Transcriptional regulation of the TCA3 gene in mast cells after Fc epsilon RI cross-linking.

TCA3 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine expressed in mast cells after activation. To examine how this gene is regulated, TCA3 mRNA levels were examined and nuclear run-on experiments and promoter analysis were performed. Northern blot analysis showed that TCA3 message appeared in mast cells within 2 h after induction, with a t1/2 of 30 min. Nuclear run-on experiments revealed that the appearance of TCA3 mRNA occurred in large part because of an increase in the level of de novo transcription. Analysis of the promoter region demonstrated that inducible gene expression was directed by a region extending between 1.324 kb and 0.082 kb upstream from the transcription start site. There was a 60- to 80-fold induction with TCA3 CAT constructs extending between 1.324 kb and 0.324 kb upstream from the transcription start site after treatment with PMA/A23187 and a 30- to 40-fold induction with Fc epsilon RI cross-linking. There was a seven- to eightfold induction with the region extending between 0.136 kb and 0.082 kb upstream from the transcription start site. TCA3 CAT constructs containing regions encompassing either the 0.042 kb or 2.0 kb sequence from the transcription start site were not able to direct CAT-protein synthesis. The TCA3 5' flanking sequence contained negative regulatory activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that protein in nuclear extracts of activated mast cells bound to an NF-kappa B element of the TCA3 gene. These findings demonstrate that the TCA3 gene is regulated transcriptionally in mast cells, with minimal promoter sequences contained within the 0.082 kb upstream region of the TCA3 gene; a putative enhancer NF-kappa B element is contained between 0.324 kb and 0.136 kb and a putative inhibitory element is contained between 1.324 kb and 2.0 kb upstream from the transcription start site.