Characterization of regulatory elements in the 5'-flanking region of the GM2 activator gene

Regulation of plasma-membrane-associated sialidase NEU3 gene by Sp1/Sp3 transcription factors

Gene expression of the human plasma membrane-associated sialidase (NEU3), a key enzyme for ganglioside degradation, is relatively high in brain and is modulated in response to many cellular processes, including neuronal cell differentiation and tumorigenesis. We demonstrated previously that NEU3 is markedly up-regulated in various human cancers and showed that NEU3 transgenic mice developed a diabetic phenotype and were susceptible to azoxymethane-induced aberrant crypt foci in their colon tissues. These results suggest that appropriate control of NEU3 gene expression is required for homoeostasis of cellular functions. To gain insights into regulation mechanisms, we determined the gene structure and assessed transcription factor involvement. Oligo-capping analysis indicated the existence of alternative promoters for the NEU3 gene. Transcription started from two clusters of multiple TSSs (transcription start sites); one cluster is preferentially utilized in brain and another in other tissues and cells. Luciferase reporter assays showed further that the region neighbouring the two clusters has promoter activity in the human cell lines analysed. The promoter lacks TATA, but contains CCAAT and CAAC, elements, whose deletions led to a decrease in promoter activity. Electrophoretic mobility-shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated binding of transcription factors Sp (specificity protein) 1 and Sp3 to the promoter region. Down-regulation of the factors by siRNAs (short interfering RNAs) increased transcription from brain-type TSSs and decreased transcription from other TSSs, suggesting a role for Sp1 and Sp3 in selection of the TSSs. These results indicate that NEU3 expression is diversely regulated by Sp1/Sp3 transcription factors binding to alternative promoters, which might account for multiple modulation of gene expression.

Sucrose-induced vacuolation results in increased expression of cholesterol biosynthesis and lysosomal genes

Mammalian cells cultured in the presence of high concentrations of sucrose demonstrate large, phase-lucent, osmotically swollen vacuoles. Three normal human fibroblast cell lines exposed to 100 mM of sucrose for 24 h demonstrated increased expression of lysosomal, intracellular vesicle trafficking, cholesterol biosynthesis, and fatty acid metabolism genes. Most steps of the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway were upregulated including HMG CoA reductase, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step of cholesterol biosynthesis. The lysosomal genes neuraminidase, CLN3, and CLCN5 and the small GTP-binding proteins Rab7L1 and Arl7 were also increased. A Rab7L1-GFP fusion protein was overexpressed in human fibroblasts and was demonstrated to localize primarily to the Golgi apparatus, and in some cells to the membranes bounding vesicles in the perinuclear region. Increased levels of the transcription factor C/EBP were found in nuclear extracts from cells exposed to sucrose for 12 h, relative to matched controls suggesting regulation of gene expression following sucrose-induced vacuolation may be coordinated, at least in part, by the transcription factor C/EBP. Sucrose-induced vacuolation is a useful model in which to study the regulation of lysosomal gene expression and biogenesis.

Biosynthesis and degradation of mammalian glycosphingolipids

Glycolipids are a large and heterogeneous family of sphingolipids that form complex patterns on eukaryotic cell surfaces. This molecular diversity is generated by only a few enzymes and is a paradigm of naturally occurring combinatorial synthesis. We report on the biosynthetic principles leading to this large molecular diversity and focus on sialic acid-containing glycolipids of the ganglio-series. These glycolipids are particularly concentrated in the plasma membrane of neuronal cells. Their de novo synthesis starts with the formation of the membrane anchor, ceramide, at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and is continued by glycosyltransferases of the Golgi complex. Recent findings from genetically engineered mice are discussed. The constitutive degradation of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) occurs in the acidic compartments, the endosomes and the lysosomes. Here, water-soluble glycosidases sequentially cleave off the terminal carbohydrate residues from glycolipids. For glycolipid substrates with short oligosaccharide chains, the additional presence of membrane-active sphingolipid activator proteins (SAPs) is required. A considerable part of our current knowledge about glycolipid degradation is derived from a class of human diseases, the sphingolipidoses, which are caused by inherited defects within this pathway. A new post-translational modification is the attachment of glycolipids to proteins of the human skin.