Induced expression of the transcription of tropomodulin 1 by Wnt5a and characterization of the tropomodulin 1 promoter

Microarray analysis was carried out to identify novel downstream target genes regulated by non-canonical Wnt signaling. We found that Tmod1, known as an actin-capping protein, is up-regulated by Wnt5a, while gelsolin, known as an actin-severing protein, is down-regulated by Wnt5a. As expected from the roles of genes regulated by Wnt5a, L929 cells expressing Wnt5a show abnormal cell shape and a reduced migration rate. Cloning and analysis of the putative promoter show that two conserved sequences, one in the 5′-end of the first exon and the other in the intron next to the first exon, are necessary for the basal promoter activity.