Transforming growth factor-α enhances cyclin D1 transcription through the binding of early growth response protein to a cis-regulatory element in the cyclin D1 promoter

Cyclin D1 is a critical oncogene involved in the regulation of progression through the G(1) phase of the cell cycle, thereby contributing to cell proliferation. This is mediated through interaction of cyclin D1 with its catalytic partners, the cyclin dependent kinases, and the subsequent phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein. Cyclin D1, in turn, is regulated by mitogenic stimuli. We demonstrate that transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF alpha) induces cyclin D1 mRNA in esophageal squamous epithelial cells, and this appears to correlate with increased cyclin D1 protein expression and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 activity. The induction of cyclin D1 transcription by TGF alpha is mediated in part through the induction of the early growth response protein (Egr-1) and its subsequent binding of Egr-1 to a cis-regulatory region spanning nucleotides -144 to -104 of the cyclin D1 promoter. The Egr-1 binding activity to the cyclin D1 promoter appears to require de novo protein synthesis and is not influenced by Sp1 binding to overlapping Sp1 motifs. Taken together, these data provide evidence that TGF alpha enhances cyclin D1 transcription through the induction of Egr-1 binding to a cis-regulatory region in the cyclin D1 promoter. This has important mechanistic implications into the transcriptional regulation of cyclin D1 by an essential proproliferative growth factor and cell cycle progression.