Cloning of aminopeptidase N promoter and its activity in hematopoietic cell and different tumor cell lines

Aminopeptidase N (APN) promoter region was cloned and sequenced from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The recombinant reporter construct containing the promoter and luciferase gene, designated pXP1-APNLuc, was introduced into myeloblastic cell line, T lymphocyte cell line and various tumor cell lines. Luciferase assay showed that APN upstream promoter is myeloid-specific for high expression in myeloblastic cell line and much lower expression in T lymphocyte cell line. The promoter activity was relatively high in lung adenoma cell line compared with other tumor cell lines including hepatoma cell line, tong cancer cell line and esophageal cancer cell line in which the promoter activity significantly diminished or was almost undetectable. The characteristics of APN promoter may provide a new strategy for specific myeloprotection while tumor patients are being treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.