Transcriptional Regulation of Renin

Abstract
Renin, as a component of the renin-angiotensin system, plays important roles in the regulation of blood pressure, electrolyte homeostasis, and mammalian renal development. Transcription of renin genes is subject to complex developmental and tissue-specific regulation. Progress has been made recently in elucidating the molecular mechanisms involved in renin gene expression. Using mouse As4.1 cells, which have many features characteristic of the renin-expressing juxtaglomerular cells of kidney, a proximal promoter region (−197 to −50 bp) and an enhancer (−2866 to −2625 bp) have been identified in the mouse renin gene, Ren-1c, that are critical for its expression. The proximal promoter region contains at least 7 transcription factor-binding sites, including a binding site for the products of Hox, developmental control genes. The enhancer consists of at least 11 transcription factor-binding sites and is responsive to various signal transduction pathways, including cAMP, retinoic acid, endothelin-1, and cytoki...