Regulation of tissue-specific expression of alternative peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP22) gene transcripts by two promoters.

Mutations affecting the peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP22) gene have been shown to be associated with inherited peripheral neuropathies. To provide the molecular basis for the analysis of such mutations, we have cloned and characterized the human PMP22 gene. It spans approximately 40 kilobases and contains four coding exons. Detailed analysis of its 5'-flanking region suggested the presence of two alternatively transcribed, but untranslated exons. Mapping of separate PMP22 mRNA transcription initiation sites to each of these exons indicates that PMP22 expression is regulated by two alternatively used promoters. In support of this hypothesis, both putative promoter sequences demonstrated the ability to drive expression of reporter genes in transfection experiments. Furthermore, the structures of the 5'-portions of the PMP22 genes appear to be identical in rat and human, supporting the biological significance of the observed arrangement of regulatory regions. The relative expression of the alternative PMP22 transcripts is tissue-specific, and high levels of the exon 1A-containing transcript are tightly coupled to myelin formation. In contrast, exon 1B-containing transcripts are predominant in non-neural tissues and in growth-arrested primary fibroblasts. Interestingly, although a strong upregulation of PMP22 mRNA was observed in cultured Schwann cells in the presence of the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin under various culture conditions, the regulation of the different PMP22 mRNA species did not mimic the regulation that occurs during myelin formation in vivo. The observed regulation of the PMP22 gene by a complex molecular mechanism is consistent with the proposed dual role of PMP22 in neural and non-neural tissue.