Upstream Stimulatory Factor is Required for Human Angiotensinogen Expression and Differential Regulation by the A-20C Polymorphism

Among naturally occurring polymorphisms in the 5' flanking region of the human angiotensinogen (AGT) gene, the -20 and -217 polymorphisms have the strongest effects on AGT regulation in AGT-expressing cells derived from liver, kidney, brain, and fat. These polymorphisms may affect allele-specific transcription factor binding, and the high-expressing alleles are both relatively common. We show herein that the -20C allele has higher transcriptional activity than -20A, and the -20A allele confers no additional transactivation potential beyond that of a mutated vector. Gel-shift assays show that upstream stimulatory factor (USF)1 and USF2 preferentially bind the -20C allele, whereas the -20A allele retains a low affinity USF binding site. Plasmid immunoprecipitation assays confirmed preferential association of USF1 with the -20C allele in transfected HepG2 cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation confirmed that USF1 binds to the endogenous AGT -20C allele in CCF cells, the only cell line tested that carries the -20C allele, and to the human AGT promoter in liver and adipose tissue from transgenic mice. Transduction of AGT-expressing cells with short hairpin RNAs specifically targeting USF1 or USF2, resulted in cell- and allele-specific attenuation of AGT promoter activity. In vivo, knockdown of USF expression in the liver of transgenic mice expressing the -20C allele of AGT resulted in lower AGT expression, a decrease in circulating human AGT protein but no change in expression of GAPDH or hepatocyte nuclear factor-4alpha. We conclude that USF1 functionally and differentially regulates AGT expression via the -20 polymorphism and that the differential expression exhibited by -20 can be accounted for by differential association with USF1.