Activation of stress-activated MAP protein kinases up-regulates expression of transgenes driven by the cytomegalovirus immediate/early promoter

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Abstract
The immediate/early promoter/enhancer of cytomegalovirus (CMV promoter) is one of the most commonly used promoters for expression of transgenes in eukaryotic cells. In practice, the CMV promoter is often thought of as a constitutively active unregulated promoter. However, we have observed that transcription from the CMV promoter can be up-regulated by a variety of environmental stresses. Many forms of cellular stress stimulate MAP kinase signalling pathways, resulting in activation of stress-activated protein kinases [SAPKs, also called Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs)] and p38 kinases. We have found that the same conditions that lead to activation of SAPK/JNKs and p38 kinases can also dramatically increase expression from the CMV promoter. Inhibitors of p38 kinases abolished basal transcription from the CMV promoter and completely blocked stress-induced up-regulation of the CMV promoter. Overexpression of a dominant negative JNK kinase had no effect on basal transcription, but significantly reduced up-regulation caused by stress. These results have grave implications for use of the CMV promoter. If the CMV promoter can be upregulated by cellular stresses, inadvertent activation of the stress kinase pathways may complicate, if not invalidate, the interpretation of a wide range of experiments.