Regulation of the human interleukin-3 gene / by Abbas Mohammed Hawwari.

Abstract

To understand the regulation of the human IL-3 gene, this study has investigated the functions of DNase I hypersensitive (DH) sites located upstream and downstream of the gene and focused on a prominent pair of sites located 4.5 kb and 4.1 kb upstream of the IL-3 gene. A 245 bp SacI/StuI DNA fragment (SS245) encompassing the -4.5 kb site increased the activity of a minimal promoter 20 fold in luciferase reporter gene plasmid upon transfection into Jurkat T cells and activation with a combination of phorbol ester (PMA) and calcium ionophore (CaI). In contrast, the -4.1 kb DH site did not increase the activity of the promoter in transient transfection assays, indicating an absence of enhancer activity.