Cooperative assembly of androgen receptor into a nucleoprotein complex that regulates the prostate-specific antigen enhancer. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Prostate cancer is characterized by elevated serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). PSA gene expression is controlled by an androgen-responsive transcriptional enhancer. Our study suggests that formation of a nucleoprotein complex, encompassing 170 base pairs of enhancer DNA, mediates androgen-responsive PSA enhancer activity. The complex is assembled by cooperative binding of androgen receptor to at least four tandem, nonconsensus androgen response elements (AREs). Systematic mutagenesis of the AREs demonstrated that they act synergistically to stimulate androgen receptor-responsive gene expression. We discuss a mechanism whereby a combination of high androgen receptor levels in the prostate and low affinity AREs contribute to the cell type specificity and activity of the enhancer.

publication date

  • September 3, 1999

Research

keywords

  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Nucleoproteins
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen
  • Receptors, Androgen

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0033520426

PubMed ID

  • 10464314

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 274

issue

  • 36