NF-kappa B site-mediated negative regulation of the HIV-1 promoter by CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins in brain-derived cells.

Several transcription regulatory elements that interact with cellular DNA-binding proteins have been identified in the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR). We have identified two sequence motifs in the U3 region of the LTR that are similar to the consensus 9-bp DNA-binding element of the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) family of transcription factors. One of the sequences (promoter-proximal) mapped immediately upstream of the NF-kappa B element, whereas the other (promoter-distal) completely overlapped the upstream stimulatory factor (USF) binding site. In this study, we investigated the role of the enhancer-proximal consensus C/EBP binding sequence in the expression of the HIV-1 LTR. In cotransfection assays we found that although this sequence is a functional C/EBP-responsive element, the regulation of the HIV promoter by C/EBP is very complex. C/EBP isoforms inhibited the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated HIV-1 promoter activity in human glioblastoma U138MG and neuroblastoma SHSY5Y cells, but not in HeLa epithelial cells, and this inhibition required the NF-kappa B element. C/EBP also downregulated the HIV NF-kappa B element-containing SV40 early promoter activity, regardless of the presence of the flanking C/EBP-binding sequences, in the two brain-derived cells. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays with nuclear extracts from HeLa and U138MG cells, purified C/EBP markedly increased the complex formation between endogenous proteins and the NF-kappa B DNA probe without detectable association with the complex. However, with extracts from U138MG cells but not from HeLa cells, a slow migrating complex was observed. Our data suggest that the C/EBP family of transcription factors can downregulate the HIV-1 promoter activity in CNS-derived cells through the NF-kappa B binding elements.