Binding of steroidogenic factor-1 to the regulatory region might not be critical for transcriptional regulation of the human CYP1B1 gene

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1B1, which catalyzes 17 beta-estradiol 4-hydroxylation, is expressed in steroid-related tissues including ovary, testis, and adrenal gland. Generally, the expressions of steroidogenic CYPs are transcriptionally regulated by steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) and cAMP response element (CRE) binding protein (CREB). In the present study, we examined the possibility that the human CYP1B1 gene might be regulated by SF-1 and CREB. Gel shift analyses revealed that in vitro translated SF-1 can bind to the putative SF-1 binding sites, SF-1a (at -1722) and SF-1b (at -2474), on the CYP1B1 gene. In vitro translated CREB barely binds to the putative SF-1 binding sites. Luciferase analysis revealed that a reporter plasmid, pGL3 (-2623/+25), containing the SF-la and SF-1b elements is transactivated by the concomitant co-expression of SF-1 and protein kinase A (PKA). However, the transcriptional activity is induced by PKA alone. Mutations in the SF-1a and SF-1b elements did not affect the luciferase activity. Thus, the binding of SF-1 to the putative SF-1 binding sites of the human CYP1B1 gene might not be essential for transcriptional regulation. Interestingly, deletion and mutation analyses indicated that the PKA signaling pathway is involved in the xenobiotic responsive element (XRE)-mediated transactivation of the human CYP1B1 gene.