Effect of P53 binding site on regulation of human NOD8 gene

AIM: To investigated the characterization and biological function of P53 binding element in the regulation of NOD8 gene. METHODS: Using the method of bioinformatics, we found a completely preserved P53 binding site in NOD8 core promoter both in humans and chimpanzees. NOD8 gene was amplified by PCR from human cDNA and correctly connected into the vector p NOD8 (760 bp)-EGFP-C2/ mp NOD8 (750 bp)-EGFP-C2. The constructed plasmids p NOD8 (760 bp)-EGFP- NOD8 and mp NOD8 (750 bp)-EGFP- NOD8 were transiently transfected into the cell line HEK293 by JetPei^TM and treated with pifithrin alpha (PFT-α,an inhibitor of P53) at different concentrations for 24 h. The mRNA and protein expression levels of NOD8 were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting. In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was performed to determine the binding of P53 to the NOD8 promoter after recombinant plasmid p NOD8 (760 bp)-EGFP was transfected into HEK293 cells. RESULTS: The plasmids p NOD8 (760 bp) -EGFP- NOD8 and mp NOD8 (750 bp)-EGFP- NOD8 were successfully constructed and conformed by restriction digestion and sequence analysis. The results of ChIP confirmed that P53 bound to the promoter of NOD8 . The mRNA expression of NOD8 in the cells transfected with p NOD8 (760 bp)-EGFP- NOD8 was stronger than that in the cells transfected with control vector pEGFP-C2 (P<0.05). Furthermore, the mRNA expression of NOD8 was reduced in HEK293 cells transfectnt with the mutant plasmid mp NOD8 (750 bp)-EGFP- NOD8 compared with the cells transfected with p NOD8 (760 bp)-EGFP- NOD8 . Meanwhile, PFT-α inhibited the mRNA expression of NOD8 in the cells transfected with p NOD8 (760 bp)-EGFP- NOD8 in a concentration-dependent manner, and PFT-α at concentration of 90 μmol/L was the most effective in inhibiting NOD8 mRNA expression (P<0.01). As expected, the protein expression of NOD8 in pNOD8 (760 bp)-EGFP- NOD8 group significantly increased compared with that in pNOD8 -C2 group, the protein expression of NOD8 in mp NOD8 (750 bp)-EGFP- NOD8 group or pNOD8 (760 bp)-EGFP- NOD8 + PFT-α group was dramatically decreased compared with that in p NOD8 (760 bp) -EGFP- NOD8 group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the P53 binding site is critical for the regulation of NOD8 gene and there is positive feedback regulation between P53 binding site and NOD8 , which may maintain efficient balance between defense and self-inflicted injury in response to the invasion of pathogen.