Functional characterization of the L-type pyruvate kinase gene glucose response complex

L-type pyruvate kinase (L-PK) gene expression is modulated by hormonal and nutritional conditions. We have previously shown that the glucose/insulin response element (GlRE) of the L-PK gene is built around two noncanonical E boxes (element L4) that cooperate closely with a contiguous binding site (element L3). We present in this report the identification of proteins that interact with both elements. The L3 site binds hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4)- and COUP/TF-related proteins. In fibroblasts, the overexpression of HNF4 transactivates the L-PK promoter. On the contrary, COUP/TF strongly inhibits the active promoter in hepatocytes. The L4 site binds the major late transcription factor (MLTF) in vitro and ex vivo; mutations that suppress this binding activity also inactivated the GlRE function. Mutations transforming one or two noncanonical E boxes of element L4 into consensus MLTF/USF binding sites strongly increase the affinity for MLTF/USF and do not impair the glucose responsiveness. However, merely the ability to bind MLTF/USF does not seem to be sufficient to confer a GlRE activity: those elements in which one E box has been destroyed and the other has been transformed into a consensus MLTF/USF sequence bind MLTF/USF efficiently but do not confer a high glucose responsiveness on the L-PK gene promoter. Consequently, the full activity of the L-PK GlRE seems to require the cooperation between two putative MLTF/USF binding sites located in the vicinity of an HNF4 binding site.