A 5''-upstream region of a bovine keratin 6 gene confers tissue-specific expression and hyperproliferation-related induction in transgenic mice. |
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| Authors: | A Ramírez M Vidal A Bravo F Larcher J L Jorcano |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Madrid, Spain. |
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| Abstract: | Keratins, the constituents of epithelial intermediate filaments, are precisely regulated in a tissue- and development-specific manner, although little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying this regulation. The expression pattern of keratin 6 is particularly complex, since besides being constitutively expressed in hair follicles and in suprabasal cells of a variety of internal stratified epithelia, it is induced in epidermis in both natural and artificially caused hyperproliferative situations. Therefore, the regulatory sequences controlling keratin 6 gene activity are particularly suitable for target gene expression in a tissue-specific manner. More interestingly, they can be skin-induced in transgenic animals or in gene therapy protocols, particularly those addressing epidermal hyperproliferative disorders. To delimit the regions containing these regulatory elements, different parts of the bovine keratin 6 gene linked to a beta-galactosidase reporter gene have been assayed in transgenic mice. A 9-kbp fragment from the 5' upstream region was able to provide both suprabasal tissue-specific and inducible reporter expression. |
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