A new cis element is involved in the HER2 gene overexpression in human breast cancer cells.

The HER2 proto-oncogene product is overexpressed in 30% of breast cancers, and this correlates with poor prognosis. Increased levels of HER2 mRNA in breast cancer cell lines result from increased gene transcription. We report the identification of a new 17-bp-long cis sequence located between positions -506 and -489 from the transcription start site. This sequence is recognized by a trans-activating factor that we tentatively named HER2 transcription factor (HTF). This factor, involved in the increased transcription of the HER2 gene in the BT-474 mammary tumor cells, has a molecular weight of about Mr 50,000. HTF can also bind, but with a lower affinity, to a related cis sequence present in the epidermal growth factor receptor promoter. Interestingly, the HTF binding activity is high in nuclear extracts from several mammary tumor cells overexpressing the HER2 gene.