The cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 enzyme is responsible for increased prostaglandin formation in inflammatory states and is the major target of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Normally COX-2 expression is tightly regulated, however, constitutive overexpression plays a key role in colon carcinogenesis. To understand the mechanisms controlling COX-2 expression, we examined the ability of the 3′-untranslated region of the COX-2 mRNA to regulate post-transcriptional events. When fused to a reporter gene, the 3′-untranslated region mediated rapid mRNA decay (t 1 2 = 30 min), which was comparable to endogenous COX-2 mRNA turnover in serum-induced fibroblasts treated with actinomycin D or dexamethasone. Deletion analysis demonstrated that a conserved 116-nucleotide AU-rich sequence element (ARE) mediated mRNA degradation. In transiently transfected cells, this region inhibited protein synthesis approximately 3-fold. However, this inhibition did not occur through changes in mRNA stability since mRNA half-life and steady-state mRNA levels were unchanged. RNA mobility shift assays demonstrated a complex of cytoplasmic proteins that bound specifically to the ARE, and UV cross-linking studies identified proteins ranging from 90 to 35 kDa. Fractionation of the cytosol showed differential association of ARE-binding proteins to polysomes and S130 fractions. We propose that these factors influence expression at a post-transcriptional step and, if dysregulated, may increase COX-2 protein as detected in colon cancer.
Post-transcriptional Control of Cyclooxygenase-2 Gene Expression
D. Dixon,Craig D. Kaplan,T. McIntyre,G. Zimmerman,S. Prescott
Published 2000 in Journal of Biological Chemistry
ABSTRACT
PUBLICATION RECORD
- Publication year
2000
- Venue
Journal of Biological Chemistry
- Publication date
2000-04-21
- Fields of study
Biology, Medicine
- Identifiers
- External record
- Source metadata
Semantic Scholar, PubMed
CITATION MAP
EXTRACTION MAP
CLAIMS
CONCEPTS
- are-binding proteins
Proteins that interact with AU-rich RNA elements in the cytoplasm.
- au-rich sequence element
A conserved 116-nucleotide AU-rich segment within the COX-2 3' untranslated region.
Aliases: ARE
- cox-2 3' untranslated region
The noncoding region at the 3' end of COX-2 mRNA.
Aliases: 3'-untranslated region of the COX-2 mRNA
- mrna decay
The degradation and turnover of messenger RNA molecules.
Aliases: mRNA degradation, mRNA turnover
- polysomes
Complexes of a single mRNA with multiple ribosomes during translation.
- protein synthesis
The cellular production of protein from mRNA templates.
REFERENCES
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