Korean J Parasitol.  2010 Dec;48(4):291-295. 10.3347/kjp.2010.48.4.291.

Transcriptional Activity of Plasmodium Subtilisin-like Protease 2 (Pf-Sub2) 5'Untranslated Regions and Its Interaction with Hepatocyte Growth Factor

• Liao S
• Liu Y
• Jung SY
• Cho PY
• Zheng B
• Park H

• KMID: 1104694
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2010.48.4.291

Abstract

The onset, severity, and ultimate outcome of malaria infection are influenced by parasite-expressed virulence factors and individual host responses to these determinants. In both humans and mice, liver injury is involved after parasite entry, which persists until the erythrocyte stage after infection with the fatal strain Plasmodium falciparum (Pf). Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has strong anti-apoptotic effects in various kinds of cells, and also has diverse metabolic functions. In this work, Pf-subtilisin-like protease 2 (Pf-Sub2) 5'untranslated region (UTR) was analyzed and its transcriptional activity was estimated by luciferase expression. Fourteen TATA boxes were observed but only one Oct-1 and c-Myb were done. In addition, host HGF interaction with Pf-Sub2 was evaluated by co-transfection of HGF- and Pf-Sub2-cloned vector. Interestingly, -1,422/+12 UTR exhibited the strongest luciferase activity but -329 to +12 UTR did not exhibit luciferase activity. Moreover, as compared with the control of unexpressed HGF, the HGF protein suppressed luciferase expression driven by the 5'untranslated region of the Pf-Sub2 promoter. Taken together, it is suggested that HGF controls and interacts with the promoter region of the Pf-Sub2 gene.

Keyword

Plasmodium falciparum; malaria; subtilisin-like protease 2; hepatocyte growth factor; 5'untranslated reagion; promoter

MeSH Terms

*5' Untranslated Regions
Artificial Gene Fusion
Cell Line
Genes, Reporter
Hepatocyte Growth Factor/*metabolism
Hepatocytes/parasitology
*Host-Parasite Interactions
Humans
Luciferases/genetics/metabolism
Plasmodium falciparum/*pathogenicity
Protein Binding
Subtilisins
*Transcription, Genetic