Sp1 DNA binding efficiency is highly reduced in nuclear extracts from aged rat tissues

To explore the role of transcriptional factors in the genesis of the senescent phenotype, nuclear extracts from 4- and 30-month-old rat brains were analyzed for the presence of DNA-binding proteins able to interact with double-stranded oligonucleotides containing recognition sites for sequence-specific DNA-binding factors. Gel shift assays revealed that the DNA-binding efficiency of Sp1 is significantly reduced in aged animals compared to young ones, whereas CTF/NF1 and AP1 from young and old rat nuclear extracts bind their DNA targets with the same efficiency. The quantitative analysis of Sp1 by immunoblotting indicated that equivalent quantities and degrees of heterogeneity of Sp1 protein are present in both nuclear extracts, suggesting that the observed difference is not due to a different expression of this transcriptional factor. DNase I footprinting of the heavy chain ferritin gene promoter, which contains a Sp1 binding site, demonstrated that the nuclear extract from 30-month-old rat brain does not protect the region involved in the regulation of the H ferritin gene by Sp1. This results in a reduction of about 50% of the expression of the H ferritin mRNA in aged rat brains. Furthermore, the Sp1 binding sites present in the SV40 early promoter are not protected in a DNase I footprinting assay where a nuclear extract from 30-month-old rat brain was used as a source of DNA binding proteins. Liver nuclear extracts prepared from young and aged rats demonstrated that a decrease of Sp1 binding efficiency is similarly present in this tissue.