E. Araki et al., CHARACTERIZATION AND REGULATION OF THE MOUSE INSULIN-RECEPTOR SUBSTRATE GENE PROMOTER, Molecular endocrinology, 9(10), 1995, pp. 1367-1379
To evaluate the potential for regulation of the insulin receptor subst
rate IRS-1, we have cloned the mouse IRS-1 gene, identified its promot
er, and analyzed promoter activity in the basal state and in response
to stimulation. The 5'-region of the mouse IRS-1 gene lacks typical CA
AT and TATA boxes but contains nine potential Spl binding sites consis
tent with a housekeeping gene. The 5'-region of the IRS-1 gene also ha
s significant regions of homology with the promoters of the progestero
ne receptor gene, the insulin-like growth factor I receptor gene, and
the androgen receptor gene. Multiple transcription start sites were id
entified 0.4-1.2 kilobases (kb) upstream from the start codon. Using a
chloramphenicol acetyl transferase assay in Chinese hamster ovary (CH
O) cells, basal promoter activity was present in the 3.2 kb 5'-flankin
g region of IRS-1 gene. Within this region, there were 184-base pair a
nd 60-base pair negative regulatory elements at -3.2 kb and -1.6 kb su
rrounded by positive elements. By gel shift assay, a nuclear factor wa
s identified in CHO cells which binds to -1606 and -1586 sequence in t
he negative regulatory element and appears to be distinct from C/EBP,
CREB, and AP-1. In 3T3-F442A adipocytes dexamethasone treatment signif
icantly decreased IRS-1 mRNA and IRS-1 protein. This was due to a decr
ease in the half-life of IRS-1 mRNA, with no change in IRS-1 promoter-
chloramphenicol acetyl transferase activity. Insulin also decreased IR
S-1 protein by similar to 60% within 9 h but did so without altering I
RS-1 mRNA levels or chloramphenicol acetyl transferase activity. Thus,
both insulin and dexamethasone down-regulate IRS-1 expression at the
posttranscriptional level; with insulin this is probably due to an eff
ect on protein half-life, whereas with dexamethasone the effect is due
to a change in the half-life of IRS-1 mRNA.