Differential regulation of the transforming growth factor type-beta 2 gene promoter in embryonal carcinoma cells and their differentiated cells.

Previous studies have shown that EC cells do not express detectable levels of TGF-beta 2 or its mRNA until they differentiate. This suggested that differentiation influences the transcription of the TGF-beta 2 gene in this model system. To address this possibility, we have examined the activity of the TGF-beta 2 promoter in EC cells and their differentiated cells using gene constructs containing various portions of the TGF-beta 2 promoter inserted upstream of the reporter gene, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT). We determined that the level of CAT increases approximately ninefold when EC cells were induced to differentiate. Our studies also indicate that the TGF-beta 2 promoter contains at least two positive regulatory elements that are separated by a negative regulatory element. Finally, we have identified a CRE/ATF-like site that appears to be responsible for a positive regulatory element located between -77 and -40.