c-IAP2 is induced by ionizing radiation through NF-kappa B binding sites

Transcriptional promoters responsive to low doses of X-irradiation may be u seful in developing a new strategy in gene therapy combined with convention al radiotherapy. The retrovirus-mediated gene trap screening identified c-I AP2 as one of genes possessing such promoters. The analysis of the cis-elem ents responsive to X-irradiation in c-IAP2 promoter revealed that the NF-ka ppaB binding sites were necessary and sufficient for the X-ray-responsivene ss. We constructed the plasmid p4NFB-BAX, which had four tandem repeats of the NF-kappaB binding sites of c-IAP2 promoter (4NFB) and a suicide gene BA X under the control of 4NFB. The human tumor cells transfected with p4NFB-B AX significantly reduced the number of cells that survived 2 Gy irradiation . (C) 2001 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsev ier Science B.V. All rights reserved.