The regulation of albumin and α-fetoprotein gene expression in mammals

摘要: Abstract Albumin and α-fetoprotein (AFP) are two plasma proteins synthesized by the liver yolk sac. The production of these major is subject to considerable characteristic variations during both course development hepatic carcinogenesis. It therefore a system choice for analysis genetic expression normal differentiation cancerous state eukaryotic cells. knowledge regulatory mechanisms at cellular molecular levels albumin AFP genes has recently made great progress: 1) cells which responsible synthesis in other organs have been defined conjointly using vitro vivo hybridization techniques; 2) organization their adjoining regions established rat, mouse man; 3) level regulated determined; it transcriptional level. regulation could be result genome and/or chromatin conformation modifications. Different groups shown that: global structure does not change carcinogenesis; modifications methylation certain specific cytosines associated with transcription genes; or local (hypersensitive sites DNase I) changes correlated potential overt activity genes. Very ‘regulatory’ having cis ‘enhancer’ ‘silencer’ properties detected upstream from These hypothesized DNA ‘target’ sequences on trans-acting factors fixed control Starting framework this recent work, model gene proposed.