TRANSCRIPTIONAL ACTIVATION OF THE BCL-2 APOPTOSIS SUPPRESSOR GENE BY THE PAIRED BOX TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR PAX8

The bcl-2 proto-oncogene suppresses apoptosis in a variety of cell typ es and is essential for normal renal development. PAX8 is a member of the paired box class of transcription factors and is developmentally r egulated. bcl-2 and PAX8 are both expressed in the kidney during devel opment and throughout life demonstrating a nearly identical pattern of expression. We rued transient transfection reporter assays and electr ophoretic mobility shift assays to test PAX8 transcriptional regulatio n of bcl-2. PAX8 transcriptionally activates the bcl-2 promoter and bi nds to promoter sequences in vitro. These findings establish that PAX8 can transcriptionally regulate bcl-2 and suggest that suppression of apoptosis is art important event in the development and maintenance of renal tubular epithelial structures.