A far-upstream AP-1/Smad binding box regulates human NOX4 promoter activation by transforming growth factor-β

• TGF-β regulates NOX4 gene transcription.
• TGF-β induces NOX4 promoter activity far upstream of its TSS (3975-4760bp).
• A 15bp AP-1/Smad binding box mediates TGF-β-induced NOX4 promoter activation.
• These results inform the design of therapeutics against NOX4-associated diseases.

NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) is a member of the NADPH oxidase gene family that regulates cellular differentiation, innate immunity and tissue fibrosis. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β1) is known to induce expression of NOX4 mRNA in mesenchymal cells. However, the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation of NOX4 are not well understood. In this study, we examined the transcriptional regulation of NOX4 in human lung fibroblasts by TGF-β1. Five promoter-reporter constructs containing DNA fragments of 0.74 kb, 1.35 kb, 1.84 kb, 3.97 kb and 4.76 kb upstream from the transcriptional start site (TSS) of the human NOX4 gene were generated and their relative responsiveness to TGF-β1 analyzed. TGF-β1-induced NOX4 gene promoter activation requires a region between − 3.97 kb and − 4.76 kb. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a 15 bp AP-1/Smad binding element in this region. Mutation or deletion of either the AP-1 or the Smad element attenuated TGF-β1 responsiveness of the − 4.76 kb NOX4 promoter. Furthermore, insertion of this AP-1/Smad box conferred TGF-β1 inducibility to the non-responsive − 3.97 kb NOX4 promoter construct. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis indicated that phospho-Smad3 and cJun associate with this element in a TGF-β1-inducible manner. These results demonstrate that the AP-1/Smad box located between 3.97 kb and 4.76 kb upstream of the TSS site of the NOX4 promoter is essential for NOX4 gene transcription induced by TGF-β1 in human lung fibroblasts. Our study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of NOX4 gene expression, informing novel therapeutic approaches to interfere with upregulation of NOX4 in diseases characterized by activation of the TGF-β1/NOX4 pathway.