Isolation and Functional Characterization of the Human Gene Encoding the Myeloid Zinc Finger Protein MZF-1

The expression of the human myeloid zinc finger gene (MZF-1) by human bone marrow cells is necessary for granulopoiesis. We have analyzed the structure and function of the human MZF-1 gene by diagnostic polymerase chain reaction, genomic cloning, and promoter analysis. Comparison of human promyelocytic HL-60 cell cDNA with isolated MZF-1 genomic clones indicated that the human MZF-1 gene is without introns and spans approximately 3 kb. Restriction enzyme mapping and Southern analysis indicated further that the human MZF-1 gene is a single-copy gene. Primer extension studies identified the major transcription start site as a thymidine residue located 1102 bp upstream of the ATG translation start codon. A putative TATA box sequence (TAAAAA) was found at -66 bp and a CCAAT box at - 130 bp relative to the transcription initiation site. In HL-60 cells, MZF-1 mRNA levels are increased by granulopoietic inducers including retinoic acid and GM-CSF. DNA upstream of the transcription start site contains tandem-repeated consensus retinoic acid response elements at -666 through -696 bp and paired putative GM-CSF-responsive sequences centered at -50 and -100 bp. CAT reporter gene constructs containing these DNA regions promoted transcription and conferred transcriptional responsiveness to retinoic acid and GM-CSF when transfected into HL-60 cells. Additional putative regulatory binding sites included conserved MZF-1 zinc finger binding sequences, the importance of which was suggested by the enhanced expression of the endogenous MZF-1 gene following vector-driven expression of MZF-1 constructs in K562 myeloblastic leukemia cells. These findings provide a clearer basis for understanding the role of MZF-1 gene expression in myeloid cell growth and differentiation.