PLATELET-DERIVED GROWTH-FACTOR INCREASES THE ACTIVITY OF THE PROMOTER OF THE INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH-FACTOR-I (IGF-1) RECEPTOR GENE

Stimulation by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is known to increase the number of IGF-I binding sites in cells in culture. We show here that PDGF also increases the levels of IGF-1 receptor mRNA. Using cell lines stably transfected with an expression plasmid in which the reporter luciferase gene is under the control of the rat IGF-1 receptor gene promoter, we find that PDGF increases the activity of this promoter. A short IGF-1 receptor gene promoter, comprising about 100 base pairs of the sequence immediately upstream of the initiation of transcription site, is sufficient for a response to the stimulatory action of PDGF. These results suggest that an increase in RNA levels and in promoter activity may play an important role in the increase in IGF-1 receptor levels that occurs after stimulation by PDGF. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.