Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a widely used clinical tumor marker, functions in vitro as an adhesion molecule and is the prototype for a family of glycoproteins, which includes nonspecific crossreacting antigen (NCA) and biliary glycoprotein (BGP). This study examines the control processes responsible for the overproduction of the CEA family in carcinomas and identifies the trans-acting factors which mediate CEA and BGP gene transcription. During differentiation and $ gamma$-interferon treatment, CEA and NCA are regulated at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and transcriptional control is markedly different between these two corresponding genes. Characterization of the CEA gene promoter revealed both negative and positive regulatory elements and tissue-specific, differentiation-dependent interactions with USF, Sp1, Sp1-like, AP-2-like and novel silencer transcription factors. Characterization of the BGP promoter identified one positively-acting element binding both USF and HNF-4/LF-A1, thereby contributing to distinct BGP gene expression. The Sp1, Sp1-like and silencer factors are specific to CEA gene transcription.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.41294 |
| Date | January 1993 |
| Creators | Hauck, Wendy |
| Contributors | Stanners, C. P. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Biochemistry.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001351484, proquestno: NN91833, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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