Retinoic acid induces liver/bone/kidney-type alkaline phosphatase gene expression in F9 teratocarcinoma cells

Alkaline phosphatase in stem cells

Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme commonly expressed in almost all living organisms. In humans and other mammals, determinations of the expression and activity of alkaline phosphatase have frequently been used for cell determination in developmental studies and/or within clinical trials. Alkaline phosphatase also seems to be one of the key markers in the identification of pluripotent embryonic stem as well as related cells. However, alkaline phosphatases exist in some isoenzymes and isoforms, which have tissue specific expressions and functions. Here, the role of alkaline phosphatase as a stem cell marker is discussed in detail. First, we briefly summarize contemporary knowledge of mammalian alkaline phosphatases in general. Second, we focus on the known facts of its role in and potential significance for the identification of stem cells.

Non-apoptotic functions of caspase-7 during osteogenesis

Caspase-3 and -7 are generally known for their central role in the execution of apoptosis. However, their function is not limited to apoptosis and under specific conditions activation has been linked to proliferation or differentiation of specialised cell types. In the present study, we followed the localisation of the activated form of caspase-7 during intramembranous (alveolar and mandibular bones) and endochondral (long bones of limbs) ossification in mice. In both bone types, the activated form of caspase-7 was detected from the beginning of ossification during embryonic development and persisted postnatally. The bone status was investigated by microCT in both wild-type and caspase-7-deficient adult mice. Intramembranous bone in mutant mice displayed a statistically significant decrease in volume while the mineral density was not altered. Conversely, endochondral bone showed constant volume but a significant decrease in mineral density in caspase-7 knock-out mice. Cleaved caspase-7 was present in a number of cells that did not show signs of apoptosis. PCR array analysis of the mandibular bone of caspase-7-deficient versus wild-type mice pointed to a significant decrease in mRNA levels for Msx1 and Smad1 in early bone formation. These observations might explain the decrease in the alveolar bone volume of adult knock-out mice. In conclusion, this study is the first to report a non-apoptotic function of caspase-7 in osteogenesis and also demonstrates further specificities in endochondral versus intramembranous ossification.

Effects of Cissus quadrangularis on the proliferation, differentiation and matrix mineralization of human osteoblast like SaOS-2 cells

Osteoporosis is a public health problem which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The repair of bone defect is still a big challenge for orthopedic surgeons. Traditional use of Cissus quadrangularis (C. quadrangularis) in the treatment of bone disorders has been documented. The present study was employed to delineate the effects of ethanolic extract of C. quadrangularis on the proliferation, differentiation and matrix mineralization of human osteoblast like SaOS-2 cells. Lactate dehydrogenase assayed in the conditioned medium of control and C. quadrangularis treated cells did not differ significantly indicating that ethanolic extract of C. quadrangularis is nontoxic to osteoblastic cells. [(3)H] Thymidine incorporation assay revealed that C. quadrangularis treatment has increased the DNA synthesis of human osteoblastic SaOS-2 cells indicating increased proliferation of these cells. The data on alizarin red and ALP staining revealed increased matrix mineralization of human osteoblast like SaOS-2 cells. The study also revealed that the anabolic actions of ethanolic extract of C. quadrangularis in human osteoblast like cells are mediated through increased mRNA and protein expression of Runx2, a key transcription factor involved in the regulation of bone matrix proteins. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed increased transcriptional activity of Runx2 on the promoter of osteocalcin after C. quadrangularis treatment. These results indicate positive regulation of C. quadrangularis on the proliferation, differentiation, and matrix mineralization of human osteoblast like SaOS-2 cells.

The effects of retinoic acid on reversing the adipocyte differentiation into an osteoblastic tendency in ST2 cells, a murine bone marrow-derived stromal cell line

Although the mouse bone marrow stromal cell line ST2 has been known to be differentiated into osteoblasts, the differentiation characteristics of the cell into adipocyte and the concerned relationship between its adipogenesis and osteogenesis remains unknown. The adipogenic induction medium which is made up of insulin, dexamethasone (DEX) and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine(IBMX), stimulated the expression of n early adipogenic marker PPAR gamma and a late marker GPDH in ST2 cells. The triglyceride accumulation and lipid stain level generated by the induction medium in ST2 cells was inhibited by RA with IC(50) at about 1 nM. The induction medium up-regulated expression of PPARgamma and GPDH was also inhibited by RA whereas RA (30 nM) exterted no effect on the cell growth. Interestingly, treatment of the cells with induction medium in the presense of RA caused a 3- or 10-fold higher in ALP activity respectively as compared to those treated with RA or the induction medium alone. RT-PCR analysis showed that such a synergistic effect of RA and the induction medium paralleled the process of inhibition on adipogenesis. Additional experiments showed that IBMX played a key role in increasing the effect of RA and ALP activity. Our results suggested that the relationship between adipogenesis and osteogenesis in ST2 cells was reciprocally interrelated and the process of adipogenesis could be potentially reversed into an osteoblastogenic tendency. This is the first report demonstrating that RA transforms adipogenic potential into an osteoblastic tendency.

Cytodifferentiation by retinoids, a novel therapeutic option in oncology: rational combinations with other therapeutic agents

Retinoic acid (RA) and derivatives are promising antineoplastic agents endowed with both therapeutic and chemopreventive potential. Although the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia with all-trans retinoic acid is an outstanding example, the full potential of retinoids in oncology has not yet been explored and a more generalized use of these compounds is not yet a reality. One way to enhance the therapeutic and chemopreventive activity of RA and derivatives is to identify rational combinations between these compounds and other pharmacological agents. This is now possible given the information available on the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying the biological activity of retinoids. At the cellular level, the antileukemia and anticancer activity of retinoids is the result of three main actions, cytodifferentiation, growth inhibition, and apoptosis. Cytodifferentiation is a particularly attractive modality of treatment and differentiating agents promise to be less toxic and more specific than conventional chemotherapy. This is the result of the fact that cytotoxicity is not the primary aim of differentiation therapy. At the molecular level, retinoids act through the activation of nuclear retinoic acid receptor-dependent and -independent pathways. The cellular pathways and molecular networks relevant for retinoid activity are modulated by a panoply of other intracellular and extracellular pathways that may be targeted by known drugs and other experimental therapeutics. This chapter aims to summarize and critically discuss the available knowledge in the field.

Regulation of the human tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase gene expression by all-trans-retinoic acid in SaOS-2 osteosarcoma cell line

While tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) is a well-known indicator of bone formation and all-trans-retinoic acid a key regulator of that process, the relationship between TNSALP and retinoic acid has not yet been clearly described. The aim of the present study was therefore to clarify the mechanism by which retinoic acid modulates expression of TNSALP. After culturing SaOS-2 human osteoblastic osteosarcoma cells in the presence or absence of 10(-6) M all-trans-retinoic acid, real-time RT-PCR confirmed that retinoic acid up-regulates expression of TNSALP mRNA. Notably, this time-dependent induction of TNSALP expression was accompanied by a corresponding increase in detected catalytic activity of the enzyme. When we then isolated the 5'-upstream region of the human TNSALP gene and carried out luciferase assays with a set of deletion mutants, we found that the promoter region contains a retinoic acid response element-like motif. Moreover, electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that the nuclear extract bound to the motif. It thus appears that retinoic acid regulates the expression of human TNSALP via a retinoic acid response element in the genes promoter region.

Alterations of gene expression in endoderm differentiation of F9 teratocarcinoma cells

During the endoderm differentiation of F9 mouse embryonal carcinoma cells, as induced by sodium butyrate (NaBu) or retinoic acid (RA), gene expressions of alkaline phosphatase (ALPase), pyruvate kinase (PKase) and 5' ribonucleotide phosphohydrolase (5'-Nase) were examined. The specific activity of ALPase was found to increase by 3.5-fold after 48 hr treatment with NaBu. In contrast, specific activity of PKase were decreased by 63%. Northern blot analysis revealed that the elevation of ALPase activity resulted from an increase in the level of liver/bone/kidney (L/B/K)-type ALPase mRNA and that the decrease of PKase activity was dependent on a reduction in the level of M(2)-PKase mRNA. Interestingly, when NaBu was removed from the culture medium, the levels of these mRNAs reverted to their original levels after 16 h. During these processes, the specific activity of 5'-Nase and the level of its mRNA remained unchanged. In contrast, when F9 cells were treated with RA, only the level of L/B/K-type ALPase mRNA increased. Lastly, we examined the issue of whether an increase in the level of ALPase mRNA is dependent on the transcriptional activation of the mouse L/B/K-type ALPase gene. Transient transfection assays using luciferase reporter constructs showed that the promoter activity increased as the result of treatment with RA but not with NaBu.

Differential regulation of placental and germ cell alkaline phosphatases by glucocorticoid and sodium butyrate in human gastric carcinoma cell line TMK-1

The expression and regulation of alkaline phosphatase (AP) was studied in the human gastric cancer cell line TMK-1. Biochemical analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the cells express placental, germ cell, and intestinal AP isozymes constitutively. Dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic glucocorticoid, was shown to specifically induce the placental AP activity to about 10-fold and sodium butyrate (NaBu) induced germ cell AP activity to about 4-fold, respectively. In contrast, these two agents showed little effect on the level of intestinal isozymes. Dex and NaBu also differentially induced the mRNA levels of the placental and germ cell APs. Northern blot analysis of the placental AP transcript in the presence of the transcription inhibitor, 5, 6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosyl benzimidazole, revealed that the half-life of placental AP mRNA is about 27 h for both the Dex-treated and untreated cells. Nuclear run-on transcription analysis indicated an apparent increase in the rate of placental AP gene transcription in Dex-treated cells. These results indicated that the effect of Dex occurred primarily by activation of the placental AP gene transcription in the cells. In order to study the direct Dex and NaBu effect on AP gene expression, the proximal promoter regions of AP genes were fused to luciferase reporter vectors. Despite the high similarity in nucleotide sequences of these two genes, transient transfection analysis demonstrated that Dex and NaBu exerted a specific stimulation only through the respective placental and germ cell AP gene promoter. Taken together, this study indicates that the expression of PAP and GCAP isozymes have specific regulatory mechanisms that can be differentially controlled by signals including glucocorticoid and NaBu.

Effects of retinoic acid on N-glycosylation and mRNA stability of the liver/bone/kidney alkaline phosphatase in neuronal cells

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a glycoenzyme that is highly expressed during carcinogenesis and is induced by retinoic acid (RA) in various cells. We investigated the effects of RA on N-linked glycosylation of the tissue nonspecific liver/bone/kidney- type of ALP (L/B/K ALP), on ALP transcripts, and on total protein glycosylation in two neuronal cell lines, P19 and NG108CC15, and in primary cultures of neonatal rat brain. ALP activity was determined in cell extracts and found to be induced by RA. Tunicamycin was used at various concentrations to inhibit protein N-glycosylation. After treatment of cells with low concentrations (0.1 and 0.125 microgram/ml) of tunicamycin for 48 h, uninduced and RA-induced ALP activity declined while incubation with a protease inhibitor restored activity, indicating that the L/B/K ALP bear N-linked oligosaccharide chains important for maintaining enzymatic activity. Interestingly, ALP activity in RA-treated cultures was less inhibited by tunicamycin compared to untreated controls suggesting that RA may have an impact on ALP N-glycosylation. To investigate effects of RA on ALP glycosylation further, incorporation of [(14)C]mannose and [(35)S]methionine into ALP protein was determined in the presence or absence of RA. The ratio of mannosylation and biosynthesis demonstrate that incubation of cells with RA increased [(14)C]mannose incorporation into ALP molecules. Also, the release of free [(14)C]mannose from ALP molecules relative to the amount of protein by N-Glycanase was increased in RA-treated cultures. In addition, mannosylation of total protein was found to be induced in cells after exposure to RA. Analysis of biosynthesized ALP monomers revealed that RA increased glycosylation of the polypeptides. Furthermore, tunicamycin decreased the stability of ALP mRNA, an effect that was reduced by cotreatment with RA. Thus, the degree of N-glycosylation of the L/B/K ALP as well as mRNA and protein levels of this enzyme are affected by RA. The P19 cell line provides a useful model system to study the molecular mechanism(s) underlying the action of RA on glycosylation during neuronal differentiation further.

A parallel association between differentiation and induction of galectin-1, and inhibition of galectin-3 by retinoic acid in mouse embryonal carcinoma F9 cells

Soluble endogenous lactoside-binding lectins, galectins, have been implicated in cell adhesion, growth, differentiation, neoplastic transformation, and metastasis. Two major classes of these lectins, galectin-1 and galectin-3, are developmentally regulated. To explore the mechanisms by which the expression of the galectins is regulated and to examine their association with the differentiation processes induced by all-trans retinoic acid (RA), dibutyryl cyclic AMP (Bt2cAMP) and their combination, we used the murine embryonal carcinoma (EC) cell line F9 and its RA-resistant mutant, RA-3-10. RA induced endodermal differentiation and a concurrent induction of galectin-1 and its complementary glycoconjugates (laminin and lysosomal-associated membrane protein, LAMP) in the F9 wild-type (wt) line, but failed to induce differentiation and had no effects on or even reduced the expression of galectin-1, laminin, and LAMP in the RA-3-10 line. On the other hand, RA inhibited expression of galectin-3 in the wild-type line but had no effect on the RA-3-10 line. The galectin-1 gene is at least partially regulated at the transcriptional level. These results demonstrate a parallel association between differentiation and induction of galectin-1, and inhibition of galectin-3 in F9 cells by RA. The study suggests that a regulated expression of galectins and their complementary glycoconjugates is involved in the differentiation pathway induced by RA in F9 cells.

The effects of retinoic acid on alkaline phosphatase activity and tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase gene expression in human periodontal ligament cells and gingival fibroblasts

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in human periodontal ligament (HPDL) cells is classified as a tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) by its enzymatic and immunological properties. Since retinoic acid (RA) has been shown as a potent inducer of TNSALP expression in various osteoblastic and fibroblastic cells, we investigated the effects of RA on the level of ALP activity and expression of TNSALP mRNAs in HPDL cells. Cultured cells were treated with desired RA concentrations (0, 10(-7), 10(-6), 10(-5) M) in medium containing 1% bovine serum albumin without serum. ALP activity was determined by the rate of hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate and was also assayed in the presence of specific inhibitors. In order to identify the TNSALP mRNA type expressed by HPDL, a set of oligonucleotide primers corresponding to 2 types of human TNSALP mRNA (i.e. bone-type and liver-type) were designed, and mRNA isolated from HPDL was amplified by means of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). After treatment with RA (10(-6) M) for 4 d, there was a significant increase in the ALP activity of HPDL cells. The use of inhibitors and thermal inactivation experiments showed that the increased ALP activity had properties of the TNSALP type. RT-PCR analysis revealed that bone-type mRNA was highly stimulated in HPDL cells by RA treatment, but the expression of liver-type mRNA was not detected. These results indicated that the upregulation of ALP activity in HPDL cells by RA was due to the increased transcription of bone-type mRNA of the TNSALP gene.

Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase a specific marker for the post-mitotic neutrophilic granulocyte: regulation in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) is the product of the gene coding for the liver/bone/kidney-type alkaline phosphatase. In the normal hematopoietic system, the only cell type expressing LAP in basal conditions is the post-mitotic neutrophilic granulocyte. Thus LAP represents a specific and restrictive marker for the terminal maturation of the neutrophilic granulocyte. The study of the factors and the molecular mechanisms responsible for the expression of LAP in cells undergoing granulocytic maturation may shed light on this complex biological process. Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) represents a unique biological model in which it is possible to investigate neutrophilic differentiation. APL blasts undergo rapid and irreversible maturation towards cells morphologically and biochemically resembling normal mature granulocytes upon in vivo and in vitro challenge with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). In this cellular context, we studied the endogenous factors involved in the expression of LAP. The phosphatase is not synthesized in undifferentiated APL blasts and it is expressed only upon treatment with combinations between ATRA and a second cyto-differentiating signal. The second signal may be given by G-CSF, cAMP analogs, IL-6 and to a lesser extent by IL-1 beta. The molecular mechanisms underlying the induction of LAP by combinations of ATRA and G-CSF or cAMP analogs were studied in detail and are the object of this review.

Retinoic acid and methylation cis-regulatory elements control the mouse tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase gene expression

To understand the mechanisms regulating the tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) activity during development, we characterized cis-transcriptional regulatory elements. In embryonic cells and tissues, TNAP expression was driven preferentially by the exon 1A (E1A) promoter, one of the two promoters previously defined. Transcriptional activity of E1A promoter was up-regulated by retinoic acid (RA) through a putative RA-responsive element. Transgenic mice analysis with lacZ reporter constructs revealed negative regulatory elements within 8.5 kb of E1A promoter. Promoter sequences of endogenous TNAP in non-expressing tissues and those carried by the 8.5 kb-lacZ transgene were found to be highly methylated. A 1 kb fragment of E1A promoter increased the methylation level of lacZ and promoter sequences. The role of RA and DNA methylation in defining the embryonic expression pattern of TNAP is discussed.

Retinoic acid and cyclic AMP synergistically induce the expression of liver/bone/kidney-type alkaline phosphatase gene in L929 fibroblastic cells

In L929 mouse fibroblastic cells, liver/bone/kidney type alkaline phosphatase (L/B/K-ALP) enzymic activity is induced by all-trans-retinoic acid at concentrations between 10(-6) and 10(-5) M. At lower concentrations, retinoic acid is incapable of inducing this enzymic activity per se, but increases cyclic AMP (cAMP)-mediated induction. This effect is observed after incubation of the retinoid with dibutyryl cAMP, 8-bromo cAMP or forskolin. The synergism is dependent on the order of addition of retinoic acid and the activator of the cAMP pathway. Contemporaneous addition of the two agents, or addition of cAMP prior to retinoic acid (but not addition of retinoic acid before cAMP), is necessary to produce this synergistic interaction. The synergism results in increased steady-state levels of L/B/K-ALP mRNA and it is the consequence of increased transcriptional activity of the gene. The expression of the mouse L/B/K-ALP gene is regulated by the presence of two leader exons, 1A and 1B, resulting in the synthesis of two alternatively spliced mRNAs that are different only in part of their 5' untranslated region [Studer, Terao, Giannì and Garattini (1991) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 179, 1352-1360]. PCR amplification and nuclear run-on experiments performed using probes specific for each leader exon demonstrate that treatment of these cells with retinoic acid, forskolin or dibutyryl cAMP, and with the combination of the retinoid and one of the cAMP-elevating agents, leads to the accumulation of nascent and mature L/B/K-ALP mRNA containing exon 1B. The synergistic induction of the transcription of the L/B/K-ALP gene is well correlated with quantitative and qualitative changes of retinoic-acid-receptor mRNAs mediated by cAMP.

In vivo biological activity of retinoids partially correlates to their affinity to recombinant retinoic-acid receptor alpha and recombinant-cellular retinoic-acid-binding protein I

Several known and some new retinoids were synthesized and their in vivo activity was investigated by an assay, based on induction of alkaline phosphatase in P19 teratocarcinoma cells, human prostate carcinoma cells and primary cultures of neonatal rat heart cells. The assay used in this study was found to be reproducible and useful for rapid screening of retinoids for biological activity. Two newly synthesized compounds exhibit high biological activity. The biological potency of the compounds was compared to their ability to bind to recombinant retinoic-acid receptor alpha and to cellular retinoic-acid-binding protein I determined by Charsorb-binding assay. mRNA of both retinoic-acid-binding proteins could be detected in the three cell lines investigated. As expected from the number of different retinoic-acid receptors, the results suggest that retinoids do not need to bind retinoic-acid receptor alpha nor cellular retinoic-acid-binding protein I in order to exhibit biological activity, but most retinoids investigated show a clear correlation between binding to these proteins and their biological activity.

Alkaline phosphatase activity during sphinganine potentiation of retinoic acid-induced differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cell line, HL-60

Sphinganine (SP) pre-treatment potentiated the retinoic acid (RA)-induced (4-96h exposures) differentiation and increase of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. A higher percentage of SP pre-treated cells in RA exposures resembled mature myelocytes or granulocytes; greater increase in ALP activity was observed. In cells exposed to RA alone for only a period of 24h, the ALP activity could still increase and reach a similar maximum ALP activity (8.5-10.0 units/mg protein) at 48h as it was under continuous RA treatment. In all cells with longer exposures (24-96h) to RA, SP pre-treatment increased ALP activity to more or less the same higher maximum (14.0-15.5 units/mg protein). SP, added 24h before or concomitantly, but not 24 nor 48h after the addition of RA, could potentiate the RA-induced differentiation and increase of ALP activity.

Interferons induce xanthine dehydrogenase gene expression in L929 cells

Human interferon-alpha A/D (Bg/II) (IFN-alpha A/D) and mouse interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) are shown to induce xanthine dehydrogenase (XD) mRNA in L929 fibroblastic cells. XD mRNA accumulation after IFN-alpha A/D treatment is relatively fast, being already evident after 4 h and reaching its maximum after 24 h. IFN-alpha A/D is active in inducing XD mRNA at 0.1 unit/ml and it is maximally active at 10(3) units/ml. The half-life of the XD message is unaffected by IFN-alpha A/D treatment, whereas the transcriptional activity of the XD gene and the concentrations of XD heterogeneous nuclear RNA are increased by 2- and 6-fold respectively. The effect of IFN-alpha A/D on XD mRNA is insensitive to cycloheximide, suggesting that protein synthesis de novo is not required. Experiments conducted with specific inhibitors suggest that protein kinase C, cyclic AMP and arachidonic acid metabolites derived from lipoxygenase or cyclooxygenase do not act as second-messenger molecules in the induction of XD mRNA by IFN-alpha A/D. XD mRNA is also induced in NIH3T3 fibroblastic cells, but not in F9 teratocarcinoma or B16 melanoma cells after treatment with IFN-alpha A/D. NIH3T3 are the only cells so far tested that have detectable XD and xanthine oxidase activities under basal conditions and after IFN-alpha A/D treatment, although their responsiveness to the cytokine is much less than that observed in L929 cells.

Differential regulation of insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-2 mRNA in liver and bone cells by insulin and retinoic acid in vitro

Isolated cells produce insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and their binding proteins (IGFBPs). Two distinct cell types were studied with regard to IGFBP-2 expression: (i) rat hepatocytes, which produce IGF I at a high rate and thus regulate its plasma concentration; and (ii) rat osteoblasts, which are targets of IGF I action. IGFBP-2 expression is low in hepatocytes prepared from normal adult rats and high in calvaria cells from newborn rats. Retinoic acid stimulates IGFBP-2 production by liver cells. Insulin suppresses both basal and retinoic acid-induced IGFBP-2 mRNA expression in hepatocytes and has no such effect on osteoblasts. Retinoic acid and insulin regulate IGFBP-2 expression in a tissue-specific manner.

Alkaline phosphatase activity during differentiation of the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line, HL-60

The differentiation of HL-60 promyelocytic cells toward mature myelocytic cells induced by retinoic acid (RA) was accompanied by a quantitative similar increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. The potentiation of RA-induced differentiation and the enhancement of ALP activity by sphinganine seemed to correlate with each other. The combination of RA and sphinganine increased in parallel the percentage of mature cells and the ALP activities. Short exposures (4-8h) of HL-60 cells to RA promoted differentiation and ALP activity to a fraction (about 50%) of their maximums which were achieved in cells after 24h or longer RA exposure. Our results indicate that the key step for the induction of ALP activity and the differentiation by RA probably takes place within 24h of incubation.

Characterization of a second promoter for the mouse liver/bone/kidney-type alkaline phosphatase gene: cell and tissue specific expression

The second leader exon and the relative promoter of the mouse liver/bone/kidney-type alkaline phosphatase gene were identified and characterized. The transcription initiation site was determined by S1 mapping analysis. The differential expression of the two alternatively spliced transcripts was assessed in cell lines of different origin and in various tissues by polymerase chain reaction and RNase mapping analysis. The first promoter is active in embryo derived cells, whereas the second promoter is silent in basal conditions but it is activated by dibutyryl cAMP in fibroblastic cells. In the whole animal, the transcript driven by the first promoter is found in most tissues albeit at different levels, while the one driven by the second promoter is specifically expressed at high levels only in the heart.