Enhancer-blocking activity is associated with hypersensitive site V sequences in the human growth hormone locus control region

Activation of the human growth hormone gene (hGH-N) is linked to a locus control region (LCR) containing four (I-III, V) hypersensitive sites (HS). Pit-1 binding to HS I/II is required for efficient pituitary expression. However, inclusion of HS III and V, located about 28 and 32 kb upstream of the hGH-N gene, respectively, is also required for consistent hGH-N expression levels in vivo. HS V is referred to as a boundary for the hGH LCR, but no specific enhancer blocking or barrier function is reported. We examined a 547 bp fragment containing HS V sequences (nucleotides -32,718/-32,172 relative to hGH-N) for enhancer-blocking activity using a well-established transient gene transfer system and assessed these sequences for CCCTC binding factor (CTCF), which is linked to enhancer-blocking activity. The 547 bp HS V fragment decreased enhancer activity with a reverse-orientation preference when inserted between HS III enhancer sequences and a minimal thymidine kinase promoter (TKp). These sequences are associated with CTCF in human pituitary and nonpituitary chromatin. Enhancer-blocking activity with an orientation preference was further localized to a 45 bp sub-fragment, with evidence of CTCF and upstream binding factor 1 (USF1) binding; USF1 is linked more closely with barrier function. The presence of yin and yang 1 (Yy1) that cooperates with CTCF in the regulation of X-chromosome inactivation was also seen. A decrease in CTCF and Yy1 RNA levels was associated with a significant reduction in enhancer-blocking activity. Assessment of CpG-dinucleotides in the TKp indicates that the presence of HS V sequences are associated with an increased incidence of CpG-dinucleotide methylation of the GC box region. These data support association of CTCF and enhancer-blocking activity with HS V that is consistent with a role as a (LCR) boundary element and also implicates Yy1 in this process.