Regions of the rat osteocalcin gene which mediate the effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on gene transcription.

We have cloned the genomic DNA encoding rat osteocalcin and have isolated fragments in the 5' flanking region which mediate the effects of 1,25-(OH)2D3 (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) on osteocalcin gene transcription. Approximately 3 kilobase pairs of the osteocalcin gene's 5' flanking region, including the promoter and transcription start site, were fused to the reporter gene chloramphenicol acetyltransferase. Transfection into ROS 17/2.8 rat osteosarcoma cells demonstrated low level basal expression of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene. The expression increased markedly in the presence of 1,25-(OH)2D3; induction was observed at doses as low as 10(-11) M 1,25-(OH)2D3. Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity increased as early as 16 h after stimulation with 10(-9) M 1,25-(OH)2D3. Basal chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity in ROS 24/1 and 25/1 cells was much lower than in ROS 17/2.8 cells. In these two cell lines, there was little induction of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity in the presence of 10(-9) M 1,25-(OH)2D3. Deletion studies of the 5' flanking region demonstrated two regions that contribute to the induction by 1,25-(OH)2D3. Deletion of a 650-base pair fragment ending 1.4 kilobase pairs upstream from the initiator ATG led to an 80% decrease in responsiveness. Removal of an additional 1.1 kilobase pairs, leaving a 300-base pair promoter containing fragment obliterated responsiveness to 1,25-(OH)2D3.