Molecular cloning and characterization of a human urate transporter (hURAT1) gene promoter.

We report the novel cloning and preliminary characterization of a human urate transporter (hURAT1) gene promoter. The transcription initiation site was mapped to a base 337 bp upstream of the ATG start codon by primer extension and 5'-RACE. The minimal functional promoter region is within 253 bp when the promoter/luciferase constructs were transfected into OK cells. The sex hormone testosterone significantly increases promoter activity, suggesting that hormonal regulation of hURAT1 is the root cause of observed differences in urate levels between males and females.