decrease of ER-alpha expression was consistently observed in peri-necrotic regions as compared to distant regions in both in-situ carcinomas (n=29, P <0.0001) and invasive carcinomas (n=20, P=0.0001), which was closely associated with the induction of CA-IX and Glut-1 in hypoxia (P <0.0001). The decreased expression of ER-alpha protein and mRNA in breast cancer cell lines were attributed to hypoxia and not to other stress factors, such as reduced glucose, low pH, and products released from necrotic or hypoxic cells. Chronic intermittent hypoxia could cause persistent down-regulation of ER-alpha in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line.

CONCLUSIONRegional hypoxia in breast cancer is associated with the reduced ER-alpha expression, and intermittent hypoxia can cause persistent down-regulation. Hypoxia may therefore contribute to the progression of ER-alpha negative status and potentially to the development of resistance to endocrine therapy.

Antigens, Neoplasm ; metabolism ; Breast ; metabolism ; pathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carbonic Anhydrase IX ; Carbonic Anhydrases ; metabolism ; Carcinoma in Situ ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Down-Regulation ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Glucose Transporter Type 1 ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; Monosaccharide Transport Proteins ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics