RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Cell-Specific Regulation of Human Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Expression by Transforming Growth Factor-β1 JF Molecular Pharmacology JO Mol Pharmacol FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 716 OP 724 DO 10.1124/mol.59.4.716 VO 59 IS 4 A1 Wolff, Sandra A1 Harper, Patricia A. A1 Wong, Judy M. Y. A1 Mostert, Volker A1 Wang, Yanping A1 Abel, Josef YR 2001 UL http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/59/4/716.abstract AB Previous studies showed that TGF-β down-regulates aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) expression in human lung carcinoma cells A549. Here we analyzed the molecular mechanisms by which TGF-β modulates AhR expression. A 5799-nucleotide 5′-flanking region of human AhR gene was isolated. Transient transfection studies of full-length (hAhRP) and deletion promoter constructs indicate the requirement of acis-regulatory element encompassing −1980 to −1892 for full constitutive activity. Basal hAhRP activity occurs in a cell-specific manner; human hepatoma HepG2 cells possess a 10-fold higher activity compared with A549 cells. TGF-β exerts cell-specific effects on hAhRP activity. Treatment of cells with 100 pM TGF-β leads to a 50% inhibition in A549 and a 3-fold induction in HepG2 cells. Deletion mutagenesis identified a TGF-β-responsive sequence containing a functional conserved Smad-binding element. Transient overexpression of Smad 2, 3, and 4 indicates that these signal transducers modulate hAhRP activity. The down-regulation of AhR by TGF-β is modulated by 5′-TG-3′-interacting factor (TGIF). Transient overexpression of TGIF in MDA-MB231 and HepG2 cells led to inhibition of hAhRP activity and a similar decrease of AhR mRNA expression. Our findings indicate that Smad proteins are involved in the cell-specific regulation of AhR expression by TGF-β.