Cloning and characterization of the promoter region of the human prostaglandin F2alpha receptor gene.

The promoter region of the human prostaglandin F2alpha receptor (FP) gene was isolated, sequenced, and characterized. The 5'-flanking region has minimal homology to the bovine, mouse, and rat FP promoters with the exception of a 100-bp region. The human promoter similarly lacks a canonical TATA-box and a CAAT-box. Potential binding sites for SP-1, GATA-1, STAT-1, and AP-1 are present in the 5'-flanking region. One major transcription start site was identified using 5' RLM-RACE analysis and mapped to an adenine residue 262 nucleotides upstream from the initiator codon in exon 2. Transfection of HeLa cells with FP promoter-GFP deletion constructs indicates that the -2437/-1946 region contains repressor activity. DNase I footprinting analysis of this region identifies a footprint over the GATA-like site at -2400. This suggests repression of basal FP transcription may be mediated by a GATA binding site.