A single element of the elastase I enhancer is sufficient to direct transcription selectively to the pancreas and gut

Scott D. Rose, Fred Kruse, Galvin H Swift, Raymond J MacDonald, Robert E Hammer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

35 Scopus citations

Abstract

The elastase I (EI) gene is expressed at high levels in the exocrine pancreas and at lower levels in other regions of the gut. The transcriptional enhancer of the EI gene, from nucleotides -205 to -72, recapitulates the expression of the endogenous gene in transgenic mice; it directs not only pancreatic acinar cell expression of a human growth hormone (hGH) transgene but also expression to the stomach, duodenum, and colon. This pattern of selective expression limited to the gastroenteropancreatic organ system is specified by the A element, one of three functional elements in the EI enhancer. When multimerized, the A element directed expression of a hGH reporter gene selectively to the pancreas, stomach, and intestine in transgenic mice. Immunofluorescent localization of hGH indicated that the A element multimer transgenes were expressed in the acinar cells of the pancreas as well as in Brunner's gland cells of the duodenum. The A element binds a pancreatic acinar cell-specific factor, PTF1. Our results show that while the A element is responsible for directing tissue and cell type specificity, other elements of the enhancer must be involved in the regulation of the level of gene expression.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2048-2057
Number of pages10
JournalMolecular and cellular biology
Volume14
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1994

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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