The high mobility group transcription factor, SOX4, transactivates the human CD2 enhancer

J Biol Chem. 1995 Mar 31;270(13):7515-22. doi: 10.1074/jbc.270.13.7515.

Abstract

A strong T cell-specific enhancer is located 3' to the human CD2 gene. Six sequences within this enhancer are bound by proteins present in T cell nuclear extracts. These sequences share homology with sequences bound by several transcription factors involved in T cell- and lymphoid-specific transcription. The results presented here demonstrate that the human T cell-specific transcription factor, SOX4, is able to bind to one of these regions; further, SOX4 transactivates transcription of a reporter gene via three tandem copies of this sequence. The binding of SOX4 to this site is not via a canonical HMG protein binding sequence, identifying a novel class of binding site for this protein. A second sequence within the CD2 enhancer closely resembles the IL-2 NF-AT site. We show that it is bound by the ets-related factor, Elf1. However, unlike the IL-2 NF-AT sequence, the CD2 NF-AT-like sequence is unable to confer transcriptional inducibility on a reporter gene. Consistent with this result, we show that the observed increase in expression of CD2 protein on the cell surface following T cell activation is a post-transcriptional event.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, CD / biosynthesis
  • Antigens, CD / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • Blotting, Northern
  • CD2 Antigens / biosynthesis*
  • CD2 Antigens / genetics*
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / biosynthesis
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Consensus Sequence
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • High Mobility Group Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Interleukin-2 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics
  • Luciferases / biosynthesis
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis
  • NFATC Transcription Factors
  • Nuclear Proteins*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / biosynthesis
  • SOXC Transcription Factors
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • CD2 Antigens
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • High Mobility Group Proteins
  • Interleukin-2
  • NFATC Transcription Factors
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • SOX4 protein, human
  • SOXC Transcription Factors
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Luciferases
  • Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase