Glucagon gene 5'-flanking sequences direct expression of simian virus 40 large T antigen to the intestine, producing carcinoma of the large bowel in transgenic mice.

Glucagon and the glucagon-like peptides play important roles in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. Previous studies have demonstrated that approximately 1300 base pairs of rat glucagon gene 5'-flanking sequences direct transgene expression to the pancreas and brain, but not to the intestine, of transgenic mice. These observations suggested that different tissue-specific enhancer elements mediate activation of glucagon gene transcription in the pancreas and intestine. We have now generated mice that express SV40 large T antigen under the control of approximately 2000 base pairs of glucagon gene 5'-flanking sequences. Transgene expression was observed in the brain and pancreas in association with the development of pancreatic endocrine tumors. In contrast to the mice described previously, we also detected transgene expression throughout the gastrointestinal tract in endocrine cells of the stomach and small and large intestine. Focal areas of enteroendocrine cell hyperplasia in the large bowel invariably progressed to invasive and metastasizing plurihormonal endocrine carcinoma, which was clinically and pathologically evident by 4 weeks of age. In contrast, transgene expression in the small bowel and stomach was not associated with progression to either hyperplasia or carcinoma. The results of these studies provide functional evidence for the existence of an upstream cis-acting regulatory domain that directs glucagon gene transcription to the endocrine cells of the intestine in transgenic mice.