Cloning and Characterization of the Human Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Receptor Gene 5′-Flanking Region

The insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGFIR) is a membrane-bound glycoprotein that mediates the action of insulin-like growth factors. The cDNAs for the human IGFIR have been cloned and expressed, but the structures of the gene and its promoter have not been elucidated. In this study, we isolated an IGFIR promoter clone from a human chromosome 15 library. This clone contained the promoter, first exon, and a portion of the first intron. Sequence analysis of the 5′ region that contained the promoter revealed that it lacked both TATA and CAAT boxes. The promoter contained binding sites for the transcription factors Sp1, AP-2, and the epidermal growth factor receptor transcription factor (ETF). Primer extension analysis of IGFIR mRNA indicated the presence of a single transcription start site 1,012 bp upstream from the ATG. When the putative promoter was ligated into a promoterless CAT vector and transfected into HEPG2 cells, CAT activity was expressed, indicating that promoter activity was contained in this fragment. Other constructs containing the promoter and portions of the 5′ untranslated region were used in transfection studies, and indicated that the 5′ untranslated regions may play a role in promoter activity. Comparison of the human IGFIR promoter with that of the rat IGFIR promoter revealed significant sequence homology. Comparison of the IGFIR promoter with that of the human insulin receptor (IR) revealed structural similarities, although the arrangement of promoter elements differed.