Regulation of human alcohol dehydrogenase gene ADH7: importance of an AP-1 site

An enhancer-blocking element regulates the cell-specific expression of alcohol dehydrogenase 7

The class IV alcohol dehydrogenase gene ADH7 encodes an enzyme that is involved in ethanol and retinol metabolism. ADH7 is expressed mainly in the upper gastrointestinal tract and not in the liver, the major site of expression of the other closely related ADHs. We identified an intergenic sequence (iA1C), located between ADH7 and ADH1C, that has enhancer-blocking activity in liver-derived HepG2 cells that do not express their endogenous ADH7. This enhancer blocking function was cell- and position-dependent, with no activity seen in CP-A esophageal cells that express ADH7 endogenously. iA1C function was not specific to the ADH enhancers; it had a similar cell-specific effect on the SV40 enhancer. The CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF), an insulator binding protein, bound iA1C in HepG2 cells but not in CP-A cells. Our results suggest that in liver-derived cells, iA1C blocks the effects of ADH enhancers and thereby contributes to the cell specificity of ADH7 expression.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms interact to affect ADH7 transcription

BACKGROUND

The class IV alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH7, μ-ADH, σ-ADH) is important in the metabolism of ethanol and retinol. ADH7 is the only ADH not expressed in liver, instead being expressed mainly in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Genome-wide studies have identified significant associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ADH7 and alcoholism and cancer, but the causative variants have not been identified.

METHODS

In vitro studies of gene expression by transient transfection into cell lines that express endogenous ADH7 (CP-A cells) and that do not (HepG2 cells).

RESULTS

We have identified transcriptional regulatory elements of ADH7 and observed differences in the effects of variants on gene expression in CP-A cells and HepG2 cells. Two haplotypes of the proximal promoter that differ in a single nucleotide at rs2851028, A7P-G and A7P-A, have different transcriptional activities. There is an interaction between variants farther upstream and these proximal variants: Upstream regulatory sequences generally showed a greater increase or smaller reduction in activity when combined with the A7P-A promoter than with the A7P-G promoter. A sequence located 12.5-kb upstream (7P10) can function as an enhancer. In CP-A cells, both haplotypes of 7P10 increased A7P-A activity by 2.5-fold while having only 1.2-fold effect on A7P-G. In HepG2 cells, the 7P10-TTT haplotype had no effect on the A7P-A promoter but decreased A7P-G promoter activity by 50%, whereas the CTT haplotype increased A7P-A activity by 50%, but had no effect on A7P-G.

CONCLUSIONS

These complex interactions indicate that the effects of variants in the ADH7 regulatory elements depend on both sequence and cellular context and should be considered in interpretation of the association of variants with alcoholism and cancer.

Human class IV alcohol dehydrogenase: kinetic mechanism, functional roles and medical relevance

Human alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) constitutes a complex family. Class IV ADH (ADH4) is characteristic in its epithelial expression in the aerodigestive tract and high V(max) and K(m) for oxidation of ethanol. ADH4 exhibits the highest catalytic efficiency for retinol oxidation in human ADH family. Initial velocity, product inhibition, and dead-end inhibition studies indicate that ADH4, when functioning as ethanol dehydrogenase, conforms to an ordered sequential mechanism with coenzyme binding first and releasing last in catalytic cycle. When functioning as retinol dehydrogenase, the mechanism of ADH4 deduced from steady-state kinetic and equilibrium-binding studies is best described as a rapid equilibrium random mechanism with two dead-end ternary complex for retinol oxidation and a rapid equilibrium ordered mechanism with one dead-end ternary complex for retinal reduction, a unique mechanistic form for zinc-containing ADHs in the medium chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily. Kinetic and genetic studies support the proposal that ADH4 may play two important physiological roles, i.e., as a major contributor to first-pass metabolism of ethanol in stomach as well as involvement in the synthesis of retinoic acid, a hormonal ligand controlling a nuclear receptor signaling pathway that regulates growth, development, and epithelial maintenance. Quantitative simulation studies indicate that retinol metabolism through ADH pathway can be inhibited to a significant extent during alcohol consumption. The perturbation of retinoic acid synthesis by ethanol may underlie the pathogenesis of fetal alcohol syndrome and alcohol-related upper digestive tract cancer.

Gene structure and promoter for Crad2 encoding mouse cis-retinol/3alpha-hydroxysterol short-chain dehydrogenase isozyme

Cis-retinol/androgen dehydrogenase type 2 (CRAD2) has been shown to catalyze the dehydrogenation of retinols, including 9-cis retinol, and also to exhibit 3alpha- and 17beta- hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities. To examine the function of this enzyme and regulation of its gene, the Crad2 gene was cloned from a mouse genomic DNA library and characterized. The complete mouse CRAD2-coding region was found in four exons spanning an approximately 5kb region. The nucleotide sequences of the exons encoding 316 amino acids were identical to those of the previously reported mouse Crad2 cDNA. Primer extension analysis and RNase protection assay were used to map the major transcription initiation sites to the positions lying 87 and 89 base pairs upstream of the ATG translation start codon. The region proximal to the initiation sites exhibited the absence of both TATAA and CAAT boxes. This region had hepatocyte nuclear factor binding sites, consistent with its predominant expression in the liver. Computer analysis of an approximately 7.5kb 5'-flanking region also suggested the presence of binding sites for AP-1, SREBP1, HSF2, c-Rel, c-Myc, CREBP, GATA, Ets, E2F, and Oct-1, suggesting that various factors including retinoic acid, cholesterol, various kinds of stress, the cell cycle, and cyclic AMP may regulate the expression of this gene. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization analysis showed that Crad2 is located at the terminus of mouse chromosome 10, an area that corresponds to band 10D3, suggesting that RDH-related SDRs may be located together in the cluster locus. Northern blot hybridization and RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that CRAD2 was expressed not in early embryonic stages, and not in embryonic stem cells, but instead in the gastrointestinal tract during later embryonic development and adult stage. In conclusion, we have presented the first complete structural analysis, including that of the promoter and chromosomal location, of a member of the retinol/androgen dehydrogenase subfamily of the group of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) isozymes. Our findings will provide the basis for in-vitro or in-vivo studies concerning the regulation of retinol and androgen metabolism and enable determination of the mechanism of diseases related to retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, and androgen.

Regulation of the mammalian alcohol dehydrogenase genes

This review focuses on the regulation of the mammalian medium-chain alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) genes. This family of genes encodes enzymes involved in the reversible oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes. Interest in these enzymes is increased because of their role in the metabolism of beverage alcohol as well as retinol, and their influence on the risk for alcoholism. There are six known classes ADH genes that evolved from a common ancestor. ADH genes differ in their patterns of expression: most are expressed in overlapping tissue-specific patterns, but class III ADH genes are expressed ubiquitously. All have proximal promoters with multiple cis-acting elements. These elements, and the transcription factors that can interact with them, are being defined. Subtle differences in sequence can affect affinity for these factors, and thereby influence the expression of the genes. This provides an interesting system in which to examine the evolution of tissue specificity. Among transcription factors that are important in multiple members of this gene family are the C/EBPs, Sp1,USF, and AP1, HNF-1, CTF/NF-1, glucocorticoid, and retinoic acid receptors, and several as-yet unidentified negative elements, are important in at least one of the genes. There is evidence that cis-acting elements located far from the proximal promoter are necessary for proper expression. Three of the genes have upstream AUGs in the 5' nontranslated regions of their mRNA, unusual for mammalian genes. The upstream AUGs have been shown to significantly affect expression of the human ADH5 gene.