Skip to main content
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1989 Jun;86(12):4455–4459. doi: 10.1073/pnas.86.12.4455

Sequence elements in the human osteocalcin gene confer basal activation and inducible response to hormonal vitamin D3.

S A Kerner 1, R A Scott 1, J W Pike 1
PMCID: PMC287288  PMID: 2786632

Abstract

Osteoblast-specific expression of the bone protein osteocalcin is controlled at the transcriptional level by the steroid hormone 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. As this protein may represent a marker for bone activity in human disease, we examined the regulation of its expression at the molecular level by evaluating human osteocalcin gene promoter function. We describe regions within the promoter that contribute to basal expression of the gene in osteoblast-like cells in culture. Further, we define a 21-base-pair DNA element with the sequence 5'-GTGACTCACCGGGTGAACGGG-3', which acts in cis to mediate 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 inducibility of the osteocalcin gene. This response element bears sequence similarity with other short DNA segments, particularly those for estrogen and thyroid hormone, which act together with their respective trans-acting receptors to modulate gene transcription.

Full text

PDF
4457

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Baker A. R., McDonnell D. P., Hughes M., Crisp T. M., Mangelsdorf D. J., Haussler M. R., Pike J. W., Shine J., O'Malley B. W. Cloning and expression of full-length cDNA encoding human vitamin D receptor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 May;85(10):3294–3298. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.10.3294. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Celeste A. J., Rosen V., Buecker J. L., Kriz R., Wang E. A., Wozney J. M. Isolation of the human gene for bone gla protein utilizing mouse and rat cDNA clones. EMBO J. 1986 Aug;5(8):1885–1890. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04440.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chomczynski P., Sacchi N. Single-step method of RNA isolation by acid guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform extraction. Anal Biochem. 1987 Apr;162(1):156–159. doi: 10.1006/abio.1987.9999. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Conneely O. M., Dobson A. D., Tsai M. J., Beattie W. G., Toft D. O., Huckaby C. S., Zarucki T., Schrader W. T., O'Malley B. W. Sequence and expression of a functional chicken progesterone receptor. Mol Endocrinol. 1987 Aug;1(8):517–525. doi: 10.1210/mend-1-8-517. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Demay M. B., Roth D. A., Kronenberg H. M. Regions of the rat osteocalcin gene which mediate the effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on gene transcription. J Biol Chem. 1989 Feb 5;264(4):2279–2282. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dokoh S., Donaldson C. A., Haussler M. R. Influence of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on cultured osteogenic sarcoma cells: correlation with the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor. Cancer Res. 1984 May;44(5):2103–2109. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Epstein S., Poser J., McClintock R., Johnston C. C., Jr, Bryce G., Hui S. Differences in serum bone GLA protein with age and sex. Lancet. 1984 Feb 11;1(8372):307–310. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(84)90360-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Evans R. M. The steroid and thyroid hormone receptor superfamily. Science. 1988 May 13;240(4854):889–895. doi: 10.1126/science.3283939. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Glass C. K., Franco R., Weinberger C., Albert V. R., Evans R. M., Rosenfeld M. G. A c-erb-A binding site in rat growth hormone gene mediates trans-activation by thyroid hormone. Nature. 1987 Oct 22;329(6141):738–741. doi: 10.1038/329738a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gorman C. M., Moffat L. F., Howard B. H. Recombinant genomes which express chloramphenicol acetyltransferase in mammalian cells. Mol Cell Biol. 1982 Sep;2(9):1044–1051. doi: 10.1128/mcb.2.9.1044. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Gundberg C. M., Lian J. B., Gallop P. M., Steinberg J. J. Urinary gamma-carboxyglutamic acid and serum osteocalcin as bone markers: studies in osteoporosis and Paget's disease. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1983 Dec;57(6):1221–1225. doi: 10.1210/jcem-57-6-1221. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Haussler M. R., McCain T. A. Basic and clinical concepts related to vitamin D metabolism and action (second of two parts). N Engl J Med. 1977 Nov 10;297(19):1041–1050. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197711102971906. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Jones K. A., Yamamoto K. R., Tjian R. Two distinct transcription factors bind to the HSV thymidine kinase promoter in vitro. Cell. 1985 Sep;42(2):559–572. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(85)90113-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kawai S., Nishizawa M. New procedure for DNA transfection with polycation and dimethyl sulfoxide. Mol Cell Biol. 1984 Jun;4(6):1172–1174. doi: 10.1128/mcb.4.6.1172. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Klock G., Strähle U., Schütz G. Oestrogen and glucocorticoid responsive elements are closely related but distinct. Nature. 1987 Oct 22;329(6141):734–736. doi: 10.1038/329734a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Kumar V., Chambon P. The estrogen receptor binds tightly to its responsive element as a ligand-induced homodimer. Cell. 1988 Oct 7;55(1):145–156. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(88)90017-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Kumar V., Green S., Stack G., Berry M., Jin J. R., Chambon P. Functional domains of the human estrogen receptor. Cell. 1987 Dec 24;51(6):941–951. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90581-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Kunkel T. A., Roberts J. D., Zakour R. A. Rapid and efficient site-specific mutagenesis without phenotypic selection. Methods Enzymol. 1987;154:367–382. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(87)54085-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Luckow B., Schütz G. CAT constructions with multiple unique restriction sites for the functional analysis of eukaryotic promoters and regulatory elements. Nucleic Acids Res. 1987 Jul 10;15(13):5490–5490. doi: 10.1093/nar/15.13.5490. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Majeska R. J., Rodan S. B., Rodan G. A. Parathyroid hormone-responsive clonal cell lines from rat osteosarcoma. Endocrinology. 1980 Nov;107(5):1494–1503. doi: 10.1210/endo-107-5-1494. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. McDonnell D. P., Scott R. A., Kerner S. A., O'Malley B. W., Pike J. W. Functional domains of the human vitamin D3 receptor regulate osteocalcin gene expression. Mol Endocrinol. 1989 Apr;3(4):635–644. doi: 10.1210/mend-3-4-635. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Nishimoto S. K., Price P. A. Secretion of the vitamin K-dependent protein of bone by rat osteosarcoma cells. Evidence for an intracellular precursor. J Biol Chem. 1980 Jul 25;255(14):6579–6583. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Peterson G. L. A simplification of the protein assay method of Lowry et al. which is more generally applicable. Anal Biochem. 1977 Dec;83(2):346–356. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(77)90043-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Pike J. W. Emerging concepts on the biologic role and mechanism of action of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Steroids. 1987 Jan-Mar;49(1-3):3–27. doi: 10.1016/0039-128x(87)90077-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Poser J. W., Price P. A. A method for decarboxylation of gamma-carboxyglutamic acid in proteins. Properties of the decarboxylated gamma-carboxyglutamic acid protein from calf bone. J Biol Chem. 1979 Jan 25;254(2):431–436. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Price P. A., Baukol S. A. 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 increases synthesis of the vitamin K-dependent bone protein by osteosarcoma cells. J Biol Chem. 1980 Dec 25;255(24):11660–11663. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Price P. A., Parthemore J. G., Deftos L. J. New biochemical marker for bone metabolism. Measurement by radioimmunoassay of bone GLA protein in the plasma of normal subjects and patients with bone disease. J Clin Invest. 1980 Nov;66(5):878–883. doi: 10.1172/JCI109954. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Sanger F., Nicklen S., Coulson A. R. DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977 Dec;74(12):5463–5467. doi: 10.1073/pnas.74.12.5463. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Schüle R., Muller M., Kaltschmidt C., Renkawitz R. Many transcription factors interact synergistically with steroid receptors. Science. 1988 Dec 9;242(4884):1418–1420. doi: 10.1126/science.3201230. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Strähle U., Klock G., Schütz G. A DNA sequence of 15 base pairs is sufficient to mediate both glucocorticoid and progesterone induction of gene expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Nov;84(22):7871–7875. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.22.7871. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Strähle U., Schmid W., Schütz G. Synergistic action of the glucocorticoid receptor with transcription factors. EMBO J. 1988 Nov;7(11):3389–3395. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb03212.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Tsai S. Y., Carlstedt-Duke J., Weigel N. L., Dahlman K., Gustafsson J. A., Tsai M. J., O'Malley B. W. Molecular interactions of steroid hormone receptor with its enhancer element: evidence for receptor dimer formation. Cell. 1988 Oct 21;55(2):361–369. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(88)90059-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Waterman M. L., Adler S., Nelson C., Greene G. L., Evans R. M., Rosenfeld M. G. A single domain of the estrogen receptor confers deoxyribonucleic acid binding and transcriptional activation of the rat prolactin gene. Mol Endocrinol. 1988 Jan;2(1):14–21. doi: 10.1210/mend-2-1-14. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Yamamoto K. R. Steroid receptor regulated transcription of specific genes and gene networks. Annu Rev Genet. 1985;19:209–252. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ge.19.120185.001233. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Yoon K. G., Rutledge S. J., Buenaga R. F., Rodan G. A. Characterization of the rat osteocalcin gene: stimulation of promoter activity by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Biochemistry. 1988 Nov 15;27(23):8521–8526. doi: 10.1021/bi00423a003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America are provided here courtesy of National Academy of Sciences

RESOURCES