A novel splicing isoform of mouse sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1)

We cloned a cDNA encoding the NH2-terminal portion of mouse SREBP-1. The deduced amino acid sequence was 76% and 90% identical to human and hamster SREBP-1, respectively. We found out a novel splicing isoform of mouse SREBP-1 that lacks 42 amino acid residues composing a PEST sequence observed in unstable proteins. It has been reported that SREBP-1 is rapidly turned over in the nucleus. Although this isoform was not a dominant isoform, it might be possible that the produced protein functions differently from other isoforms including a complete PEST sequence.     

O-GlcNAc inhibits interaction between Sp1 and sterol regulatory element binding protein 2

O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), a monosaccharide N-acetylglucosamine on the serine and threonine residues of nucleocytoplasmic proteins, is a novel protein modification that is ubiquitous among eukaryotes and implicated in cell regulation. Recent evidence indicates that O-GlcNAc regulates protein-protein interactions. Here we provide evidence that O-GlcNAc interrupts a known interaction between Sp1 and sterol regulatory element binding protein 2 (SREBP2), thereby inhibiting expression of the gene encoding acetyl-CoA synthetase 1, which is involved in lipid synthesis. This study suggests a novel mechanism in which lipid biosynthesis may be regulated by O-GlcNAc.     

TNF-alpha induces hepatic steatosis in mice by enhancing gene expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c)

We investigated the effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a member of the proinflammatory cytokine family, on steatosis of the mouse liver by analyzing morphological changes and hepatic triglyceride content in response to TNF-alpha. We also examined expression of the sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c gene. Intraperitoneal injection of TNF-alpha acutely and dramatically accelerated the accumulation of fat in the liver, as evidenced by histological analysis and hepatic triglyceride content. This treatment increased liver weight, increased serum levels of free fatty acids, and increased fatty acid synthase and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c mRNA expression. Furthermore, intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccaride (LPS) to induce TNF-alpha expression also accelerated hepatic fat accumulation. Pretreatment with anti-TNF-alpha antibody attenuated the development of LPS-induced fatty change in the liver. Antibody pretreatment not only decreased sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c expression in LPS-treated mice but also attenuated the expression of suppressors of cytokine signaling-3 mRNA. This study suggests that TNF-alpha, acting downstream of LPS, increases intrahepatic fat deposition by affecting hepatic lipogenetic metabolism involving sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c.     

The roles of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins in the transactivation of the rat ATP citrate-lyase promoter

ATP citrate-lyase (ACL) is a key enzyme supplying acetyl-CoA for fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis. Its expression is drastically up-regulated when an animal is fed a low fat, high carbohydrate diet after prolonged fasting. In this report, we describe the role of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) in the transactivation of the rat ACL promoter. ACL promoter activity was markedly stimulated by the overexpression of SREBP-1a and, to a lesser extent, by SREBP-2 in Alexander human hepatoma cells. The promoter elements responsive to SREBPs were located within the 55-base pair sequences from -114 to -60. The gel mobility shift assay revealed four SREBP-1a binding sites in this region. Of these four elements, the -102/-94 region, immediately upstream of the inverted Y-box, and the -70/-61 region, just adjacent to Sp1 binding site, played critical roles in SREBPs-mediated stimulation. The mutation in the inverted Y-box and the coexpression of dominant negative nuclear factor-Y (NF-Y) significantly attenuated the transactivation by SREBP-1a, suggesting that NF-Y binding is a prerequisite for SREBPs to activate the ACL promoter. However, the multiple Sp1 binding sites did not affect the transactivation of the ACL promoter by SREBPs. The binding affinity of SREBP-1a to SREs of the ACL promoter also was much higher than that of SREBP-2. The transactivation potencies of the chimeric SREBPs, of which the activation domains (70 amino acids of the amino terminus) were derived from the different species of their carboxyl-terminal region, were similar to those of SREBPs corresponding to their carboxyl termini. Therefore, it is suggested that the carboxyl-terminal portions of SREBPs containing DNA binding domains are important in determining their transactivation potencies to a certain promoter.     

DNA binding specificity and transactivation properties of SREBP-2 bound to multiple sites on the human apoA-II promoter.

DNase I footprinting of the apoA-II promoter using sterol regulatory element binding protein-2 [(SREBP-2 (1-458)] expressed in bacteria identified four protected regions, designated AIIAB (-64 to -48), AIICD (-178 to -154), AIIDE (-352 to -332) and AIIK (-760 to -743), which bind SREBP-2 and contain either palindromic or direct repeat motifs. Potassium permanganate and dimethyl sulfate interference experiments using the AIIAB region as probe showed that the nucleotides of a decameric palindromic repeat RTCAMVTGMY and two 5' T residues participate in DNA-protein interactions. SREBP-2 transactivated the intact (-911/+29) apoA-II promoter 1.7-fold and truncated apoA-II promoter segments which contain one, two or three SREBP-2 sites 11- to 17-fold in HepG2 cells. Transactivation of a promoter construct containing the binding site AIIAB and the apoA-II enhancer, which includes the binding site AIIK, was abolished by mutations in element AIIAB. An SREBP-2 mutant defective in DNA binding caused a dose-dependent repression of the apoA-II promoter activity. Repression was also caused by an SREBP-2 mutant which lacks the N-terminal activation domain (residues 1-93) but binds normally to its cognate sites. In contrast, a double SREBP-2 mutant which lacks both the DNA binding and the activation domains has no effect on the apoA-II promoter activity. Overall, the findings suggest that SREBP-2 can transactivate the apoA-II promoter by binding to multiple sites. Furthermore, the repression caused by the DNA binding deficient mutants results from squelching of positive activator(s) which appear to recognize the activation domain of SREBP-2.     

Modulation of human Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 gene expression by sterol: Role of sterol regulatory element binding protein 2

Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) is an essential intestinal component of cholesterol absorption. However, little is known about the molecular regulation of intestinal NPC1L1 expression and promoter activity. We demonstrated that human NPC1L1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased by 25-hydroxycholesterol but increased in response to cellular cholesterol depletion achieved by incubation with Mevinolin (an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase) in human intestinal Caco-2 cells. We also showed that a -1741/+56 fragment of the NPC1L1 gene demonstrated high promoter activity in Caco-2 cells that was reduced by 25-hydroxycholesterol and stimulated by cholesterol depletion. Interestingly, we showed that the NPC1L1 promoter is remarkably transactivated by the overexpression of sterol regulatory element (SRE) binding protein (SREBP)-2, suggesting its involvement in the sterol-induced alteration in NPC1L1 promoter activity. Finally, we identified two putative SREs in the human NPC1L1 promoter and established their essential roles in mediating the effects of cholesterol on promoter activity. Our study demonstrated the modulation of human NPC1L1 expression and promoter activity by cholesterol in a SREBP-2-dependent mechanism.