Distinct promoters control transmembrane and cytosolic protein tyrosine phosphatase epsilon expression during...

We have recently isolated two cDNAs encoding two forms of transmembrane and cytosolic protein tyrosine phosphatase epsilon (PTPepsilon). In this study, the 5' end of the rat PTPepsilon gene was isolated and characterized. Transmembrane PTPepsilon (PTPepsilonM) and cytosolic PTPepsilon (PTPepsilonC) were encoded by a single gene. 5' RACE analysis and RNase protection assay showed that the mRNA of each PTPepsilon isoform was transcribed from different promoters. The putative promoter regions of two alternative first exons lacked a TATA box, but contained potential recognition sites for several transcription factors. Reverse transcription PCR analysis revealed that PTPepsilonC mRNA was up-regulated during interleukin 6-induced differentiation of murine leukemia M1 cells, whereas PTPepsilonM mRNA was down-regulated. With the use of luciferase as a reporter gene, the promoter activities of the 5'-flanking regions were examined during phorbol myristate acetate-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells. In the differentiated HL-60 cells, the activity of the PTPepsilonC promoter, but not that of PTPepsilonM, was dramatically elevated. Furthermore, we found that PTPepsilonC mRNA is highly expressed in mouse peritoneal macrophages and enhanced during activation by lipopolysaccharide. These results suggest that the different promoters control expression of PTPepsilon isoforms during the differentiation and/or activation of macrophages.