Promoter Elements and Factors Involved In Hepatic Transcription of the Human Apoa-i Gene Positive and Negative Regulators Bind To Overlapping Sites

DNase I footprinting analysis of the proximal apoA-I promoter sequences with rat liver nuclear extracts identified four protected regions: A, -22 to +17; B, -128 to -77; C, -175 to -148; and D, -220 to -190. Region D (-220 to -190) binds at least two distinct activities, designated AID1 and AID2, respectively, which can be separated by ion exchange chromatography. Region C (-175 to -148) forms five DNA protein complexes. Three of the complexes (2, 4, and 5) originate from the binding of more than one heat-stable nuclear factor, and two (1 and 3), from the binding of two heat-labile factors. The heat-stable factors bind in the -175 to -148 region and can be distinguished from C/EBP, which recognizes the same region, with DNA binding gel electrophoretic assays. Both factors 1 and 3 bind in the -168 to -148 apoA-I region. Despite the lack of a CCAAT motif in this region, the binding of factor 1 is competed out by oligonucleotides containing the binding sites of NFY and NFY*. Mutagenesis of the promoter region showed that mutations in the -171 to -166 and -158 to -153 regions diminished the binding of the heat-stable factors and reduced hepatic transcription to 14 and 8% of control, respectively. In contrast, a mutation in the -164 to -159 region abolished the binding of factor 1 and was associated with a 4.6-fold increase in hepatic transcription. These findings suggest that the heat-stable factors act as positive regulators, whereas factor 1 acts as a negative regulator in apoA-I gene transcription.