pDRIVE-EGR1

EGR1 promoter (Ubiquitous, radiation inducible) in pDRIVE expression plasmid

Inducible by radiation 
Egr-1 is a member of the early growth response gene family like the c-fos and c-jun protooncogenes. Egr-1 expression is induced in many types of cells by various mitogenic stimuli or malignant transformation signals.

The Egr-1 promoter is known to be transiently activated by ionizing radiation. The radiation responsiveness is conferred by four CArG elements grouped in the 5’ distal region of the promoter [1].

The radiation inducibility of the Egr-1 promoter has been exploited in several experimental gene therapy strategies. In one of them, ionizing radiation was able to increase the expression of HSV1-tk 15- to 28-fold in human hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and to significantly reduce the tumor size in nude mice [2].

References:

1. Datta R. et al. 1992. Ionizing radiation activates transcription of the EGR1 gene via CArG elements. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 89:10149-53.
2. Kawashita Y. et al. 1999. Regression of hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo by radiosensitizing suicide gene therapy under the inducible and spatial control of radiation. Hum Gene Ther. 10(9):1509-19.