Isolation and characterization of the promoter region of the human intercellular adhesion molecule-1 gene.

We have isolated and restriction enzyme-mapped a human genomic DNA clone encompassing the first two exons and the 5' flanking sequence of the human intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) gene. The transcription initiation site was identified using primer extension analysis, and 1.7 kb of DNA upstream of the transcription initiation site was sequenced. The 5' region and first exon of the ICAM-1 gene was found to be a CpG island as it was (i) (G + C)-rich with a high frequency of the dinucleotide CpG and (ii) hypomethylated irrespective of the level of ICAM-1 expression in the tissues examined. These features of the ICAM-1 promoter are similar to the promoters of many 'housekeeping' genes. However, consensus sequences for several potential regulatory elements were found in the 5'-flanking sequence, an observation in keeping with the pattern of strongly regulated ICAM-1 expression. Examination of the chromatin structure upstream of the ICAM-1 gene revealed the presence of a constitutive DNase I-hypersensitive site 1.5 kb upstream of the transcription initiation site. Direct evidence that the upstream region constitutes a promoter element was demonstrated in transient transfection assays. A series of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene (CAT) constructs containing 5' fragments ranging in size from 1054 to 310 bp had equivalent levels of promoter activity when transfected into HeLa cells. Using a CAT construct containing a 447 bp ICAM-1 promoter fragment, we demonstrate an increase in transcription in response to interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), suggesting that this proximal region of the promoter is responsible, at least in part, for IFN-gamma induction of ICAM-1 expression.