Molekularbiologie: Open Access

Identification of the p53-Responsive Element in the Promoter Region of the Human Decorin Gene

Abstract

Takaki Hiwasa, Katsuro Iwase, Tomoki Suichi, Yutaro Hino, Risa Kimura, Natsuko Shinmen and Masaki Takiguchi

We have obtained some evidence that shows that the decorin gene is the target of p53 transactivation. Luciferase reporter plasmid, which contained the promoter region between positions -252 and -205, was activated by p53 dosedependently up to 170-fold. The promoter region involved a sequence, 5’-AGGCAAGTAG-3’, similar to p53-binding consensus sequence, 5’-PuPuPuC(A/T)(A/T)GPyPyPy-3’. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay using p53 antibodies revealed that the region between -413 and -232 of the promoter of the decorin gene was co-precipitated with p53. p53- binding to this region was further demonstrated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, in which the complex between decorin promoter DNA and proteins decreased by pretreatment with anti-p53 antibodies. The mRNA expression levels of decorin increased after treatment with p53-activating nutlin-3 greatly and with genotoxic reagent, adriamycin, to some extent. Consequently, decorin promoter is useful to evaluate the p53 transactivation ability.