Regulation of the human high affinity IgE receptor β-chain gene expression via an intronic element

The high affinity IgE receptor, FcεRI, is a key regulatory molecule in the allergic reaction. By screening for cis-acting elements over the entire region of the human FcεRI β-chain gene, a sequence located in the fourth intron was revealed to serve as a repressor element. This element was recognized by a transcription factor, myeloid zinc finger protein 1 (MZF-1). Introduction of MZF-1 antisense inhibited the suppressive effect of the element on the β-chain promoter and increased the mRNA for the β-chain in KU812 cells, indicating that MZF-1 repressed human FcεRI β-chain gene expression via the element in the fourth intron. Furthermore, it was suggested that a cofactor binding with MZF-1, whose expression level Was different among the cell types, was required for transcriptional repression by MZF-1.