An Endocrine-Exocrine Switch in the Activity of the Pancreatic Homeodomain Protein PDX1 through Formation of a Trimeric Complex with PBX1b and MRG1 (MEIS2)

ABSTRACT

HOX proteins and some orphan homeodomain proteins form complexes with either PBX or MEIS subclasses of homeodomain proteins. This interaction can increase the binding specificity and transcriptional effectiveness of the HOX partner. Here we show that specific members of both PBX and MEIS subclasses form a multimeric complex with the pancreatic homeodomain protein PDX1 and switch the nature of its transcriptional activity. The two activities of PDX1 are exhibited through the 10-bp B element of the transcriptional enhancer of the pancreatic elastase I gene (ELA1). In pancreatic acinar cells the activity of the B element requires other elements of the ELA1 enhancer; in β-cells the B element can activate a promoter in the absence of other enhancer elements. In acinar cell lines the activity is mediated by a complex comprising PDX1, PBX1b, and MRG1 (MEIS2). In contrast, β-cell lines are devoid of PBX1b and MRG1, so that a trimeric complex does not form, and the β-cell-type activity is mediated by PDX1 without PBX1b and MRG1. The presence of specific nuclear isoforms of PBX and MEIS is precisely regulated in a cell-type-specific manner. The β-cell-type activity can be detected in acinar cells if the B element is altered to retain binding of PDX1 but prevent binding of the PDX1-PBX1b-MRG1 complex. These observations suggest that association with PBX and MEIS partners controls the nature of the transcriptional activity of the organ-specific PDX1 transcription factor in exocrine versus endocrine cells.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Fred Kruse for early contributions to this work, Jeana Buxton for excellent technical assistance, Mike Waterman for helpful discussions and critique of the manuscript, Marc Montminy for providing anti-STF1 antiserum, and Ira O. Daar for providing MEIS1 and MRG1 antisera.

This work was supported by grant DK-27430 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a grant from the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International to R.J.M. and by NIH grants CA-21124 to A.M.B., DK-42502 to C.V.E.W., and DK-28350 to M. R. Waterman.

Galvin H. Swift and Ying Liu contributed equally to this work.